Dear Parents of Norwood Students:

 Next week our students will join students throughout Colorado in taking the state tests called the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS).  These are not additional tests – the CMAS replaces the TCAP, using next generation technology that will provide more meaningful feedback to help teachers and parents ensure students master the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s world.

 The new tests are completely online – no more bubble sheets – and they’ll give teachers and parents a more accurate picture of what our students have learned because they ask students to show and apply what they know, instead of just picking the right answer from a multiple-choice question.  The new tests are aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards, which replaced 20-year-old standards.  The new standards, in use at our school since the 2013-14 school year, update our community’s expectations for what students must know to be ready for college level courses or a career after they graduate from high school.   

 You may have heard the new tests will be harder.  As with any change, there will be a period of adjustment as teachers and students get used to the new standards and new tests.  The new tests will, indeed, be different.  We live in an increasingly complex world, and the knowledge and skills students need to succeed is challenging.  By using more advanced questions, the CMAS tests will allow students to demonstrate their critical thinking, analytical writing and problem-solving skills.  Teachers can use the results of the exam to help see if the school’s programs and classroom lessons are netting the results we expect.

 Tests are not the most exciting part of learning, but they are an important part.  Just as we take our children to the doctor for regular well-child checkups, these tests tell us how students and our schools are doing.  Parents should know if their children are on the right path, and these new assessments will provide an “academic checkup” to help us know if our students are ready for what comes next. 

Just as the tests provide meaningful information about each student’s progress, the CMAS is a critical tool for reflecting on our work as a school.  Strong participation is critical to understanding if our school is doing all it can to help our students prepare for success in college, a career and in life.

 All schools in Colorado are required to test all students using the state’s tests. When students come to school during testing time, we’re expecting that students will participate in those tests.

 Your child’s participation is really important to us.  If your child isn’t included in the testing, we won’t have a full picture of your child’s academic progress in relation to the state’s expectations. If your child misses the tests, you won’t have the academic growth information to best understand how he or she is progressing in meeting academic expectations for his/her grade level over time. That information also gives you beneficial insights about how much value our school is providing to your child, such as determining if we helped your child achieve at least a year’s worth of academic growth in a year’s time. Having consistent, accurate and fair testing results allows us to measure our overall academic health of our school and district.

On the back of this page are the dates of testing in March.  We appreciate all of your encouragement and support you give to our children, our schools, and our community.

Sincerely,

Admin Team