Colorado Assessment Literacy Program

The Colorado Assessment Literacy Program offers tools and resources aimed at supporting educators’ efforts to expand their understanding of the varied purposes and uses of assessment information and guiding instruction to improve student engagement and learning. The program includes resources that help to build capacity across districts, align and develop sustainable, local assessment systems. Local assessment systems include classroom, district, and state assessments as well as formative assessment practices.

In addition, the program helps educators design, implement and use assessments effectively to guide and support instruction, and make important programmatic and resource decisions that benefit all students. Educators who complete the program have a better understanding of how to strategically use assessment information to improve instructional outcomes for all students.

Assessment Literacy Professional Learning Modules

These FREE online Professional Learning Modules are designed for educators to participate individually or as a team and provide the opportunity for educators to engage in a variety of activities that can be applied directly in the classroom. Upon completion of this program, educators will have a better understanding of how to strategically use assessment information to improve instructional outcomes for all students.
To access the modules visit the Professional Learning Modules web page and set up an account. 

Creating Meaningful Classroom Assessments - Workshop 

This customizable workshop emphasizes designing, implementing, scoring, and analyzing high-quality classroom assessments. Participants will learn targeted strategies to enhance their local assessment system, creating a more coherent framework centered on student engagement and learning outcomes.

To schedule a workshop and/or request workshop materials, contact Angela Landrum at landrum_a@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6931. 

Performance Assessment

High quality performance assessments are generally hands-on and/or involve real-world scenarios and have the capacity to measure a student's ability to apply and transfer to new situations both relevant content knowledge and essential skills. The use of performance assessment provides all students the opportunity to demonstrate deep content knowledge through the application of essential skills in a non-traditional assessment format that has the ability to more effectively showcase student talent.

Visit the Performance Assessment webpage for access to learning modules, research, and the state-wide scoring framework and resources.

Colorado Student-Centered Science Assessment Learning Series and Toolkit

The Colorado Student-Centered Science Assessment Learning Series and Toolkit is a sustained and supported professional learning experience designed to shift the culture of assessment to one where students experience assessment as an important part of learning that is positive, confidence-building, and empowering and teachers have access to assessments that are designed to reveal pivotal information about student sensemaking.

Learn more about the Colorado Student-Centered Science Assessment Learning Series and Toolkit.

Capstone Assessment

A Capstone Assessment is a multifaceted body of work that is district determined and serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students. Capstone assessments could include a portfolio of the student’s best work - curriculum or research-based; feature a set of experiments organized around a central problem; and/or showcase a community service project or learning activity.

Learn more about Capstone Assessment processes and the NEW Colorado Capstone Implementation Criteria.

Colorado Assessment Review Tool

The Colorado Assessment Review Tool guides district and school leaders and educators as they evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their local assessments. It is designed to help users determine how well assessments align with the Colorado Academic Standards, whether they include clear scoring criteria, if they adhere to principles of fairness and minimize bias, and how they contribute to enhancing students' learning opportunities.

• Download the Assessment Review Tool (XLS)
• Instructions on how to use the Assessment Review Tool (narrated PPT)