And into the CSAP season we go...

Just as teachers and students alike begin to feel the burn-out and heaviness of the school year, the most important state test we conduct is upon us. The Colorado Student Assessment Program, CSAP assesses students for reading, writing and math achievement; in middle school 8th graders also take a science test. This criterion-based test is supposed to be a measure of a student's learning, as well as a school's instructional proficiency. The idea of getting a read on student learning is valid. We need to know what kids know in order to plan for better and more effective instruction. However, the test results of this current group of Colorado students won't be available until August, well after students have moved on to a new grade level and often and new school. What if CSAP testing occurred in September, with results returned by December? Or better yet, what if CSAP provided immediate results? With this powerful information in hand, teachers, with students they know, could work toward more specific goal achievement throughout the school year. The Colorado Department of Education is working on a new version of CSAP. It will be interesting to see what the changes are.