Colorado students have been taking annual state tests this month to measure student growth. During my years serving students in Colorado, I’ve seen parents become more stressed about tests than their children. But I encourage parents to reconsider the value of our state’s annual tests — for educators and families alike.
Good tests allow students to celebrate progress. As children are held to high standards, good tests reveal how far they’ve come and clarify the next set of learning targets.
Good tests help parents and teachers discover learning gaps for students and determine subject mastery. Good tests help struggling students target areas for improvement.
Good tests reveal the growth trend for students in individual schools, so our community leaders can identify which schools need to take action for improvement.
Testing tips at can help reduce test anxiety for both parents and students. Let’s remember that no test measures a student’s worth; academic tests simply shine light on their educational progress.
Rigoberto Mendez, Lakewood
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