Assessments

District Assessments (Required)

NWEA MAP Growth Reading and Math

All 9th and 10th grade students in Language & Literature, as well as students in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 are required to complete the NWEA Map Growth testing in the fall and winter. This assessment provides benchmark data in reading and math, which allows teachers to build in support of or extension beyond grade-level proficiency. Students may not be opted out of this assessment.

IXL

IXL is a personalized learning platform offering comprehensive standards-aligned content for reading and math; teachers can use it for progress monitoring and students can use it for practice and tutorials to accelerate their academic achievement and growth. Typically, math and Language & Literature teachers assign skills to students to practice within the platform and can be connected directly to each student’s NWEA Map Growth assessment data.

State Assessments (Required)

Colorado has a series of educational standards known as the Colorado Academic Standards that outline academic objectives for students in every grade across 10 content areas. The standards are designed to ensure students are prepared to succeed in their path of choice upon high school graduation. To ensure students are proficient in these standards, Colorado has implemented a set of common assessments known as the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS), and Academy District 20 has also adopted College Board’s SAT suite of assessments, which includes PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and SAT.

CMAS and PSAT/SAT are the only common measuring tools for Colorado students. Measuring real-world skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, the tests are aligned to classroom work so teachers do not have to "teach to the test." Instruction based on the standards is the best preparation.

While state assessments are only one measure of student learning, having all Colorado students take this set of assessments provides parents with answers to these questions:

Is my child meeting the standards set forth by Colorado?
How well is my child doing compared to other students?
Which schools and districts perform best in preparing students for academic success?

Additionally, state assessment results provide data and information that districts can use, in combination with other district information, to evaluate programs. Districts, schools, and educators can also use this data to improve instruction, aid students who may be struggling, and provide recognition regarding high performing systems so others may learn from them.

Parental Excusal: state law and district policy allow parents to excuse their children from taking state assessments. If you wish to excuse your student from a state assessment, you will need to submit a form to the school; this form will be released closer to state testing in April. Please note that parental excusal is not allowed for district assessments.

CMAS Science (Juniors Only)

Discovery Canyon Campus High School students in 11th grade are automatically enrolled to take the high school CMAS Science assessment in April.

SAT Suite of Assessments (Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors)

PSAT 8/9 and PSAT 10

In addition to helping students practice for the SAT, the PSAT can identify a student’s potential for success in advanced course work. All freshmen enrolled at Discovery Canyon Campus High School are automatically enrolled to take the PSAT 9 and all sophomores enrolled at Discovery Canyon Campus High School are automatically enrolled to take the PSAT 10 in April.

SAT

The SAT also serves as an admission test and is accepted by every college in the United States. At the time of testing, students can send their scores to up to four colleges for free. Juniors enrolled at Discovery Canyon Campus High School are automatically registered to take the SAT in April.

WIDA Access

The WIDA Access is an assessment that measures English Language Proficiency (ELP) in the four domains of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This assessment is given annually to all students learning English Learners (ELs) to monitor progress, build supports, and make decisions about services for ELs.

Program Assessments (Optional)

International Baccalaureate (IB Exams)

As an IB World School Continuum, Discover Canyon Campus High School offers a variety of IB classes, courses, and programs, and encourages students to take the external assessments as a culmination of what they have learned throughout the year or the entire program. This also gives students an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. More information can be found on the International Baccalaureate website. The cost of an external IB exam is $124; the cost of an internal exam is free.

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are offered through College Board and give students in AP classes the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge to earn college credit while still in high school. More information can be found on the College Board website. Currently, Discovery Canyon Campus High School offers AP classes and subsequent exams in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics. The cost of an AP exam is $105.

PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) is an optional assessment offered to juniors only in October of each year: it is good practice for the SAT and it connects students to potential scholarships for college. More information about the test can be found on the SAT Suite website. The cost of this assessment is $18.

ASVAB

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is an aptitude test developed by the Department of Defense. The ASVAB CEP is designed to help juniors and seniors learn more about themselves and the world of work, explore occupations in line with their interests and skills, discover ways to enter the career fields they are best suited for, develop an effective strategy to achieve their career goals, and meet graduation requirements (a score of 31 or higher meets the Graduation Requirement for the state of Colorado). More information about the assessment can be found on the ASVAB website. The cost of this assessment is free.

ACT WorkKeys

ACT WorkKeys is a system of job assessments that measure foundational, career-relevant skills like applied math, graphic literacy, and workplace document reading. Discovery Canyon Campus High School uses this assessment to assist seniors in meeting the Colorado graduation requirement of showing proficiency in reading, writing, communicating and math. More information about the assessment can be found on the ACT website. The cost of this assessment is free for the first attempt, then $13.50 per section for each additional attempt.

Graduation Requirements

The state of Colorado implemented a requirement beginning in 2021 that states all students must show proficiency in reading, writing, communicating and math to graduate. There are a multitude of ways a student can show this proficiency: the menu of options as stated by the CDE can be found on the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) website. Discovery Canyon Campus High School most commonly uses SAT, ASVAB, ACT Workkeys, and the Capstone Project to ensure graduating seniors meet this requirement.