The Montezuma-Cortez school board on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution in support of suspending state assessments for the 2020-2021 school year.
Superintendent Lori Haukeness and members of the Board of Education contend that administering the state tests this year would take precious instruction time from teachers already trying to make up for gaps in learning created by the pandemic.
Board members also argued that the tests would add stress to an already difficult situation.
“We just don’t need to add this additional stress to our staff, our teachers, our students,” said board Treasurer Tammy Hooten. “It would be detrimental if we tried to do this.”
Haukeness said the district’s own weekly tests are keeping track of students’ progress.
“We have had assessments that drive instruction,” Haukeness said. “Even through the chaos, teachers have been very diligent with this.”
Now that students are back for in-person learning, Haukeness argued that the state tests would get in the way.
“Teachers need the time to teach,” Haukeness said.
State Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, told The Journal that he co-sponsored a bill Friday that would delay this year’s Colorado Measures of Academic Success test.
Catlin said he signed onto the bill because it’s what his rural school districts want. Catlin represents Dolores, Montezuma, Montrose and San Miguel counties.
“I trust our teachers and administrators,” Catlin said. “They tell me what their students need. Teachers can you tell you how their students are doing because they have interaction with them every day.”
Catlin also said students would have to disable their class computers to take the test with them.
“That takes the computer out of their hands until the testing series is over,” Catlin said. “When you’re making a living with that computer, it’s kind of rough to take it away from you in order to take a test. That just doesn’t make common sense to me. Our teachers know how their students are doing, particularly during this COVID period, better than what the test might tell them.”
CMAS tests have been scheduled for April 12 to May 14.
Last year’s assessments were paused because of the pandemic as well.
All schools in Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 have returned for in-person learning.
Over 250 of the district’s educators and staff will receive their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine this month. The second dose will be administered by the end of March.
Assessments continue to be debated at the state level. According to reporting from The Colorado Sun, Gov. Jared Polis has supported going forward with this year’s assessments to better understand potential learning gaps.
