Teachers torn on how to improve student learning following drop in test scores during COVID

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) —  A new state report out Thursday shows struggles at every grade level when comparing 2019 standardized test scores to 2021. 

The report is the first glimpse parents and educators are getting at how the pandemic affected Colorado students.

The Colorado Department of Education paused the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) testing for the 2019-2020 school year due to COVID-19. However, for the 2020-2021 school year, Colorado Lawmakers only minimized the test for students. In place of all exams, students in third grade through eighth grade either had to take the exam in math or literacy, not both.

Each school district in the state will decide for itself whether or not to change the curriculum following the report. The Colorado Department of Education doesn't issue mandates for curriculum based on test scores.

Colorado Springs teachers are torn on the proper approach.

“Personally I think that we don’t need to put a lot of stock in how these scores came out this year,” said Mikes Maes, president of the Pueblo Education Association. “Given the testing environment — the situation most school districts were in.”

Maes thinks student test scores will probably improve naturally as classrooms regain some sense of normalcy.

“For the most part, we’re just going to do things the same moving forward,” said Maes. “Individual teachers are going to be given things they can do in the classroom to try to address that learning loss or that gap that occurred.”

The director of assessment in Colorado Springs School District 11 is taking more of a targeted approach.

“We’re encouraging them to build what we call formative assessments or smaller tests to get a really specific idea of where students are struggling so that they can target their instruction to improvement,” said Eric Mason.

Meanwhile, Paige Kraus, the STEM facilitator at Encompass Heights Elementary School in Academy School District 20, is considering all student circumstances.

“We are very aware that they may have experienced some trauma,” said Kraus. “People may have passed away from COVID that they know and love. Parents may have lost jobs. Students may have had COVID themselves and been sick and are frightened.”

The trend is likely not limited to the state of Colorado. Nationwide, standardized assessments are expected to show worsening test results.