Board File: IK
STATE-MANDATED ASSESSMENTS
The Board of Education respects parents’ or legal guardians’ right to direct their students’
education and honors the choices of parents or guardians make regarding their students’
participation in state-mandated assessments. Under Colorado law, all school districts, board of
cooperative services, district charter schools and institute charter schools are prohibited from
imposing negative consequences for a parent’s exercise of his or her choice to excuse a student
from state-mandated assessments. In accordance with State law protecting students and parents
and in order for families to make their own best choices regarding state-mandated assessments, the
Board adopts the following policy.
Information about State-Mandated Assessments
Before classes commence in the fall, the district shall provide to each parent or guardian the
schedule of state-mandated assessments to the extent known, including a statement about the
purpose and use of the state-mandated assessments. A copy of this policy shall accompany this
communication, which shall also be posted on the district’s website.
As required by state law, the results of the state-mandated assessments shall be included on the
student’s final report card, if such results are available in time for inclusion on the final report card.
If a parent or guardian has excused the student from taking one or more state-mandated
assessments, the final report card shall not indicate in any way that the assessment was excused or
not taken.
As soon as practicable after the school district receives a student’s state-mandated assessment
results but in no event later than the next scheduled parent-teacher conference, the school at which
the student is enrolled shall share with and explain to the parent or legal guardian the student’s
results on the assessments.
Administration of State-Mandated Assessments
The superintendent or designee shall observe all testing protocols relevant to the state-mandated
assessments, and shall make proper arrangement for test security.
For computer-based state-mandated assessments, the parent or guardian may request that the
assessment be administered using pencil and paper. Such request shall be made in writing, which
may be in email form, to the school at which the student is enrolled and at time designated by the
superintendent or designee that will allow for the proper arrangements to be made for the student
to take the pencil and paper version of the assessment.
Although on-site supervision cannot be guaranteed for students who do not take the state-mandated
assessments, schools may use staff and volunteer resources to the best of their abilities to provide
on-site supervision if they choose, and make these accommodations known to their parent
community through direct communication, parent newsletter and/or school website.
Douglas County School District Re-1, Castle Rock, Colorado
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