Colorado special interest education groups are trying to divert what they estimate could be millions of dollars away from districts, schools, and students to create a new standardized test to measure students' abilities at the start of the school year despite the fact that teachers across the state will already administer much more targeted and actionable assessments to their students for instructional purposes.

We already know that our students are suffering emotionally, financially,  and educationally from the Covid crisis.  The school districts that will receive these students in the fall have already had to cut funding across the board due to the state budget crisis. Now is the time to ensure that every dollar possible is spent on academic and social emotional supports. Diverting millions away from classrooms for state level testing that is divorced from classroom instruction is both immoral and impractical at this time.

We urge the Colorado Department of Education and State Board of Education to:

1.  Reject the proposal from Ready Colorado, A+ Colorado, Democrats for Education Reform, Transform Education Now, and other special interest groups to create another standardized test.

2.  Ensure that all dollars are spent on educational supports (teachers, paraprofessionals, materials, etc) and social emotional supports to mitigate the harm that we already know has befallen students because of the Covid crisis.