CMAS tests are given each spring to students in grades three through eight. Students who score at least 750 are considered to have “met or exceeded expectations,” meaning they are on track for college or career readiness.
When math and language arts scores are combined, DSD is ranked 11th in school districts in Colorado among those with more than 1,500 students tested. The 10 districts ahead of Durango are all located in suburban or urban areas along the Front Range. DSD is the only rural district to reach this level of performance. DSD also serves the highest percentage of low-income students, multilingual learners, and students with special education needs compared to any of those districts.
“Our successful schools are something our whole community can be proud of,” said Superintendent Dr. Karen Cheser. “We are proving that students in a rural district can achieve at the same high levels as those in Colorado’s largest and most affluent communities.”
For context, the highest-performing district in the state – Cheyenne Mountain 12 in Colorado Springs – posted 66.2% of students meeting or exceeding CMAS benchmarks in English Language Arts. Durango’s percentage in ELA is 50.6%. That means more than half of our students are already on track for college and career readiness — a benchmark that is out of reach for the majority of districts across Colorado.
This is a strong showing, especially given that Cheyenne Mountain and other top scorers benefit from concentrated resources and socioeconomic advantages not present in Durango. In fact, reaching the 50.6% mark places our students far above the state average and makes Durango one of the top-performing districts statewide.
This underscores that CMAS, while useful, may not fully capture the breadth of what makes an educational environment effective. Comparative metrics, which include contextualizing factors like district size, income, and student need, are essential for a fair understanding.
“These results reflect the dedication of our educators and the hard work of our students,” Cheser added. “They also show the strength of our community in supporting public schools.”
CMAS FAQ
What is CMAS?
CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) is Colorado’s statewide test for grades 3-8 in math and English Language Arts. It’s the only “apples-to-apples” way to compare achievement across all school districts.
What does “met or exceeded expectations” mean?
Students who score at least 750 are considered “on track for college or career readiness.” It’s a high bar — more rigorous than simply being “on grade level.”
How did Durango perform in 2025?
When math and language arts scores are combined, DSD is ranked 11th in school districts in Colorado among those with more than 1,500 students tested. When CMAS and PSAT/SAT are combined, we are ranked 9th overall. We’re the only rural district in the top 11 — and we serve more students from low-income families, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities than the others in that group.
If the top district is only at 60% on CMAS, doesn’t that mean almost half of Colorado kids are failing?
Not at all. The CMAS “meets expectations” standard is tough. Think of it like aiming for an “A” on a very advanced test. Many students who don’t hit 750 are still learning and growing at grade level.
Why do scores matter if they only cover two subjects?
CMAS and PSAT/ SAT do not measure everything. They focus on reading and math, but don’t capture arts, career/technical programs, STEM, world language or social-emotional skills. That’s why we pair CMAS and PSAT/SAT data with other measures, including our Portrait of a Graduate vision, to get a fuller picture of student success.
Are test scores the only thing you care about?
No. We celebrate our CMAS and PSAT/ SAT results because they show Durango students are keeping pace with the best in the state. But tests are just one piece of the story. Our schools also value creativity, collaboration, well-being, and hands-on learning.
Why are comparative metrics important?
Districts don’t serve the same student populations. Some have far fewer low-income students or students with disabilities, and several have small numbers of students. Looking at test scores without context can make high-needs districts look weaker than they really are. Durango’s results are even more impressive when you consider our demographics.
How does Durango compare beyond CMAS scores?
When looking at both CMAS (grades 3–8) and SAT/PSAT results (high school), only eight large districts in Colorado — all suburban or urban along the Front Range with 3,000 students and above — scored higher than Durango across all areas (reading, writing, and math). Those districts are Cheyenne Mountain, Boulder Valley, Littleton, Poudre, Academy 20, Douglas County, Lewis-Palmer, and Jefferson County. Durango is the only rural district in this group.
Where can I see more details?
The Colorado Department of Education publishes all results on its website.