Colorado’s 2026 CMAS scores: See how your school and district did

Colorado's 2026 Colorado Measures of Academic Progress (CMAS) scores were released on Wednesday, showing promising trends in math and literacy for elementary and middle school students. Eighth graders made the most significant gains in math, with 37.8% of students meeting or exceeding expectations, up from 34.7% last year. However, literacy results were inconsistent, with fourth and fifth graders seeing slight increases, while middle schoolers' scores declined.

Christina Wirth-Hawkins, chief assessment officer for the Colorado Department of Education, described the story of the latest scores as one of progress and continued work. Middle school literacy likely falls into the latter category, as the percentage of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders meeting or exceeding state expectations fell. In 2025, 44.2% of sixth graders met the benchmark, compared to 41.6% in 2026.

Education Commissioner Susana Córdova suggested that the focus on early literacy may be paying off for upper elementary students, with 50% of fifth graders statewide meeting or exceeding expectations in 2026, up from 48% the previous year. Fourth graders showed the most significant improvement, with 47% meeting or exceeding expectations this year, up from 42% last year.

In math, scores improved across the board, with the biggest increase in eighth grade, where 37.8% of students met or exceeded expectations, up from 34.7% last year. Córdova noted that many students might have struggled with math during the pandemic, leading to the year-over-year improvement.

While the state's overall literacy and math scores were slightly below the national averages, Denver Public Schools saw increases in both areas, except for sixth and eighth grade literacy, which decreased. Science scores also declined in grades 4, 7, and 11 due to the new state standards.