Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to annually measure the achievement of not less than 95 percent of all students in each subgroup of students, who are enrolled in public schools. ESSA requires the assessment of all students, including students with disabilities and English learners, in:
- Reading and/or language arts in grades 3-8 and once in high school;
- Mathematics in grades 3-8 and once in high school; and
- Science once in grades 3-5, once in grades 6-9, and once in grades 10-12
PED maintains a balanced assessment system composed of summative assessments that show whether students across the state are mastering academic standards. In addition to, formative and interim assessments that tell teachers what individual students are struggling with so they can help students master those specific standards. For more information, please see State and Federal Assessment Requirements FAQ and the Balanced Assessment System Infographic. If there are specific questions related to a particular program or assessment, please contact the appropriate staff member managing the program.
Interim/Formative Assessments
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
Interim New Mexico Measures of Student Success & Achievement (i-MSSA)
Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT)
Screener/Progress Monitoring Assessments
Summative Assessments
ACCESS/Alt-ACCESS
Avant STAMP
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
New Mexico Assessment of Science Readiness (NM-ASR)
New Mexico Measures of Student Success & Achievement (NM-MSSA)
SAT School Day
Spanish Reading Standards Based Assessment (SBA)
ACCESS/Alt-ACCESS | Grades K-12 ACCESS | Grades 1-12 Alt-ACCESS | Summative
The ACCESS for English Language Learners (ELLs) is New Mexico’s assessment of academic English language proficiency. It is administered to current English Learners in grades K-12. The Alternate ACCESS assessment is administered to English Language Learners (ELLs) with significant cognitive disabilities whose special education IEPs designate it as the appropriate English language proficiency assessment. Alt-ACCESS measures overall proficiency in the development of academic English language.
Educator Portals and Resources
Test Development, Instructional Framework & Technical Manuals:
- Annual Technical Report for ACCESS for ELLs Online English Language Proficiency Test Series 501, 2019–2020 Administration
- Annual Technical Report for ACCESS for ELLs Paper English Language Proficiency Test Series 501, 2019–2020 Administration
- Annual Technical Report for ALTERNATE ACCESS for ELLs® English Language Proficiency Test, Series 501, 2019-2020 Administration
Accessibility and Accommodations:
Additional Resources
Educators use ACCESS results, along with other WIDA resources, to make decisions about students’ English academic language and to facilitate their language development. Students’ scores reflect proficiency levels ranging from Level 1 (Entering) to Level 6 (Reaching). Test scores can be used:
- For accountability purposes
- As benchmarks against which educators can measure future performance
- As a measure to make reclassification decisions about whether a student can exit English language support services
- To support decisions about placing students into appropriate classes or groups for instruction, instructional planning
- To show the progress students have made
- Understanding Scores & Reports
- NM Language Survey: Identifying Potential ELs
Avant STAMP | Grades K-12 | Summative
Avant STAMP is the statewide Spanish language proficiency assessment for students enrolled in a state-funded bilingual multicultural education program (BMEP). The assessment is administered to students who have not yet reached proficiency in Spanish (Intermediate-High level on STAMP) in-person at school sites.
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) | Grades 3-8, 11 ELA/Math | Grades 5, 8, 11 Science | Formative/Interim/Summative
The Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Alternate Assessment System assesses what students with the most significant cognitive disabilities know and can do in DLM subject areas in grades 3-8 and high school. The DLM Alternate Assessment System provides accessibility by design and is guided by the core beliefs that all students are to have access to challenging, grade-level content and that test administrators must adhere to the highest levels of integrity in providing instruction in administering assessments based on this challenging content. Visit the Dynamic Learning Maps website.
Additional resources to support educators with the administration of the DLM can be found at the DLM New Mexico website or at PED Alternate Assessment Resources page.
Educator Portals and Resources
Test Blueprints & Technical Manual: The blueprint refers to the pool of available Essential Elements that will be assessed during the spring assessment window.
- English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 & 11)
- Mathematics (Grades 3-8 & 11)
- Science (Grades 5, 8 & 11)
- Technical Manual (Updated 2021)
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs): A Performance Level Descriptor is an overview of the knowledge, skills, and understandings students typically demonstrate at specific performance levels on DLM assessments. Not every student will demonstrate the skills described in each level.
Accommodations Information
Sample Testlet Information
Family Portal and Resources
- Family Portal
- DLM Parent Information
- Technical Manual (Updated 2021)
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs): A Performance Level Descriptor is an overview of the knowledge, skills, and understandings students typically demonstrate at specific performance levels on DLM assessments. Not every student will demonstrate the skills described in each level.
Interim New Mexico Measures of Student Success & Achievement (i-MSSA) | Grades 3-8 | Formative/Interim
Interim Measure of Student Success and Achievement (iMSSA) assessments are available for beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year administration windows set by PED in grades 3-8, Reading, Writing & Language Usage, and Math. While New Mexico requires that all districts and charter schools administer an interim assessment in regular intervals, use of the iMSSA is optional.
Educator Portals and Resources
- Educator Portal/Data Interaction– Upload rosters, create accounts, monitor, and view assessment results.
- Cognia Help and Support – Information on iMSSA
- 2022-23 iMSSA Test Administrator’s Manual
- iMSSA FAQs
Test Alignment Tables: These documents demonstrates the alignment of items to intended standards and to a taxonomy for cognitive complexity . The assessments were written to college and career readiness standards similar to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). To evaluate the cognitive complexity of Cognia test items, we used Webb’s Depth of Knowledge taxonomy.
State-Adopted Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) and Scale Scores
- Mathematics ALDs (Grades 3-8)
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 3
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 4
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 5
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 6
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 7
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 8
- Reading ALDs (Grades 3-8)
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 3
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 4
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 5
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 6
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 7
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 8
- iMSSA Scale Scores (Adopted Aug 2022)
Accommodations Information
Family Portals and Resources
- Family Portal– view assessment results.
State-Adopted Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) and Scale Scores
- Mathematics ALDs (Grades 3-8)
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 3
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 4
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 5
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 6
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 7
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Math Gr 8
- Reading ALDs (Grades 3-8)
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 3
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 4
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 5
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 6
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 7
- NM iMSSA Borderline Achievement Level Descriptors Reading Gr 8
- iMSSA Scale Scores (Adopted Aug 2022)
Istation Indicators of Student Progress (ISIP) | Grades K-2 | Screener/Progress Monitoring
Using what they call Indicators of Progress (ISIP), Istation is able to assess student development in early reading, math, and English language acquisition. ISIP uses sophisticated, web-delivered computer-adaptive testing (CAT) systems that provide continuous progress monitoring (CPM) by frequently assessing and reporting student ability throughout the academic year. CPM enables teachers to plan individualized instruction, tailored to meet the specific needs of each student.
Educator Portals and Resources
- Educator Portal
- New Mexico and Istation
- Professional Learning
- Technical Support
- Resources for Districts and Schools
Accommodations Information
- Accessability Features (Updated September 10, 2021)
Kindergarten Observation Tool | Grades K | –
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Educator Portals and Resources
Family Resources
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) | Grades 4, 8 Math and/or Reading | Summative
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an assessment administered to a sample of students in each of the 50 states, as well as the jurisdictions of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Department of Defense schools, in order to determine how much U.S. students know about various subjects. While states have their own unique assessments with different content standards, the same NAEP assessment is administered in every state, providing a common measure of student achievement. The main NAEP measures students in mathematics and reading assessments at grades 4 and 8 and occurs every other year.
New Mexico Assessment of Science Readiness (NM-ASR) | Grades 5, 8, 11 | Summative
The New Mexico Assessment of Science Readiness is New Mexico’s statewide summative assessment for science, administered at the end of Grades 5, 8, and 11. As the NM-ASR is a single measure at the end of a grade band, interpretations and uses of NM-ASR scores should be supplemented with additional measures, including information from classroom summative and formative assessments in science.
Educator Portals and Resources
- Educator Portal/Data Interaction– Upload rosters, create accounts, monitor, and view assessment results.
- Cognia Help and Support – Information on NM-ASR
Test Design and Blueprint
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) and Scale Scores
- Borderline Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)
- Borderline PLD Tables
- NM-ASR Scale Scores (Adopted Aug. 2022)
Accommodations Information
Practice Tests
Family Portals and Resources
- Family Portal– view assessment results.
- Family ISR Interpretation Guide
- Family ISR Interpretation Guide (Spanish)
- Family ISR Interpretation Guide (Navajo)
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) and Scale Scores
- Borderline Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)
- Borderline PLD Tables
- NM-ASR Scale Scores (Adopted Aug. 2022)
New Mexico Measures of Student Success & Achievement (NM-MSSA) | Grades 3-8 | Summative
The New Mexico Measures of Student Success and Achievement is New Mexico’s statewide summative assessment for mathematics and English language arts, administered at the end of Grades 3-8. As the NM-MSSA is a single measure at the end of a grade band, interpretations and uses of NM-MSSA scores should be supplemented with additional measures, including information from classroom summative and formative assessments in mathematics and English language arts as well as interim assessments.
Educator Portals and Resources
- Educator Portal/Data Interaction– Upload rosters, create accounts, monitor, and view assessment results.
- Cognia Help and Support – Information on NM-MSSA
Test Design and Blueprint
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) and Scale Scores
- NM-MSSA Performance Level Descriptors: Mathematics
- NM-MSSA Performance Level Descriptors: English Language Arts
- NM-MSSA Scale Scores (Adopted Aug. 2022)
Accommodations Information
Practice Tests
Family Portals and Resources
- Family Portal– view assessment results.
- Family ISR Interpretation Guide
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) and Scale Scores
SAT School Day | Grade 11 | Summative
All 11th grade students in New Mexico public schools will participate in the digital SAT during the school day in spring 2023 as part of our federally required state testing program, except for those students who take the alternate assessment based upon an IEP. The SAT will consist of 3 timed tests: Reading, Writing and Language, and Mathematics. Spring testing will consist of a 5-day primary testing window in April and a makeup testing window at the end of April. For specific dates and details, please refer to the 2022-2023 Assessment Schedule.
Overview
Test Specifications and Technical Manual
- NM Standards Measured by SAT
- SAT Suite Alignment to New Mexico Standards 2016 Study
- SAT Test Specifications
- Technical Manual
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors and Scale Scores
Accommodations and Supports
Practice Test Resources
- Using the SAT Suite Question Bank – Math Teacher Modules
- Using the SAT Suite Question Bank – ELA Teacher Modules
- SAT Suite and Classroom Practice2024
2024 Transition to Digital SAT
Spanish Reading Standards Based Assessment (SBA) | Grade 11 | Summative
Starting in spring 2021, the state adopted the NM-MSSA Spanish Language Arts (SLA) assessment for grades 3-8 replacing the Spanish Reading SBA for grades 3-8. As a result, the Spanish Reading SBA is only offered at the high school level as a summative assessment. This test is offered 100% in Spanish.
Educator Portals and Resources
- Cognia iServices– View Scores
- Cognia Help and Support – Information on Spanish Reading SBA
Test Design and Blueprint
State-Adopted Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) and Scale Scores
- Spanish Reading SBA PLDs
- Spanish Reading SBA PLDs (in Spanish)
- Spanish Reading Scale Scores (Adopted 2019)
For resources regarding the Dyslexia Screener, please visit the Literacy and Humanities Bureau’s Page.
For resources regarding the assessments for the State Seal of Bilingualism-Biliteracy, please visit the Language and Culture Division’s Page.