CSAP, or Colorado Student Assessment Program, is a test given by the state of Colorado that verifies that students from all parts of the state are achieving at or above the levels necessary for a well-rounded education. In fact, specific benchmarks are used for this testing procedure.
CSAP benchmarks are within reading, science, writing and math. Students take all four exams and are graded within four different levels. Performance at level 4 is considered advanced, level 3 is graded as proficient, level 2 is achieving below proficient and level 1 is unsatisfactory.
These levels of benchmarks are analyzed by school districts and the state, so that curricula can be altered and improved to challenge the advanced students and support the struggling students. According to the Colorado Department of Education, all students should be taught with the same standards regardless of whether they live in a rural or urban area of Colorado.