Colorado Education Standards Remarkably Low

Colorado is one of several states that report a large percentage of students who meet state standardized testing requirements, but fall far short of federal standards

The AP reports:

Federal officials say Colorado is one of several states reporting that its students have mastered math and reading skills when they don't meet tougher federal standards.

The widest discrepancy was in eighth-grade reading, where 87 percent of Colorado students met state standards but only 35 percent met the national mark.

The U.S. Education Department released the report this week.

The report says 86 percent of Colorado fourth-graders met state reading standards but 36 percent met federal criteria.

Colorado ranks 40th in the nation in K-12 funding per student, according to a 2009 Census Study.

The Colorado standardized test, the CSAP, has been criticized by Governor Ritter, who recently announced that he would like to see it eliminated.