Despite the whirlwind effects of COVID (remote learning last spring, this fall and hybrid learning this year) Erie High School’s juniors showed improvement over last year on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT).  This test is a variety of the PSAT from College Board and is used to select recipients of the National Merit Scholarship which provides free tuition, fees and books to students attending university in Colorado.  Typically, schools only test their best and brightest for this honor but in St Vrain Valley Schools, EVERY junior takes the test.  See this graphic describing the improvement EHS showed over the previous year’s tests.

Erie High School has used practice testing as a method to help raise scores and reduce test anxiety at the request of students and parents in our community.  The results have shown consistent growth since we began this effort.

Congratulations juniors for showing your stripes even with your masks on and this change in your learning environment!  Your mental agility is a skill that will benefit you for your whole lives.

The current plan from the Colorado Department of Education has students taking their standardized tests this spring as well.