Data Entry: Types of Assessment
There are two types of assessment conducted using Acadience measures, benchmark and progress monitoring.
Benchmark Assessment
Benchmark assessment is the process of universally screening all students in a grade, school, or district three times per year.
There are two primary purposes for conducting benchmark assessment:
(a) identifying students who may not be on track to reach important reading outcomes
(b) providing school-wide indices of status and progress.
Benchmark assessment is always conducted using grade-level material. The measures administered for benchmark assessment vary by grade and time of year, and include those measures that are most relevant for making instructional decisions at that time.
Progress Monitoring Assessment
Progress monitoring refers to testing students more frequently who may be at risk for future reading difficulty, on the skill areas in which they are receiving instruction. Students who are identified as not being on track during benchmark assessment are likely to require additional instructional assistance to reach future benchmark goals. Therefore, progress monitoring is the more frequent, ongoing measurement of individual student growth for students who are receiving additional instructional assistance, to ensure that those students are making adequate progress. Progress monitoring can be conducted using grade-level or out-of-grade materials, depending on the student's needs.