Benchmark tests help teachers track student progress in meeting academic standards.
Benchmark tests are administered throughout the school year to track students' progress. Benchmarks are designed to ascertain if students are reaching academic goals and if areas of the students' curriculum need special attention.
Standardized Tests
Standardized tests focus on math and reading skills and are designed to measure students' work under the same criteria as the federal No Child Left Behind Act. This is to ensure that all students are performing at their expected grade level.
Methods
Benchmark tests may be administered quarterly to monthly and require approximately an hour, per subject, to complete. Testing methods may include oral, written, laboratory and keyboarding examinations.
Pros and Cons
One of the concerns of benchmark testing is that it can encourage teachers to teach only to the level of the test, and therefore to not challenge students. Supporters of the exams point out that the tests allow teachers to more accurately track student performance to ensure they are, at a minimum, meeting local school district standards.
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