Learning is Improved when Educators Use Benchmark Data to Inform Instruction

Students benefit from taking ownership of their learning when educators use benchmark data to inform instruction.

FREMONT, CA: "The results can be empowering to both teachers and students. While teachers leverage benchmark data to monitor progress and inform instruction, students also benefit from taking ownership of their learning," said Eileen Murphy, ThinkCERCA Founder, and CEO. "Benchmark data helps students recognize what they need to focus on, and they often experience a confidence boost when they can see improvement in subsequent benchmarking results."

A start-to-finish benchmark assessment and evaluation service is now part of the product offerings of ThinkCERCA, a recognized industry leader in student reading and writing growth. This includes administering the tests, scoring the exams by experts, receiving in-depth feedback, and reporting statistics.

Since there is no "one size fits all" approach to education, benchmarks are a crucial tool for modern instructors to track and enhance each student's writing development.

Schools frequently offer benchmarks in the fall, once more in the winter, and finally just before the spring testing period. This method aids in pinpointing students' academic strengths and weaknesses, directs individualized instruction throughout the school year, and positions students for success on summative and high-stakes examinations after the year.

Administrators and teachers can use the data collected by ThinkCERCA to discover trends, create plans, and put them into practice to improve student learning. ThinkCERCA streamlines the assessment and evaluation process. When expert scorers complete benchmark evaluations for each student submission, they assign lessons to teachers using the company's trademark Growth Planning Tool, which offers direct teaching and skills lessons based on each student's growth focus.

"The most valuable element of this process has been the objectivity the third-party scorer provides. This perspective, coupled with insightful 'next steps,' has deepened the care we can have for students," said Tony Harris, Principal of Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School.

Teachers love student input and time back to assist student learning just as much as administrators value benchmark evaluation services' educational insights.

"I loved this process. It was convenient and extremely helpful. With the benchmarks, it allowed more time to focus on other standards. Lastly, I believe my students made significant growth insofar as their writing skills," said Maria Davis, Cincinnati Public Schools teacher.