Benchmark

A benchmark describes what a student should know and be able to do in a particular content area, grade level, or developmental level at a specified point in time. Generally, benchmarks represent shorter-term goals along a path toward mastery of content standards, learning objectives, or other longer-term educational outcomes.

Benchmarks can be used as a way to monitor student progress. At the individual level, monitoring students at various benchmarks can help students, educators, and parents make adjustments in order to help students stay on or get back on track. At an educational program level, monitoring aggregate student performance at various benchmarks can help organizations provide assistance to educators or schools in order to support student achievement.

Benchmarks can also show how much students have grown as they ...