We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of new and improved Benchmarks available to all ULS users. These updates will occur at the beginning of May 2023 and continue throughout the summer and fall. Our new Benchmarks provide research-based (e.g., Science of Reading), highly engaging, comprehensive content to ensure teachers can accurately measure what students know and where they need continued instruction and support.
What will the updates include?
- Initial launch of 19 updated, research-based benchmarks in foundational ELA and Math skills, with many more to come!
- Benchmarks will have the option to be administered in 3 different ways:
- 1) Assigned to a student and completed by the student like other n2y assignments in Student View
- 2) Teacher-led administration
- 3) Administered offline (printed)
- Randomized order of items for key benchmarks that students may take more frequently (e.g., items can’t be memorized) such as letter and number identification benchmarks.
- A more engaging layout with images and photos added!
What value do these updates bring?
- Simplifies the benchmarking process for teachers and students with the assignability option.
- Saves teachers time with premade, easy-to-assign assessments - nothing to prepare, copy, or grade.
- Promotes student independence by assigning assessments to be completed independently in the same manner as their neurotypical peers.
- Provides flexibility in administering assessments based on the needs of the student.
- Promotes data-driven decision-making for meaningful student outcomes with unbiased, robust data determining students' strengths and needs.
- Drives compliance with more accurate, timely data for IEP development and progress monitoring.
- Sets up students for more success on high stakes, end-of-year testing by providing question format and digital literacy practice.
- Increases validity of what students really know:
- When applicable, differentiated formats, Expressive or Receptive, are offered to allow students to communicate responses in the format that works best for them.
- When applicable, randomization of item order is offered to avoid memorization (for those students who took assessment previously).
- More effectively informs IEP Present Levels of Performance and drives goals by assessing a more comprehensive range of skills to demonstrate specific areas of student strengths and needs.