What type of assessment is used to evaluate student progress at regular intervals?

Benchmark assessment is a specific type of evaluation designed to assess student progress at regular intervals, often throughout the academic year. Its primary purpose is to measure students’ skills and knowledge against a set standard or predetermined goal. This type of assessment helps educators identify how students are performing over time and can inform instruction, allowing teachers to modify their teaching strategies to better support student learning.

Benchmark assessments are typically administered periodically, which means they occur multiple times—such as at the beginning, middle, and end of a school year. This regularity provides educators with valuable data to track student growth and development, making it easier to pinpoint areas where students may need additional support or enrichment.

In contrast, authentic assessment typically takes place in real-world contexts and focuses on applying skills in practical situations. Summative assessments, on the other hand, are usually conducted at the end of an instructional period to evaluate cumulative learning. Formative assessments are more frequent and ongoing, aimed at monitoring student learning in real-time, rather than at set intervals. Understanding the distinct roles of these various assessment types highlights why benchmark assessments are particularly geared towards evaluating progress over regular intervals.