As the second nine weeks of the 2019-2020 school year is coming to a close this week, so is the end of the first semester. With that being said, a very dreaded thing is coming up: Benchmark tests.
As the majority of us know, the benchmark tests are taken 3 times per school year. The first time is at the beginning of the year, the second time is at the end of the first semester, and the last one
is at the end of the school year.
Jennifer Cobble, one of the 8th grade Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 teachers, talked about the Benchmark tests, saying, “I am hoping to see the class averages around 60% since that is how much of the material we have covered so far this year. I expect the scores to increase from their first benchmark test.”
On the other side of the tests, Brenda Hurley, one of the two 8th grade ELA teachers, said, “ I think my students score should be better than the first time because they have learned so much already. I think the scores will improve from the first one because you are taking it multiple times.”
Cobble said, “I think the benchmark tests are very important to show growth throughout the year and benchmark testing is a way to show that. It allows us to gain more information about what a student knows and compare it to what they are showing on their regular assessment.”
Hurley claimed, “I like benchmark tests because it feels good to see that students are learning more and improving.”
Although you may not know some of the stuff on the benchmark tests, it is still very important that you try your hardest on the tests because they show your learning progression during the school year and can reveal to teachers what you need help with, and also what you need to learn before the final test in May.
