Administering Benchmark Tests and/or Recording Benchmark Scores Manually
About Benchmark Tests
The benchmark tests are different from the progress monitoring measures in that you do not assign benchmark assessments, the system automatically assigns them to the student by way of their grade in school. Only on-grade tests will only be available to students, and only for grades K-8 (9th grade and above cannot be benchmark tested). If you already know that a student is not performing at their grade level then the progress monitoring measures should be implemented instead.
Taking a Benchmark Test
To administer a benchmark test, first check the date range setting. Setting and opening a benchmark window is always at the discretion of the user and can be changed at any time. To access this feature, first login to your account and go to the “Admin” tab. Next locate the “Account Management” section and click on System settings.
Now, scroll down to the Benchmark Window Settings. To adjust this setting, select the opening and closing dates for the testing window. The benchmark window needs to be current for testing and the remaining benchmark dates need to be staggered with only one testing window open at a time. The dates also need to be moving forward in time. After selecting the dates, please make sure to click on the “Update Benchmark Dates” button in order for the changes to take effect. An example of correct benchmark window for the 2023-2024 academic year is:
Fall: Sept. 15th - Oct.. 5th, 2023
Winter: Jan. 1st- Jan. 21, 2024
Spring: April 5 - April 25, 2024
When the benchmark window is open you have a choice to either download and administer a copy of the test to students (keys are provided for scoring student responses which are entered manually) or have students go online and take a test (which is scored and entered automatically).
Students go to the website address highlighted in blue in the “Measures” section. This address will be: https://app.easycbm.com/+ your username. They will then be able to choose their tests from a drop-down menu (like assessments in the Progress Monitoring section). Only on-grade tests with open benchmark windows, will be available to them.
If you administer the benchmark assessments in hard copy/paper and pencil format, then you can download the student copies of the tests to administer to students and then score them with the answer keys. These tests are located by going to your Measures tab and then clicking on the Benchmark tab. You will click on the season icon (in this case Winter) that says "Enter Winter Scores" underneath it.
After clicking on this icon you will be directed to a page where you can enter student responses and scores. Choose the student's grade and then look to the left-hand side of where you enter data, and choose to either enter the total score or item level data. After you have completed entering the scores/responses, please scroll down to the bottom of the page and make sure to click on the "Save Scores" button to record the information.
