What and where are the progress monitoring scoring guidelines and how do I use them?

When students take a test, rather taken online or entered manually, our program scores and graphs the results. Below the graph in the Reports section, you will see a percent score along with a number correct over the number possible.

Rather you took a benchmark or a progress monitoring test, you look at the total number your student got right and compare it to the scores other students in the same grade and at the same time of year, got in the Progress Monitoring Scoring Guidelines. These guidelines will provide you with a percentile score.

The percentile scores are generated from those students in a nation-wide sample who've taken on-grade measures that are administered 3 times a year (fall, winter, and spring). When you compare your student's total correct score to those students in this nation-wide sample in the Progress Monitoring Scoring Guidelines, you are given the percentage of scores in the national norm sample that are equal to or less than the score your student received.

The goal of the program is for a student to take a test and receive a score at the 50th percentile or better. This would indicate the student is performing on-grade for the test taken. Students that are performing on or above the 50th percentile need no extra assistance and should not be receiving testing until the next benchmark testing period (Lite members can test a student 3 times a year with a progress monitoring measure). Those students performing below grade should be given progress monitoring measures, along with guided instruction, in order to assist their growth in a given subject area.

The Progress Monitoring Scoring Guidelines are found under the Reports tab on your account dashboard.

If you login to your account and go to the Reports tab you’ll notice two documents for download, located in the upper right hand corner of the gray Reports and Analysis box, called Progress Monitoring Scoring Guidelines and/or the Detailed Norms Table.

Looking at the Progress Monitor Scoring Guidelines, here is how you find the percentile rank ‘goes with’ a particular score:

1. Find the measure you are interested in
2. Find the grade you are interested in
3. Find the "benchmark" season you are interested in
4. Find the "score" you are interested in (4th column in) or the "Percentile" you are interested in and
5. Look up the ‘Percentile" (if you were trying to figure out what specific percentile rank goes with a particular score) or
6. Look up the ‘Score’ (if you were trying to figure out what specific score goes with a particular percentile rank).

In the case of 5th grade student example, who took a 5th grade benchmark Vocabulary measure in the Fall, we take their correct total (15) and compare it to the 5th grade Fall Vocabulary chart in the guidelines. Here our student's score of 15 falls on the cusp of the 50th percentile. Ideally, a student score should fall at the 50th percentile for them to be considered performing on grade. If they are at the 50th percentile or above, no other testing in that area is needed until the next benchmark testing cycle. If they fall below the 50th percentile, then progress monitoring measures should be implemented. In this case you can decide to wait or progress monitor.