Benchmark Assessments

The State School Aid Act currently requires districts to administer benchmark assessments as follows:

• Administer benchmark assessments to all students in K-8 in reading and mathematics
• Administer benchmark assessments at least twice in the school year - within the first 9 weeks of school and again before the end of the school year
• Benchmark assessment data are not included in accountability calculations or results
• Benchmark assessment data are reported publicly in the aggregate
• Individual district results are not identified in public reporting

What's New?

• 2022-2023 Benchmark Assessments Reporting and Funding Application
• Benchmark Fact Sheet and FAQ 2022-23
• Benchmark Aggregation Rules and Templates, 2022-23

Communications

• Memo #086-22 Academic Year 2022-23 Benchmark Assessments Reporting and Funding

Benchmark Resources

• Benchmark Aggregation Rules and Templates, 2022-23
• Benchmark Fact Sheet and FAQ 2022-23
• Benchmark Assessment Guidance for Learning at a Distance
• 2022-2023 Benchmark Assessments Reporting and Funding Application

Legislative Actions and Reports

• Public Act 144, Section 104h: Benchmark assessment system for 2022-2023
• Michigan’s Fall 2021 Benchmark Assessments, April 2022  
• K-8 Student Achievement and Achievement Gaps on Michigan’s 2020-21 Benchmark and Summative Assessments, December 2021  
• Michigan's 2021 Benchmark Assessments Report

MDE Approved Benchmark Assessment Providers

The  law is flexible and provides districts with several benchmark options. Districts options include choosing: 1) benchmark assessment(s) offered by an assessment provider on the MDE-approved provider list below, 2) benchmark assessment(s) or tool(s) that provide progress monitoring and enhanced diagnostics in reading and/or progress monitoring in mathematics, 3) local benchmark assessment (s), especially if used in previous years, or 4) any combination of the three prior choices.

Benchmark Assessments and Assessment Literacy

• Spotlight Article  - Comprehensive Assessment System, March 12, 2020
• Spotlight Article - Purpose of Interim Assessments, May 9, 2019 
• Interim Benchmark Assessments
  A curated Collection offered by the Michigan Assessment Consortium
• What do we mean by interim/benchmark assessments?
  Introduction to benchmark assessments and where they fit in the balanced assessment system
• Interim Assessment: What are some key characteristics?
  Selecting interim assessments
• Purposes for the Essential Characteristics of Interm Assessment Chart
  Outlines characteristics and purposes