Understanding Student Performance Levels

Performance levels describe students’ performance when instructed on grade-level skills and concepts. Combined with the Quantile Measure, the performance levels can be used to group students and to determine appropriate instruction. Following the adaptive benchmark tests, students are classified into one of (5) performance levels.

• Advanced: These students exhibit advanced performance when tested on grade-level skills and concepts. Teachers should consider adjusting the pathways of these students to a higher grade level.

• Proficient: These students exhibit appropriate performance when tested on grade-level skills and concepts. These students should experience success on a grade-level pathway with few remediation lessons included.

• Basic: These students exhibit some appropriate performance when tested on grade-level skills and concepts. These students should experience success on a grade-level pathway with some remediation lessons included.

• Below Basic: These students generally do not exhibit minimally appropriate performance when tested on grade-level skills and concepts. These students should be able to work back up to grade-level material with precursor and/or remediation lessons included.

• Far Below Basic: These students generally do not exhibit any appropriate performance when tested on grade-level skills and concepts. These students may not be able to work back up to grade-level material with the included precursor and remediation lessons. Teachers should monitor students’ progress to determine if an alternative pathway is necessary.