Benchmark Testing is interim assessments that are aligned to North Carolina grade-level content standards (for reading and mathematics) and North Carolina Essential Standards (for science).

The main purpose of these assessments is to provide students, teachers, and parents with immediate in-depth action data and a reliable estimate of students’ current performance on the selected subset of content standards. These Benchmarks are consistent in the question types and overall rigor that students will see on the End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of Course (EOC) assessments.

CCS does not have valid evidence to support using results from Benchmarks as a predictor of student performance on the EOG or EOC summative tests. Even though there is evidence of a significant correlation between scores from Benchmarks and EOGs/EOCs, this correlation by itself does not signify prediction. The overall value of Benchmarks is in the use of data for formative purposes throughout the year to help students and teachers adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.