How to facilitate each assessment window
In partnership with the school or district, ThinkCERCA’s benchmark assessments are automatically assigned to students at licensed schools during a predetermined benchmark administration window up to three times per year, then evaluated by professional educators who have gone through a rigorous selection, vetting, onboarding, and calibration process.
We handle the assessment and evaluation process and then guide you through the data to identify trends, develop strategies, and implement actionable steps to improve student learning.
Prepare
- Plan your assessment date: Know when your students will take their benchmark assessment within the benchmark administration window your school or district has selected.
- ThinkCERCA’s benchmark assessments are designed to be completed in approximately 45-60 quiet minutes.
- Assessment administration protocols are established by the district and shared during orientation and professional learning.
- If needed, the assessment can be split between two class periods (reading/MCQs + writing) and locked between testing sessions.
- Remind students that their work will be assessed by an outside evaluator and strong effort is encouraged.
- Take a Peek! Our kids are savvy and the benchmark platform is pretty self-explanatory. But, this preview FOR EDUCATOR EYES ONLY shows a 3rd-grade benchmark assessment currently in use in the platform.
- Be sure your classes are set up prior to the beginning of your school’s benchmark window. See how to set up class rosters here!
- Benchmark assessments will be automatically assigned to students when your building’s testing window opens through our benchmark scoring system in a benchmark masterclass. While teachers DO NOT assign the benchmark to students, as it is auto-assigned and will appear in students’ assignments, they do need to be prepared to unlock the benchmark for students on assessment day.
- Teachers do not assign benchmarks themselves. This allows the professional scorers access to their submissions.
- The benchmark assessment may appear in the student’s platform before your selected assessment day. Just unlock the assessment on the day you administer the benchmark in class. You may lock and unlock the assessment as needed until the student submits their work.
- Ensure students are comfortable logging into ThinkCERCA.
- Ensure student devices are charged and ready for benchmark assessment day.
- Note: Be aware students may see their benchmark assessment results in the platform prior to the close of the scoring window. Please allow 24 to 72 hours for official scores to process after the scoring window closes.
- Note: Be aware students may see their benchmark assessment results in the platform prior to the close of the scoring window. Please allow 24 to 72 hours for official scores to process after the scoring window closes.