Progress monitoring is the ongoing, frequent collection and use of formal data in order to (1) assess students’ performance, (2) quantify a student's rate of improvement or responsiveness to instruction or intervention, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and intervention using valid and reliable measures. Educators use measures that are appropriate for the student’s grade and/or skill level.
Click on the steps below to learn more and find relevant resources.
Step 1. Design Progress Monitoring Process
Teams clarify the purpose of progress monitoring and design a process that describes how progress monitoring data will be collected and stored, how frequently progress will be monitored across the tiers, and how data will be analyzed and used to make decisions.
Step 2. Select Progress Monitoring Tools
When selecting progress monitoring tools, teams consider their needs, context, and priorities as well as the technical adequacy of the measures. The resources below can help teams become informed consumers to select academic and behavioral progress monitoring tools.
Step 3. Train Staff
Staff participate in ongoing professional learning related to progress monitoring. The professional learning should focus on ensuring that all staff understand the purpose of progress monitoring, have the knowledge and skills to implement the progress monitoring process with fidelity, and use progress monitoring data to make decisions about student responsiveness to intervention.
Assessment Practices Within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Step 4. Develop Student Progress Monitoring Plans
Teams develop student progress monitoring plans that include the selected measure, frequency of data collection, baseline data, goal based on a validated goal setting strategy, decision-rules, and data review dates.
Step 5. Collect Progress Monitoring Data and Monitor Fidelity
To limit inconsistencies in administration and errors in scoring and data entry, teams develop a clear plan for ensuring fidelity of the progress monitoring process. These resources highlight considerations for implementing progress monitoring with fidelity and support implementation.
Step 6. Analyze Progress Monitoring Data
Grade level and intervention teams use progress monitoring data to make decisions about student responsiveness to interventions and supports and make adjustments when needed. Teams can review data patterns and compare students’ rate of improvement to growth necessary to meet their goals. District and school teams may use systems level progress monitoring data to assess the effectiveness of district and school level interventions.
Learn more about Data-based Decision-Making