#United States #Boston #Ellevation #Benchmark Assessment #English Learners

Ellevation Education Launches Ellevation Benchmark

In an important development for educators and English Learners, Ellevation Education, a key subsidiary of Curriculum Associates, has officially launched the Ellevation Benchmark. This new assessment tool is specifically designed to enhance the process of monitoring English language proficiency among students who are learning English as a second language.

The Ellevation Benchmark aims to fill a significant gap that current methods have left unaddressed. Many school districts rely heavily on annual assessments to gauge progress in English language proficiency. However, the results from these assessments often arrive too late to inform immediate instructional decisions, leaving teachers without the responsive data they need to adjust their teaching.

The introduction of the Benchmark assessment allows educators to gather data about their students' progress up to three times a year. Each assessment takes only 20 minutes and covers the four essential domains of language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. This is a game-changer for educators, providing timely and actionable insights. Marion Kennedy Amos, the CEO of Ellevation, emphasizes the need for such tools, stating, "Teachers and districts lack timely, actionable insight into English Learner student progress, making it difficult to differentiate instruction..."

One of the standout features of the Ellevation Benchmark is its integration with the existing suite of Ellevation tools. Unlike other assessments that function as standalone solutions, the data from the Benchmark is fully integrated with instructional planning and professional learning tools. This means that educators won't have to juggle multiple platforms to translate their assessment data into instructional strategies. The integration helps streamline various elements of managing English Learner programs, from tracking compliance to enhancing teacher practices.

Innovative uses of the Ellevation Benchmark include:

• - Tracking student progress with domain-level insights: Educators and administrators can now closely monitor language proficiency growth by viewing data that is accessible throughout the school year.
• - Reduced testing burden: The short assessments (20 minutes) minimize disruption to the classroom environment, thereby allowing more teaching time and less testing time.
• - Guided instruction using real-time data: Timely insights help teachers focus their support on areas where students require the most assistance.
• - Connection to instructional planning: The insights gathered through the Benchmark are directly linked to instructional planning, helping teachers modify their strategies to better meet student needs.

Speaking on the launch, Kelly Sia, CEO of Curriculum Associates, noted, "Providing educators with timely, actionable data has been and continues to be one of our driving beliefs... We are excited to be part of that effort, ensuring that all students are supported with the right tools..."

As Ellevation Benchmark becomes available, it is coupled with various updates to Ellevation's broader English Learner Development (ELD) solutions. These updates include advanced analytics tools designed to improve how educators interact with instructional strategies, alongside streamlined reporting capabilities for ensuring compliance across English Learner programs.

For educators looking to learn more about how to implement these tools effectively, Ellevation is hosting an informational webinar on February 18. Additional resources are available via the Ellevation blog, where educators can delve deeper into the benefits that the Benchmark and its accompanying updates bring to their teaching practices.

About Ellevation Education

Ellevation Education proudly stands as the leading software solution specifically crafted for English Learners in Grades K–12 and those who educate them. Founded in 2011 and subsequently acquired by Curriculum Associates in 2021, Ellevation is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports English Learner programs in over 1,900 school districts nationwide, catering to more than 50 percent of all English Learners in the United States. The organization is committed to helping these students achieve their highest aspirations.

About Curriculum Associates

Curriculum Associates is a mission-driven organization focused on improving K–12 classrooms for over 17 million students and one million educators in the U.S. Their integrated suite of i-Ready® solutions combines adaptive assessment, personalized instruction, and core curriculum, alongside professional training support. Their commitment to educational excellence and student outcomes drives their approach to developing forward-thinking solutions, making them a trusted resource for educators across the country.