Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 12:08     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
We have a first year teacher on our third grade team. I don’t love Benchmark but I’m figuring it out. I’m very glad that my teammate has it and that we can figure it out together. Her students are further along than if she were starting from scratch and having figure out what to teach without a resource.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 12:08     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.


I said this last year and was pilloried for it here. The defenders jumped into action, screaming how their child’s reading scores actually improved. Thankfully we moved on the middle school where they are not using Benchmark. My child’s love of reading has finally - her class did a book club. And my child is finally reading independently again after a whole year off.
\

Anyone who describes those of us who said that Benchmark helped our children as "screaming" and who claims that a school curriculum is the reason their child didn't read outside of school is just not credible.

It's YOUR job as a parent to make sure your child is reading outside of school, not the school's. Weren't you buying her books, taking her to the library, etc.? There are a TON of resources out there to help you find the perfect books for your child's interests. I subscribed to a middle school librarian's substack and get great recommendations from her. There is BookTok if you're a TikTok person, librarian influencers on Instagram, even Barnes & Noble has lists of the most popular middle grade books out there. You're doing your children a great disservice if you're not helping them find great books to read.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 12:00     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Just because YOUR child is struggling with Benchmark doesn't mean that all children are struggling with Benchmark. My 4th grader really likes it, she's constantly spouting off facts from the unit they're working on. I've seen some benefits, too. Her handwriting has improved significantly, she does a lot more writing than ever before, and she has spelling tests so unlike my older child, she can actually spell things.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:51     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Already have a 12-page thread discussing the pros and cons of Benchmark. It’s not perfect. However, I will say that the quality of student writing has gone up dramatically.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1271921.page

If you’re so upset with it, contact your former governor and VDOE. There were a limited number of curriculums that FCPS could choose from. My friend was on the selection team that met for over a year. They had to select from a company that could meet the demand for how much material would be needed.

Which curriculum would you suggest replace it? Or are you just here to trash FCPS with no real solutions?


I suggest they replace it with teachers who actually are trained on how to teach. My older children didn’t use this crap. Their teachers knew how to teach. Who needs a crappy tool like benchmark. Even teachers hate it.


Sure. Sounds great. Where was that on the list of approved curricula that VDOE provided? Go to any county in the state. Every one of them has to use a state approved reading curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:45     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Already have a 12-page thread discussing the pros and cons of Benchmark. It’s not perfect. However, I will say that the quality of student writing has gone up dramatically.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1271921.page

If you’re so upset with it, contact your former governor and VDOE. There were a limited number of curriculums that FCPS could choose from. My friend was on the selection team that met for over a year. They had to select from a company that could meet the demand for how much material would be needed.

Which curriculum would you suggest replace it? Or are you just here to trash FCPS with no real solutions?


I suggest they replace it with teachers who actually are trained on how to teach. My older children didn’t use this crap. Their teachers knew how to teach. Who needs a crappy tool like benchmark. Even teachers hate it.


+1
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:35     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
I’m a teacher & the articles/stories in the Benchmark magazines aren’t bad. The scripted curriculum sucks and makes no sense, especially for writing. I am experienced enough that I aim to teach the kids what they need to know rather than following a script. I realize FCPS would say this isn’t following the program with integrity, but I don’t care and am pretty sure most parents agree with me.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:29     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:Already have a 12-page thread discussing the pros and cons of Benchmark. It’s not perfect. However, I will say that the quality of student writing has gone up dramatically.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1271921.page

If you’re so upset with it, contact your former governor and VDOE. There were a limited number of curriculums that FCPS could choose from. My friend was on the selection team that met for over a year. They had to select from a company that could meet the demand for how much material would be needed.

Which curriculum would you suggest replace it? Or are you just here to trash FCPS with no real solutions?


I suggest they replace it with teachers who actually are trained on how to teach. My older children didn’t use this crap. Their teachers knew how to teach. Who needs a crappy tool like benchmark. Even teachers hate it.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:26     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:Already have a 12-page thread discussing the pros and cons of Benchmark. It’s not perfect. However, I will say that the quality of student writing has gone up dramatically.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1271921.page

If you’re so upset with it, contact your former governor and VDOE. There were a limited number of curriculums that FCPS could choose from. My friend was on the selection team that met for over a year. They had to select from a company that could meet the demand for how much material would be needed.

Which curriculum would you suggest replace it? Or are you just here to trash FCPS with no real solutions?


People are entitled to have an opinion. Can’t handle the feedback, FCPS?
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 11:05     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
It’s got to be better than Calkins crap
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:57     Subject: Re:Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Already have a 12-page thread discussing the pros and cons of Benchmark. It’s not perfect. However, I will say that the quality of student writing has gone up dramatically.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1271921.page

If you’re so upset with it, contact your former governor and VDOE. There were a limited number of curriculums that FCPS could choose from. My friend was on the selection team that met for over a year. They had to select from a company that could meet the demand for how much material would be needed.

Which curriculum would you suggest replace it? Or are you just here to trash FCPS with no real solutions?
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:56     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.


I also hate many parts of Benchmark, but when I hear “diversity of thought” from parents, that means your kid gave the incorrect answer and I didn’t agree with them.


So students can’t have a different interpretation? Can understand if non fiction but for fiction?
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:53     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.


I also hate many parts of Benchmark, but when I hear “diversity of thought” from parents, that means your kid gave the incorrect answer and I didn’t agree with them.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:52     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.


I said this last year and was pilloried for it here. The defenders jumped into action, screaming how their child’s reading scores actually improved. Thankfully we moved on to the middle school where they are not using Benchmark. My child’s love of reading has finally returned - her class did a book club. And my child is finally reading independently again after a whole year off.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:50     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
Anonymous wrote:FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.


I said this last year and was pilloried for it here. The defenders jumped into action, screaming how their child’s reading scores actually improved. Thankfully we moved on the middle school where they are not using Benchmark. My child’s love of reading has finally - her class did a book club. And my child is finally reading independently again after a whole year off.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2026 10:47     Subject: Everyone hates Benchmark. FCPS do better.
FCPS needs to replace this awful tool. Students and teachers alike hate it. Students find the readings uninteresting and are not at all inspired. There is no independent reading time in class anymore which students also hate. Students feel they have to interpret readings in the exact same manner, no room for diversity of thought. Students find the questions really confusing. In conclusion, benchmark really really sucks. FCPS do better.