Anonymous wrote:We are knew to MCPS in 3rd grade. My child has excellent reading skills but the school testing says the kid is below grade level which makes no sense. I talk to the teacher and the Benchmark tests are on computers. My child has never taken a test on a computer. There was a section of the test that required them to type out a paragraph response. My child is 8 and doesn’t know how to type. It is not an accurate test of reading skills and not developmentally appropriate. I’m totally dumbfounded that this is how kids are assessed.

I’m sorry, but per Mcps curriculum all children must quickly learn to type since their goal is to provide a certain kind of education aimed at equipping the next generation of administrative assistants and worker bees.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/121b02l/benchmark_language_arts_materials_are_trash/

Remember when teachers trashed benchmark on Reddit? They knew the content was garbage and actual literature was better.

We are knew to MCPS in 3rd grade. My child has excellent reading skills but the school testing says the kid is below grade level which makes no sense. I talk to the teacher and the Benchmark tests are on computers. My child has never taken a test on a computer. There was a section of the test that required them to type out a paragraph response. My child is 8 and doesn’t know how to type. It is not an accurate test of reading skills and not developmentally appropriate. I’m totally dumbfounded that this is how kids are assessed.

https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2020/12/14/22164235/denver-benchmark-reading-curriculum-english-learners/?_amp=true

Remember when Denver launched a mutiny after benchmark was a big failure?

They felt painted into a corner to better serve Spanish speaking students…but it didn’t actually work…for anyone.

Sound familiar?

It’s almost as if mcps wants everyone to be stupid.

When I went to elementary school (K-8 private), we had literature. Reading was both interesting and purposeful.

We also had grammar. And spelling coupled with vocabulary. And handwriting workbooks.

It wouldn’t be hard to make dramatic improvements…they just don’t want to or are too clueless.

ICYMI: they bought benchmark because it offered a Spanish version. The admins and teachers involved in evaluating the various options did not recommend benchmark. The vendor was selected by Central Office and everyone should demand accountability.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Special education teacher who started in elementary and is now in middle…Benchmark makes Study Sync seem amazing! I like is SO much more…at least the texts are somewhat engaging and the kids aren’t annotating texts just for the sake of annotating

Not our experience with Benchmark at all. See above re corn unit as an example of lack of engaging texts. And the annotated for no reason at all. Study Sync definitely isn’t great, but my middle schooler likes it a while like more than Benchmark.

Sorry that your kids have to read boring stories, and they shouldn't have to annotate everything, but it is OK for them to annotate, just to learn how to do it. It is a valuable basic skill that they will need when they are in high school.

Here's a crazy idea. Instead of using Benchmark or Study Sync try using actual books from the library. I actually enjoyed reading Dickenns, Treasure Island, Dumas etc when I was a kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Special education teacher who started in elementary and is now in middle…Benchmark makes Study Sync seem amazing! I like is SO much more…at least the texts are somewhat engaging and the kids aren’t annotating texts just for the sake of annotating

Not our experience with Benchmark at all. See above re corn unit as an example of lack of engaging texts. And the annotated for no reason at all. Study Sync definitely isn’t great, but my middle schooler likes it a while like more than Benchmark.

Sorry that your kids have to read boring stories, and they shouldn't have to annotate everything, but it is OK for them to annotate, just to learn how to do it. It is a valuable basic skill that they will need when they are in high school.

Anonymous wrote:Special education teacher who started in elementary and is now in middle…Benchmark makes Study Sync seem amazing! I like is SO much more…at least the texts are somewhat engaging and the kids aren’t annotating texts just for the sake of annotating

Not our experience with Benchmark at all. See above re corn unit as an example of lack of engaging texts. And the annotated for no reason at all. Study Sync definitely isn’t great, but my middle schooler likes it a while like more than Benchmark.

Special education teacher who started in elementary and is now in middle…Benchmark makes Study Sync seem amazing! I like is SO much more…at least the texts are somewhat engaging and the kids aren’t annotating texts just for the sake of annotating

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Anonymous wrote:Is Benchmark really that bad? I thought I read on here that people like it?

Benchmark is only a couple years old, isn't it? How can they get rid of it so soon?

Last year in 5th grade, my kids class spent an entire month reading about corn.

Ugh, Benchmark makes Study Sync look great. That corn unit was awful. My kid also complained about six weeks spent on the technology unit.

Anonymous wrote:Is Benchmark really that bad? I thought I read on here that people like it?

Benchmark is only a couple years old, isn't it? How can they get rid of it so soon?

Last year in 5th grade, my kids class spent an entire month reading about corn.

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Anonymous wrote:I think they’ve decided Benchmark + RGR is the best they can do.

Ugh, that is so depressing.

I am an admin in MCPS and we've heard nothing about a replacement for Benchmark. Maybe higher ups are hoping we all forget that it is terrible?

Admin, please tell me that they will get rid of StudySync, particularly for English Learners - it's an absolute travesty the amount of money paid for curriculum completely inappropriate for English Learners - much less the ELA secondary students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they’ve decided Benchmark + RGR is the best they can do.

Ugh, that is so depressing.

I am an admin in MCPS and we've heard nothing about a replacement for Benchmark. Maybe higher ups are hoping we all forget that it is terrible?

Probably. They couldn’t make a decision last year when reportedly there was at least one excellent option to replace benchmark, so I don’t know what it would take honestly. I’m not sure my DC is really ELC material but now I’m really hoping he scores well enough so we’ll have an out in 4th and 5th grade.

Anonymous wrote:I saw there is an RFP for a new ES ELA curriculum:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/office/ela-rfp.aspx

Looks like the BOE will vote in March.

There's a new RFP every year then they just use Benchmark anyway so don't get your hopes up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they’ve decided Benchmark + RGR is the best they can do.

Ugh, that is so depressing.

I am an admin in MCPS and we've heard nothing about a replacement for Benchmark. Maybe higher ups are hoping we all forget that it is terrible?