Measuring Student Progress
One of the most important questions to ask when supporting struggling students is:
How will we measure student progress?
Progress monitoring is the proof that a plan is working. Without it, we can’t be sure students are truly on track to meet their goals.
Whether you’re a parent requesting updates or an educator responsible for delivering intervention, clear measurement is essential. But what exactly should we be looking for, and how do we measure it appropriately?
Step 1: Identify the Primary Goal
Progress should always tie back to the student’s end goal. What’s the main skill we’re trying to improve?
If the goal is reading comprehension, then comprehension is the area to track.
But we can’t stop there; we also need to look at the skills that contribute to comprehension.
Step 2: Look at Contributing Factors
A student may struggle with comprehension for different reasons:
Decoding: They can’t sound out words accurately, so meaning is lost.
Vocabulary: They can read the words, but gaps in word knowledge block understanding.
Listening comprehension: Even when hearing information, they struggle to pull out key details (who, what, when, where, why, how).
Knowing both the primary area of need and the contributing factor causing it is what makes intervention effective.
Step 3: Write Measurable Goals
Observations alone aren’t enough. They can be influenced by student behavior, our own expectations, or even the energy of the day.
That’s why goals must be concrete and measurable.
Use rubrics, yes/no criteria, or percent accuracy.
Avoid vague language like “unfamiliar words” or “seems to understand.”
Make sure you can answer, in the moment: Was this correct or not?
Step 4: Measure Progress at the Right Intervals
Daily/Weekly: Informal progress through data tracking sheets. Even a few tallies during lessons provide valuable insight.
Every 4–6 Months: Formal progress monitoring through standardized or curriculum-based assessments.
The key is not to wait for formal monitoring alone. Informal checks help ensure you’re on track, so you don’t find out months later that the intervention wasn’t working.
Why Frequent Progress Checks Matter
Time is our most valuable resource. Every week a student spends in an ineffective intervention is a week of growth lost. Regular monitoring ensures we can course-correct quickly and keep students moving forward.
Next Steps for You
To make this even easier, we created a free data-tracking printable. It’s designed to follow the lesson flow, so you can track each component without losing instructional time.
And if this was helpful, keep an eye out for our upcoming Spotlight PD: How to Create SOR-Aligned Goals & Track Data inside the 5CCL Learning Lab that will show you how to:
Use a digital spreadsheet that generates graphs automatically.
Access progress monitoring assessments across all five components of literacy.
Analyze your data to make informed, real-time instructional decisions.
Start with the printable to keep daily data tracking simple. Then, step into the Spotlight PD for the complete system that transforms those numbers into actionable insights.