Measuring Academic Achievement

Measuring a child's level of academic achievement can be challenging for any parent, yet remains one of the most critical components in achieving your child's ultimate education goals.

Since no single source of information may be fully reliable in accurately assessing a child's full scope of learning abilities, the best strategy is to evaluate academic performance through multiple sources that can help ensure the best possible results for your child.

Report Cards

Grades are certainly among the most recognized tools for evaluating academic achievement. Report cards are an active indicator of academic success and short term learning. However, grades don't always measure long term learning or mastery of academic skills.

For example, some students may do well on tests because they can memorize information and reiterate it at test time. However actual learning becomes questionable when they forget it right after the test or don't demonstrate the same level of knowledge at a later date. Grades are partially based on short term knowledge that comes from weekly tests and homework; only part of the grade is indicative of longer term learning.

Teachers Evaluation

Teachers employ various evaluation methods for measuring performance in the classroom. Often the method used depends on the content being taught or task being measured, and whether it's a formal or informal evaluation.

Teacher evaluations should be fair and valid, taking into consideration a student's developmental level, and based on clearly defined learning objectives. Effective evaluation measures the work a student performs to demonstrate an understanding of concepts or the ability to perform tasks at a given grade level.

Standardized Testing

Nationally standardized tests compare your child with an 'average' student of the same age from a sample of students across the country. They are generally well researched with a reliable measure of validity, but don't necessarily measure the level at which your child is learning based on what is actually taught by the teacher in class.

Each state also chooses its own standardized measure of 'proficiency' on its own level, which can often provide a better guideline for determining your student's learning ability with what has actually been taught in the classroom.

Individualized Assessment

Perhaps most important, every parent should seek an individualized assessment in evaluating a child's full learning ability and potential. Take time to talk with your child's teachers to review grades, as well as to gain greater insight into classroom evaluations or standardized test results.

"Call now to schedule a full assessment specifically designed to measure your child's individual level of academic achievement," suggests Dana Edmonds, Director of Tutoring Club Jacksonville. "We will identify the specific subject 

areas or skill gaps to target, and create an individualized curriculum to get 

their grades back on track quickly.  That's critical to your child's success, and ultimately translates to a lower cost for you."

Tutoring Club Jacksonville, 268-8556