Early Grade Reading Benchmarks: Methods, experiences and future directions

This in-person and virtual event held on June 27, 2018, featured presentations and discussion around methods for identifying early grade reading (EGR) benchmarks, and experiences and outcomes to date using them. The three-hour event included a conversation on the needs of practitioners and policymakers who are developing and using benchmarks, and future directions for research, analysis and application. Presentations included:

• "Setting oral reading fluency benchmarks" by Heather Simpson, Chief of Programs, Room to Read.
• "A standardized approach to data-driven oral reading fluency benchmarks?" by Matthew Jukes, Senior Education Evaluation Specialist, RTI International. 
• "A regression discontinuity approach to find a fluency benchmark for second grade" presented by Leslie Vanessa Rosales Flores, Evaluation Specialist, USAID Lifelong Learning Project, Juárez & Associates.
• "Using benchmarks: Exploring the consistency and stability of EGRA benchmarks" by Hetal Thukral, Director of Evaluation & Research, School-to-School International.