Journeys Common Core Adds Testing and Monitoring Tool -- THE Journal

Assessment

Journeys Common Core Adds Testing and Monitoring Tool

By Sharleen Nelson
10/02/13

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) will add an online screening, assessment, and monitoring tool to its Journeys Common Core reading program designed to help students in grades K-6 build reading and vocabulary skills through daily practice, activities, and quizzes.

The easyCBM tool, designed by researchers at the University of Oregon's College of Education Behavioral Research and Teaching (BRT) group, includes a suite of assessment and reporting options that help school districts, administrators, and educators monitor student progress.

Key Features Include:

A full set of benchmarking and progress monitoring assessments;
Syncing of teacher accounts, student records, and class lists;
Account access for teachers, principals, district personnel, and administrators;
Various forms of data entry, including online student tests, total score entry of paper-and-pencil tests, and other options;
Reports by teacher, building, grade-level, or district;
An admin panel with system-level settings and configurations, user account management, and student record maintenance;
Secure SSL site connections with 256-bit data encryption and optional password-protection of online student tests.

In addition to monitoring individual students' progress, the easyCBM tool provides data-driven reports and recommendations that target students' areas of need within the Journeys program, which help teachers identify at-risk students and customize their instructional content. Updates to easyCBM for fall 2013 will also include a graphic refresh and new Common Core State Standards measures for grades K-8.

"Combining Journeys and easyCBM into one complete reading solution not only gives educators the ability to teach concepts critical to the Common Core, but also the tools necessary to adequately test and monitor each student's progress," said Jim Nicholson, president, HMH Riverside, in a prepared statement. "This total reading solution provides parents and educators with instructional resources tailored to individual student needs and challenges."

To learn more about easyCBM, visit brtprojects.org.

About the Author

Sharleen Nelson is a freelance journalist based in Springfield, Oregon. She can be reached at [email protected].

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