What does progress monitoring track for all students, regardless of tier?

Progress monitoring is a systematic approach to assessing student performance over time, enabling educators to identify students' needs and adjust instruction accordingly. In the context of universal education practices, it is critical to track various academic skills across all students, regardless of the tier they fall into for intervention or support.

Reading skills, including comprehension and word recognition, are foundational for academic success across subject areas. Tracking these skills helps educators understand how well students are mastering key literacy concepts, which is vital for their overall educational development. By focusing on reading, which is a core competency for all students, progress monitoring allows teachers to gather data that can be used to inform instruction, provide interventions, and support differentiated learning.

While other areas such as mathematical skills, social-emotional well-being, or attendance may also be important, the emphasis on reading skills for progress monitoring reflects the universal need for literacy as a critical component of learning for all students. This helps ensure that all students can effectively engage with curricula and access further educational opportunities.