Why is progress monitoring important in EMC Standard 1?

• A. To assign grades once a year.
• B. To check if students pass or fail only at the end.
• C. To adjust instruction based on ongoing data.
• D. To replace instruction with testing.

Answer: (C)

Progress monitoring focuses on collecting regular data about a student’s literacy learning and using that information to adjust instruction. It supports responsive teaching by showing what a student can do, what they’re ready to learn next, and where to target instruction, so you can tailor practice, small-group work, or new materials to keep growth moving. The goal is to use ongoing data to guide day-to-day teaching, not just to assign a grade or evaluate at the end. Assigning grades once a year misses the real-time picture of progress. Checking pass/fail only at the end ignores growth that happens during instruction. Replacing instruction with testing treats the measurement as the plan, rather than using data to shape teaching. Using continual data to adjust instruction best aligns with progress monitoring and supports steady literacy development.