Progress monitoring data is used to track progress toward goals; which of the following best describes its purpose?

• A. To guide instructional decisions and adjust supports as needed
• B. To file away for records
• C. To replace evaluations
• D. To determine teacher salaries

Answer: (A)

Progress monitoring data is used to see whether a student is moving toward their goals and to inform how instruction should be adjusted. Because these measures are taken frequently, they show how well a given intervention, strategy, or support is working in real time. That lets the teacher decide what to change: tweak or intensify supports, switch strategies, or adjust pacing so the student stays on track to reach the goal. It’s a formative, data-driven process aimed at guiding instruction, not just a record-keeping task, not a replacement for formal evaluations, and not related to salaries.

For example, if a student is working on a reading goal, regular quick probes can reveal whether fluency is improving over weeks. A steadily rising trend indicates current supports are effective, while a flat or declining trend signals the need to modify instruction—perhaps by increasing guided practice, changing the grouping, or providing additional prompts—to help the student improve. The key idea is using ongoing data to make timely instructional decisions and adjust supports as needed.