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The College Readiness Benchmarks
A benchmark is the score on a section that predicts a good chance of earning a B or higher, or at least a C, in the specific first-year college course that section maps to. Each section has its own number because each course has its own demands.
Each of the four sections is linked to one named first-year college course: English to a first college composition course, math to college algebra, reading to a social-science course that leans on reading comprehension, and science to college biology. The benchmark score is the one research found most closely tied to students earning a B or higher, or at least a C, in that course. Because the courses are different, the benchmarks don't match. English is 18, math is 22, reading is 22, science is 23. Reading's benchmark sits higher than English's not because reading is weighted more, but because the comprehension demands of a social-science course turned out to require a higher score to predict success than a composition course does.
A student with English 19, math 21, reading 23, and science 22 has cleared the English benchmark (19 over 18) and the reading benchmark (23 over 22), but missed math (21 under 22) and science (22 under 23). Missing by one point is not a verdict. The benchmark is a statistical cutoff built from a large group of students, not a hard line for one individual, so a 21 in math still carries a real, high chance of succeeding in college algebra, just slightly lower odds than a 22 would.
Two composite benchmarks sit on top of the four section ones. ELA, the average of English, reading, and writing if taken, has a benchmark of 20. STEM, the average of math and science, has a benchmark of 26. These flag readiness across broader skill groups, not just single courses, and they connect the 1-to-36 scale to real classroom outcomes: each number on that scale is only useful once it's tied to the grade it predicts.
Key terms
- Benchmark
- The section score associated with a good chance of earning a B or higher, or at least a C, in a specific first-year college course.
- STEM benchmark
- A combined benchmark of 26, found by averaging math and science scores.
- ELA benchmark
- A combined benchmark of 20, found by averaging English, reading, and writing scores.
- College algebra
- The first-year course used to anchor the math section's benchmark.
- Scale score
- A section or composite score on the 1 to 36 range that benchmarks are measured against.
Watch it explained
- How it worksHow does each benchmark get tied to a specific first year college course?
- Worked exampleShow me which benchmarks a student with English 19, math 21, reading 23 and science 22 has met.
- Common mistakeWhy isn't missing a benchmark by one point a prediction that you will fail the course?
- Going furtherWhat do the combined ELA benchmark of 20 and STEM benchmark of 26 add on top of section ones?
- Ties togetherHow do the benchmarks connect a 1 to 36 scale score to an actual grade in a college classroom?
Check yourself
End of topic.