Which feature should be identified when reading progress-monitoring graphs to judge response to instruction?

• A. Identify goal lines
• B. Focus only on the most recent data point
• C. Ignore slope changes
• D. Compare with unrelated benchmarks

Answer: (A)

Reading progress-monitoring graphs to judge response to instruction centers on comparing performance to a clear target. The goal line provides that target; it translates instructional objectives into a visible benchmark across time. By examining where the data points fall relative to the goal line, you can see whether the student’s performance is approaching or meeting expected growth, indicating effective instruction. This allows you to assess progress across multiple data points and over time, not just a single point. If data consistently move toward and eventually reach or cross the goal line, that’s evidence of a positive response. In contrast, focusing only on the most recent data point ignores past performance and fails to show trend; ignoring slope changes misses information about how quickly progress is occurring; comparing to unrelated benchmarks risks misalignment with the student’s actual goals. Therefore, identifying the goal line is the key feature for judging response to instruction.