As educators, our understanding of proficiency shapes the way we teach, assess, and support learners. If we define proficiency narrowly, we risk overlooking not only important aspects of literacy, but the larger purpose of education itself. We seek not only to prepare students to perform well on tests, but to help them build the skills to engage critically with the world around them.

Standardized testing is a reality in our students’ lives. Are you wondering how you can support your students in demonstrating all they know on the test but not stop the rich, ongoing literacy instruction months before the test?