Growth You Can Measure:
Our thoughts on Student Assessments and Testing
By the time a student reaches Upper Elementary at Wellan, families have already seen how deeply we know and support each child. They’ve experienced parent-teacher conferences grounded in narrative feedback, not just letter or number grades. They’ve seen firsthand how Montessori assessment is personal, intentional, and focused on real growth.
But around fourth grade, something important begins to shift.
Not in our values—but in the tools we use. Students begin to encounter more formal evaluations, including tests. And this shift isn’t just inevitable—it’s essential. It ensures that students are not only growing as thinkers, creators, and collaborators but also learning to succeed in more traditional academic settings.
How We Track Progress (and Why It Works)
In Montessori environments, traditional grades aren’t the main way we measure learning. At Wellan, student progress is tracked through a comprehensive system of assessments that go beyond letter scores or percentages.
Teachers use:
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Formative assessments (ongoing check-ins during the learning process)
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Summative assessments (final projects, reflections, or demonstrations of understanding)
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Qualitative observations – careful notes about how students work, think, and problem-solve
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Detailed feedback on student work – far more insightful than a letter grade
This combination gives a nuanced understanding of each child’s strengths and areas for growth. It also allows us to meet each student with the right balance of challenge and support—whether they’re building mastery or ready to move ahead.
Students as Active Participants in Their Learning
One of the hallmarks of Wellan’s approach is that students are not passive recipients of evaluation—they’re actively involved in it. Starting in the early years, they’re guided to reflect on their learning, set goals, and take ownership of their academic growth.
By the time they reach Upper Elementary, students are well-practiced in thinking about their own progress. That makes them more prepared to engage with formal assessments—not just as tests, but as opportunities to grow.
When the Assessment Model Shifts
As students enter Upper Elementary, the nature of assessment begins to expand. While we continue using observations and personalized feedback, we also introduce more formal tools, including:
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Tests and quizzes
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Rubrics that clearly outline expectations
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Benchmark assessments to track academic milestones
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Self-evaluations and goal-setting exercises
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Regular reflective dialogue with classroom advisors
These tools don’t replace the Montessori approach—they build on it. They support the increasing autonomy and accountability we expect from older students and mirror what they’ll encounter in middle school, high school, and beyond.
Standardized Testing: Why It Begins in Grade 4
Starting in Grade 4, Wellan students begin taking the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) each spring through the Education Records Bureau (ERB). This nationally-normed standardized test provides:
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Practice with traditional test formats
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Exposure to time-limited assessments
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Data about student achievement in reading, vocabulary, math, and reasoning skills
We introduce standardized testing gradually and intentionally. By this age, students are developmentally ready—and their day-to-day classroom experience has given them a strong foundation in critical thinking, problem-solving, and independence.
What the Results Tell Us
We’re proud to report that our students do exceptionally well. Over the past five years, Wellan students in Grades 4–6 have consistently outperformed both public and independent school peers across all subject areas.
In every grade and every area tested, our students’ median scale scores have exceeded the average scores of same-grade students at other independent schools nationwide.
These strong results reflect not just academic skill, but the strength of our entire model: individualized, student-centered learning that fosters deep understanding and intrinsic motivation.
One Piece of a Bigger Picture
At Wellan, we view standardized test results as one valuable data point within a much broader understanding of student growth. They help us see trends, adjust instruction, and prepare students for future academic environments. But they’re never the whole story.
As our Upper Elementary students get ready to take these tests in the weeks ahead, we’re confident they’ll excel. Not because we’ve focused on test prep—but because we’ve helped them become thoughtful, curious, capable learners who are ready for whatever comes next.