Student learning is compared to a target, a STANDARD. Common standards are set for all students at each grade level. Students are graded based on how close they come to meeting the target and how they score in relation to the other students in that grade level.

With this method, students who begin below grade level have "more distance to cover" in order to meet the standard than those who were already on grade level.

Student learning is compared to where each individual was at the last assessment point. Grade level standards are still present but students are evaluated based on whether they made sufficient learning progress from their starting point rather than by simply marking where they ended.

This method allows for more equality in that below grade level students have just as much opportunity to achieve sufficient learning progress even of they are not able to read grade level standards.