Which of the following would be considered a benchmark in education?

A benchmark in education serves as a reference point or standard against which progress can be measured. Annual standardized test scores fit this definition well, as they provide a standardized method for evaluating student performance, educational effectiveness, and the achievement of learning goals over time. These scores are typically used to assess students' understanding of key concepts and skills relative to state or national standards, making them a valuable tool for educators and policymakers to gauge overall educational outcomes.

In contrast, while cumulative GPA, end-of-course projects, and weekly quizzes can all provide insights into student performance, they serve different purposes. Cumulative GPA reflects a student's overall academic performance throughout their educational career, but it does not specifically assess progress against a standardized set of benchmarks. End-of-course projects evaluate student understanding of specific material and encourage deeper learning but are also more localized and less broadly applicable than standardized tests. Lastly, weekly quizzes help monitor ongoing learning and retention but do not offer the same wide-ranging comparisons as annual standardized tests.