Benchmark School was founded in 1970 by Irene W. Gaskins, Ed.D. as a small, part-time program with borrowed classroom space. Under her guidance, it grew into a full-time, independent school, situated on a wooded 23-acre campus. Irene Gaskins stepped down as Head of School in 2007, but continues to conduct research in literacy and reading instruction and is frequently invited to publish her findings in scholarly journals and is a sought-after lecturer at national and international reading conferences.
Dr. Robb Gaskins, a former professor in reading education at the University of Kentucky, took over as Head of School in September 2007. Like Dr. Irene Gaskins, Dr. Robb Gaskins is committed to research-based instruction. Consequently, this tradition remains a fundamental component of a Benchmark School education.
Benchmark School has been cited as an elementary school that demonstrates excellence in American education. In 1988, and 1991, Benchmark received three-year grants from the James S. McDonnell Foundation to develop programs based on cognitive science that stress "how to learn," and was subsequently named the Foundation's national application school.
In addition, Benchmark's reading instruction program is one of six exemplary programs featured on videotapes developed by the Center for the Study of Reading. Distributed by the International Reading Association, these videotapes are used by colleges and universities throughout the country in both undergraduate and graduate education programs.
Benchmark's program for decoding and understanding words (referred to as Word Detectives) is used in school districts throughout the English-speaking world. To facilitate the use of the Word Detectives program, Benchmark's staff developed a series of instructional DVDs and manuals and the School conducts workshops for educators who attend from all over the U.S. and Canada. Many schools also send teachers and administrators to Benchmark's Professional Visitors' Days where they meet with faculty and staff and observe the instructional program.
