Final answer:
True. A lead-up skill prepares a student for a benchmark skill by providing foundational knowledge necessary for learning more complex abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, a lead-up skill is indeed something that prepares a student to perform the benchmark skill. Lead-up skills are foundational elements that contribute to the development of more complex abilities. For example, in the context of learning to read, recognizing letters and understanding phonemic awareness are lead-up skills that are essential before a student can achieve the benchmark skill of reading fluently. In mathematics, understanding addition and subtraction is crucial before moving on to multiplication and division. These preliminary skills are the building blocks that prepare students for success in mastering more advanced tasks.