Dear Parents/Guardians,
At Todd Lane Elementary School, your child uses a software program called Accelerated Reader. This program allows students to take the STAR Reading Test, which shows diagnostic information about your child’s reading skills (grade level equivalency, national percentile ranking, and zone of proximal development for independent reading/book level), and take AR quizzes. Research shows that schools with a strong Accelerated Reader program increase student performance on standardized tests, independent reading growth and comprehension.
For both semesters during the 2025-26 school year, all grade levels will be creating individualized, reading goals for their students to work towards, which are based on their STAR test results. While our Accelerated Reading program is not graded, students are highly encouraged to reach their specific AR goals (80% of answers correct and individualized point total in their reading range). Since the reading goals will be personalized to fit your student’s specific learning needs, the AR program will guide students to books difficult enough to keep them challenged, but not so difficult to cause frustration.
Every Friday, teachers will receive reports of AR participation, so they can keep up to date on their students’ progress toward their goals.
These are the AR incentives for this school year:
At the end of both semesters, the students who meet their reading goal will get to attend a bounce house party in the gymnasium, which is sponsored by the PTA and T&P Party Co. Additionally, we will have a school-wide point goal for both semesters. If the school-wide goal is met during that particular semester, all students will be treated to a fun and free incentive. At the end of first semester, the reward is “Disney Day” and for the second semester, the reward will be “encore teacher sundaes.”
We strongly recommend our parents to encourage your child to read and take part in our AR program.
If you would like to check on your child’s AR progress, you can do the following:
Logging In To Home Connect Through Clever:
Open this link in a web browser:
1) https://global-zone08.renaissance-go.com/studentprogress/homeconnect?t=24022
2) In the Renaissance login area, select the Student/Teacher Clever Login button
3) Enter your students’s Clever username and password (not their Renaissance username and password)
4) Select Log in. You should now see Renaissane Home Connect.
*For a list of compatible browsers, type the following URL in any browser: https://docs.renaissance.com/R43121
If you'd like to receive emails showing your student's quiz or test results, click the Email Setup link in Renaissance Home Connect and follow the directions.
Lastly, if you would like to check the reading levels/points of AR books, go to this website: http://www.arbookfind.com
Thank you,
Mrs. Pohl
Todd Lane Elementary School Librarian
Procedures to use with Accelerated Reader
What is AR?
A school-wide reading program in which students are required to read leveled books independently and take comprehension tests on their iPad. Each child is given a reading level by the librarian and an individualized AR point goal for both semesters by their reading teacher. If a student does not meet their point goal, they do not get to participate in the grade level AR party for that semester.
The reading level and point goal were assigned after each student took their placement test in September (STAR reading test) using Renaissance Place software. Students will have the opportunity to take the STAR test in the fall, winter, and spring, so we can see how their reading progress trends throughout the school year. Their reading level and point goals will be individualized based on their score.
Before reading:
Most AR books are labeled in the library with a colored sticker on the spine, as well as an informational AR label on the back of the book that lists the level, point value and quiz number.
Students can check to see if a book is AR by using arbookfind.com. This comes in handy whenever it’s a book from home, Scholastic order, ebook, etc.
All students are instructed on how to use arbookfind.com during library class.
When you can take AR quizzes:
Students can take AR quizzes in school, and at home, Monday - Friday during school hours.
All students are given time to take AR quizzes in library class, as well as in their classrooms (time permitting)
Rules of AR:
You can only take an AR quiz once.
Students may not take tests on books below their reading level. (Ex: I read at a 4th grade level. I may not test on a 1st Grade level book.)
You must read the entire book before taking a test on it.
It is encouraged that students re-read their AR book to make sure they understand the content
Do not take a test if you’ve only “seen the movie.”
Do not help other students with their tests. This is cheating.
Notify your teacher or the librarian if you observe someone breaking the rules.
Please keep in mind that your child has to get 100% to earn full points for a quiz. However, they can still earn partial credit for answering most of the questions correctly.
Level guide for AR:
Most AR books in our library are labeled with a colored AR sticker on the spine:
0.0 - 0.9 PINK 2.0 - 2.9 RED 4.0 - 4.9 YELLOW 6.0 - 13.0 LIGHT GREEN
1.0 - 1.9 GREEN 3.0 - 3.9 BLUE 5.0 - 5.9 PURPLE