Common Reading Level Assessments

AIMSWeb - This is the assessment used by the North Allegheny School District. Specific subtests depend on grade level, but common tasks include having a child read aloud for one minute (monitoring speed and accuracy), stating the sounds in a given word, naming letters quickly, and identifying the first sound in a word, both with and without picture prompts.

Reading A-Z - This popular online program has an assessment and leveling component that some schools may use. The website is also available for parents to subscribe to, and provides leveled books, sight word resources, and other materials.

Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) - This assessment is given individually, starts with a grade level text, and the teacher determines a child's independent reading level for fluency and comprehension. Fluency is determined by number of errors and time taken to read the passage, and comprehension is assessed for literal questions (who, what, when, where) and more "deep thinking" questions, including the most important part of the book, the message an author may try to convey, etc.

DIBELS - The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills is another common assessment. While it doesn't provide an independent reading "level" for a child, it determines if a child is on track to read at grade level or if smaller group instruction would be beneficial. DIBELS language is based on benchmarks, or specific rates of reading and retelling that correspond to a grade level. Benchmarks are measured at the 40%ile. Your child may be "at or above benchmark", "below benchmark", or "well below benchmark". This information helps your child's school determine if extra instruction is recommended.

Fountas and Pinnell (F&P) - Based on the work of two teachers and literacy researchers, Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell, this is a leveled assessment and book set many schools use. Letters are assigned to represent where, within a grade level, a child's fluency and comprehension have been measured. It also helps teachers instruct small groups, called guided reading groups, and teach at an appropriate level for each child.

Here are the reading levels from the F & P site.