What is the Reading Level?

The Independent Reading Level is a comprehensive measure of reading ability that combines reading pace and comprehension to determine the level at which students can confidently and successfully read text. The Reading Level consists of three key components:

• Text Complexity 
• Comprehension Rate
• Risk Category

Grade Level

Text complexity indicates the grade level of the text in the assessment. Students not at risk should be reading text at their enrolled grade level and ready to read one grade level higher by the end of the year. 

For example, a student entering 3rd grade should be able to read 3rd-grade text with a Reading Level above 3.0. By the end of the year, the student should progress to reading 4th-grade text, achieving a Reading Level above 4.0.

Comprehension 

The comprehension score reflects the percentage of questions students answer correctly, measuring their understanding of the text. 

For example, a student with a Reading Level of 2.8 can read and comprehend 2nd-grade text with 80% accuracy. 

When a student’s comprehension rate surpasses 90% of the grade-level goal, they are promoted and will be assessed at the next level of text complexity.

Category

The Category reflects the risk level associated with a student’s Reading Level, helping teachers identify students who may benefit from group instruction, additional intervention, or further screening. There are four categories:

Critical (C): The student is reading below grade level and has yet to achieve the target comprehension rate. Thus, their Reading Level is more than one below their end-of-year goal.

For example, a 4th-grade student is Critical when reading 3rd-grade text at 40% of the 3rd-grade comprehension rate. Their goal is 5.0, their current Reading Level is 3.4,  and they are 1.6 behind their goal.

Approaching (A): The student is reading at grade level but has yet to achieve their goal comprehension rate. Students who are Approaching have a Reading Level within one level of their end-of-year goal.

For example, a 9th-grade student is Approaching when reading 9th-grade text at 60% of the 9th-grade comprehension rate. Their goal is 10.0, their current Reading Level is 9.6,  and they are 0.4 behind their goal.

Meeting (M): The student has met their end-of-year goal and reading text at the next grade level. Students who are Meeting are at most one level above their goal.

For example, a 5th-grade student is Meeting when reading 6th-grade text at 20% of the 6th-grade comprehension rate. Their goal is 6.0, their current Reading Level is 6.2,  and they are 0.2 above their goal.

Exceeding (E): The student has met the goal comprehension rate for text above their enrolled grade level. Students who are Exceeding are at least one level above their goal.

For example, a 3rd-grade student is Exceeding when reading 5th-grade text at 30% of the 5th-grade comprehension rate. Their goal is 4.0, their current Reading Level is 5.3,  and they are 1.7 above their goal.