How to Understand Reading Assessment Scores

Defining the Score

• 1

  The first step in understanding reading comprehension scores is to identify the way the exam was assessed. Listed below are the common means of assessment.

  Rubric: A rubric is a set system of grading norms developed by a committee and then applied to an exam. Each exam is graded based upon how well it meets the standards of the rubric.

  Grade level: A score based upon reading level is graded according to the level of work being produced. For example, a fifth grader who received a score of 7.0 is reading at a level equivalent to that of a seventh grader.

  Standard: Standard grades are based upon an average sample of a large survey of student tests.

  Percentile: Percentile scores are an average that is based on the common bell curve score system, in which the average is a 50 percent.

  Correct/Possible: A correct out of possible score is simple to understand. It means a student got the first number correct out of the second number, which represents the possible score.

• 2

  How do the state and school district value the score?

  Throughout their education students will endure a variety of assessment tests at all grade levels. There are standardized tests from K-12 as well as in college. State and school districts mandate tests that, in some cases, decide whether a student will graduate. For instance, in the state of Massachusetts, students must pass the MCAS test, a standardized test that has a reading comprehension component. In order to go to college, many students have to score high on the SAT or ACT exam, which also has a reading comprehension component. Some colleges are putting less weight on these tests, but they are still valued by society as a whole.

• 3

  A large benefit of being able to understand reading comprehension scores is the ability to understand a child's weaknesses. Being able to pinpoint these areas provides parents with the information necessary to improve their children's scores in the future. Therefore, it is important to identify the means of assessment listed above used for a reading comprehension exam to determine a child's results.