Understanding Reading Assessment Scores
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
What are the scores you can get from assessments and what do they mean?
Rubric scores: Rubric scores indicate how a student has performed according to a standard. The standard is set by the evaluator. For example, writing rubrics are established to indicate how well a student has written an essay. The teacher sets the standards for each point on the rubric scale. The 4 point on the rubric might stand for a perfect essay with all aspects included and all correct mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar). A 3 point on the rubric may mean that some errors occurred but it basically fulfilled the teaching standards, etc.
Grade level scores: Grade level scores on formal tests mean that the student has performed as well as a student at that grade level. For example, a third grader gets a test score of 6.2 grade level. This score means that the third grader is performing like a sixth grader in the second month of school. It does not mean that the student is reading at a sixth grade level. However, a grade level score on an informal test like the Qualitative Reading Inventory -3 (citation?) does mean that a third grader is reading sixth grade material effectively.
Standard scores: Standard scores are generated from testing 100's or 1000's of students on a test and then statistically calculating the scores. On most formal tests a standard score of 90 to 110 is average.
Percentile scores: Percentile scores are also generated by numerous students being tested on the instrument. Percentile scores reflect a bell curve with a 50%ile being average.
Stanines: Stanines are also formal assessment measures reflecting a bell curve but there are only 9 stanines. Stanine 5 is average. Stanines 1, 2, and 3 are below average; stanines 4, 5, 6 are average; and stanines 7, 8, 9 are above average.
Correct/Possible score: These type of scores generally come from informal tests such as criterion based tests. The correct is the number of correct responses out of the total number on the test. Teachers most frequently use this type of score to inform instruction. The teachers will often present it as a percent (i.e. 10 words correct out of 20 words on test = 50%).