When the child hits the reading level assessment ceiling in K

[Miss Information]

According to dds K teacher, they can only assess up to DRA reading level 18 in kindergarten. That is the last DRA level for first grade.

To give some perspective, before K, dd could not read independently. Some individual words, but not sentences. She has mastered every she has supposed to since she started K. She says the only things that are really hard is when they do assessments.

I just got her report card on Friday. She passed the assessment for DRA reading level 18 at the third quarter assessments. Reading level 18 is the last level for 1st grade. They can't assess beyond level 18 in Kindergarten (can't or won't I don't know).

She is currently reading level 20 DRA books, but even those are "too easy".

She's doing the accelerated reader program, and she answers 5 questions each Monday when she goes to the library. She's reading and comprehending at a second grade, 4th month level. But there is no notation made on her report card. The only thing recorded is the DRA levels.

I really don't feel that her assessments are accurately reflecting her ability. It seems like there is a great disparity between what the assessments say she can read and comprehend and what she really can read and comprehend.

And it seems stupid to limit the testing simply because she's hit the ceiling (and moved beyond it). But at the same time, she says the assessments are a bit hard, so I don't want to push things too much either.

So...what do I do about it?

I've thought about my options, but I need feedback.

1. Do nothing - it's only K after all, and do I really want to push her hard?
2. Write a letter and ask why the testing stops at level 18 out of curiosity?
3. Make a bit of a stink and try to get them to test her higher (what are they going to do for 4th quarter assessments if they can't test higher than level 18)?
4. Request a conference to find out more information and put things into perspective. I would like someone to tell me that her progress is or is not all that typical for K aged kids. If it's typical, then I can relax, but if it's not typical, does this mean she may be gifted.

Ultimately, they don't have a gifted program until 4th grade anyway, so making a big deal about it now really doesn't mean anything is going to change.

Someone give me some perspective please.

Thanks!

[CarrieMF]

Are they giving her higher books & just not testing? If so I'd let it go, there are less than 2 months of school left(here anyhow, in other places there's less than a month).

If they are not giving her books that challenge her then I"d go in & get them to do that.

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by CarrieMF

Are they giving her higher books & just not testing? If so I'd let it go, there are less than 2 months of school left(here anyhow, in other places there's less than a month).

If they are not giving her books that challenge her then I"d go in & get them to do that.

Thanks for the input -

She had a few level 20 books and just came home with a non-fiction DRA book at level 21, so I guess they are trying to accomodate her. I just wonder if it's going to be noted somewhere in her file, so that when 1st grade comes, they aren't regressing her to books that are level 18 because that's what she last tested at.

She's got school until June 4, I think.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by Miss Information

Thanks for the input -

She had a few level 20 books and just came home with a non-fiction DRA book at level 21, so I guess they are trying to accomodate her. I just wonder if it's going to be noted somewhere in her file, so that when 1st grade comes, they aren't regressing her to books that are level 18 because that's what she last tested at.

She's got school until June 4, I think.

I'd at least get notated in her record so she can move forward from her current level in first grade; and ask for a copy.

[Lingmom]

I would do nothing. What would it accomplish? Assurance she's reading well above-average? She clearly is and it sounds like her teacher knows.

If she's bored with the reading material, I'd supplement. But she's probably not bored. My kindergartner is quite happy to read anything from chapter books to Bob books and she has no sense of 'reading level'... If it's fun, she reads it.

[ChristaN]

There is some overlap or a "range" for each level, so, yes level 18 could be considered early 2nd grade or late 1st. For the most part, the DRA levels are set up so that the first number tells you the grade level (or an approximation). For example, a level 32 would be 3rd grade b/c it starts with a 3 and a level 8 would be kindergarten b/c it is under the 10-18 (starting with a 1 -- 1st grade) bunch. The second number tells you where in the grade it falls. If it ends in a 2, for example, it is earlier in the year than if it ends in an 8.

As far as your question re whether she may be gifted, her reading level in k is probably not going to tell you that. Gifted is as much about learning and being wired differently as anything, not just about being an advanced reader. There are gifted kids who are great readers and some who don't learn to read early at all. If you have other indications that she is "different," so to speak and you think that having her assessed to figure that out would help her in school, then you can either ask the school to run an ability test or pay a psychologist to test her privately.

I don't see any reason why the school would have a cap on the level of reading they can test a kindergartener on, but I wouldn't be extremely worried unless, like you said, it is going to cap what she will be given at the start of next year.

It is possible that they are looking at the kids meeting some criterion and, once that is met, they are not concerned about how advanced they are beyond that point for right now. My girls' kindergarten class wanted to know that they could count to 100, for instance. Once the kids counted to 100 for the teacher, she never asked them to count again and didn't record any #s higher than 100 on the report card b/c the concern was whether they had met the basic standard not who could count the highest.

If reading is looked at that way in your dd's class, the first grade teachers are probably familiar with that and hopefully won't assume that the level 18 is the maximum for your child, just that she met the benchmark they were shooting for.

[jen in co]

Originally Posted by Miss Information

Thanks for the input -

She had a few level 20 books and just came home with a non-fiction DRA book at level 21, so I guess they are trying to accomodate her. I just wonder if it's going to be noted somewhere in her file, so that when 1st grade comes, they aren't regressing her to books that are level 18 because that's what she last tested at.

She's got school until June 4, I think.

I'd make sure it's noted somewhere so she doesn't have to start over next year at an 18. My DD's class has one reading group that's reading at DRA levels in the low 20s (some of her friends are in that group) and my DDs group (probably the 2nd or 3rd highest group of 6...not sure exactly where she falls) is at a 12-14. There's never been any mention of a ceiling for testing for her class...in fact, I remember them saying at the beginning of the year that while the goal for K is to be solidly reading at a Level 3, most will reach the goal, but some will be as high as a 28...there's a wide variation in the levels coming in. In my DDs class it seems like most will be leaving at a 5-6 level.

[Miss Information]

Well, now I am finding something interesting...

according to this resource
http://content.scholastic.com/browse...le.jsp?id=4476

a DRA reading level of 18 is in the range of second grade, not first. So, maybe her teacher told me something different (or I remembered it incorrectly at our conference).

I will ask if it will be notated where she ends up at the end of the year, and have a copy of it to keep at home for next year.

Thanks for the ideas.

I will keep this all in mind. I don't want to push dd too hard. I read chapter books to her and she enjoys our reading time together. I am reading Charlotte's web, and we take turns reading the first book of the Magic Tree House series. She likes doing that a lot.

[CarrieMF]

I don't think it's necessary to have it noted as they'll test the kids at the beginning of the school year. In the 6-8 weeks they have off of school alot of kids will have progressed & be further than the testing.

Even if they test her at level 18 they'll note right away that she's much further along & adjust it.

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by ChristaN

There is some overlap or a "range" for each level, so, yes level 18 could be considered early 2nd grade or late 1st. For the most part, the DRA levels are set up so that the first number tells you the grade level (or an approximation). For example, a level 32 would be 3rd grade b/c it starts with a 3 and a level 8 would be kindergarten b/c it is under the 10-18 (starting with a 1 -- 1st grade) bunch. The second number tells you where in the grade it falls. If it ends in a 2, for example, it is earlier in the year than if it ends in an 8.

As far as your question re whether she may be gifted, her reading level in k is probably not going to tell you that. Gifted is as much about learning and being wired differently as anything, not just about being an advanced reader. There are gifted kids who are great readers and some who don't learn to read early at all. If you have other indications that she is "different," so to speak and you think that having her assessed to figure that out would help her in school, then you can either ask the school to run an ability test or pay a psychologist to test her privately.

I don't see any reason why the school would have a cap on the level of reading they can test a kindergartener on, but I wouldn't be extremely worried unless, like you said, it is going to cap what she will be given at the start of next year.

It is possible that they are looking at the kids meeting some criterion and, once that is met, they are not concerned about how advanced they are beyond that point for right now. My girls' kindergarten class wanted to know that they could count to 100, for instance. Once the kids counted to 100 for the teacher, she never asked them to count again and didn't record any #s higher than 100 on the report card b/c the concern was whether they had met the basic standard not who could count the highest.

If reading is looked at that way in your dd's class, the first grade teachers are probably familiar with that and hopefully won't assume that the level 18 is the maximum for your child, just that she met the benchmark they were shooting for.

Somehow I missed this post. At any rate, she has a higher probability of giftedness, not just because of reading. Her father was considered gifted, and they were thinking about skipping him a grade in 2nd grade (because he was always done with his work early and was bored), but instead, they let him take music lessons (which didn't start until 6th grade then). I was always in advanced/honors classes (except math - my personal weakness). Both my older two girls were verbally precocious at a young age.

In addition, she likes to write and illustrate stories, and her penmanship is very clear (not that that means much - but it does make what she writes enjoyable to read).

However, if she is advancing that quickly with reading, it makes me wonder what is to come. She can only tolerate writing her sight words a few times before she bores of it. She tells me, "mom, I already KNOW how to spell them". So I don't push it. But then yesterday, she took all the words from the beginning of the year and wrote them down because she wants a pizza party at the end of the year with the principal (and she doesn't even like pizza).

I'm not sure of her math ability. If she's anything like me, she will be adequate (even though I mucked through 2 college courses of calculus). If she's anything like her father (a mechanical engineer), she will be more than adequate. It's hard to tell. She isn't multiplying things like I have heard another child (who told me he was 6 and 3/4). He was clearly advanced with numbers. He told me (a stranger) his favorite numbers were 1,3,5,7, 9, and 11 and he liked to multiply.

Her younger sister at times seems even more bright. There are things her sister comes up with that make me wonder "how on earth could you know that"? That one seems to pick up things and retain them. And she likes math quite a bit.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Adele_Mommy]

I just had a thought I wanted to relay. Ability tests have built in ceilings. They are not accurate above a certain level. Probably the test they use in kindergarten has a ceiling of DRA 18. It's not that the teachers or the school system picked that ceiling - they picked a test that they thought was the best for their purposes and that is the ceiling it happened to have. In order to assess where a child is above that level they would have to bring in a different test to use. This test would have a different scale and they probably have their report cards all set up to report results from one particular test, so results from a different test would just have to go in the comments anyway. I'm sure your daughter's file has comments from the teachers and any case the teachers will almost certainly know that a score of 18 on this particular test does not mean reading at level 18 it means reading at level 18 or higher.

Also, as previous posters have said you needn't worry that this test in kindergarten will cause her to "start over" in first grade. Kids come into first grade from all sorts of different kindergarten situations and I'm sure the teachers are prepared for that.

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by Adele_Mommy

I just had a thought I wanted to relay. Ability tests have built in ceilings. They are not accurate above a certain level. Probably the test they use in kindergarten has a ceiling of DRA 18. It's not that the teachers or the school system picked that ceiling - they picked a test that they thought was the best for their purposes and that is the ceiling it happened to have. In order to assess where a child is above that level they would have to bring in a different test to use. This test would have a different scale and they probably have their report cards all set up to report results from one particular test, so results from a different test would just have to go in the comments anyway. I'm sure your daughter's file has comments from the teachers and any case the teachers will almost certainly know that a score of 18 on this particular test does not mean reading at level 18 it means reading at level 18 or higher.

Also, as previous posters have said you needn't worry that this test in kindergarten will cause her to "start over" in first grade. Kids come into first grade from all sorts of different kindergarten situations and I'm sure the teachers are prepared for that.

That makes sense. Thanks for giving me some things to think about.

[shimmerMom]

my dd's teacher told me mid grade 1 that she has surpassed the DRA reading levels and that she could just read chapter books now of her choice. She is an amazing reader, writer and speller but her math is average. On her spelling tests which she always gets 10/10 she adds harder words herself to the bottom. last week it was supercalifragilistic LOL. I wouldn't worry about it and just get her some harder books from the library to read.

[Leatherette]

My son topped out the DRA given to him in first grade at level 44. I thought it was dumb that he be given a test that doesn't tell which level he is actually at, but whatever, he can read well.

But then he was given the DRA with the same cap this year as well. So what was the point? Kind of a waste of time and doesn't tell us any new info.

But he likes reading everything. He will read a chapter book, then Go Dogs, Go!, and then a comic book.

If he was bored and hated the reading instruction in school or something, I'd be more concerned.

L.

[Leatherette]

Just had another thought: The DRA takes a long time to administer, so they just cap it at a reasonable level so they are not spending half a day assessing an advanced kid?

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by Leatherette

Just had another thought: The DRA takes a long time to administer, so they just cap it at a reasonable level so they are not spending half a day assessing an advanced kid?

That could very well be too. She had 4 books to be assessed with that day (from what my dd told me - there were 4 books and she remembered 3 of the titles).

[mrsmom63]

I would request a conference with the teacher. It would make you feel better if you knew what the plan was for 1st grade.
If you want test results but the teacher refuses, you have a few options. If you do not know how to administer a reading test, you could hire a reading certified tutor to administer it ($50-$150). For $2o, you could administer the DORA reading assessment at Letsgolearn.com. You could contact the reading specialist at your child's school and push for a test with her rather than with the classroom teacher.
The teacher usually only gives a "screening test". She wants to be sure students are making progress and that any deficiencies are being documented. The reading specialist is the person who usually tests students who are above or below the range considered "typical" at the school.

[Miss Information]

Well, I think I will have a conference with the teacher at some point before the end of the year, but I'm going to lighten up about the books. I'd like to know just what she thinks of her abilities overall - not just in reading ability. I also want to know if she has any say in where she ought to be placed next year. She knows her abilities best, so I hope they consider input from her.

I don't know if they randomly assign children to teachers regardless of ability, or how that all works (maybe I should ask that in a separate question).

Dd is kind of getting tired. She was reading two baggie books a week for the past two or three weeks. She at first started wanting to read within 2 days of getting the baggie book, instead of the normal 4 days. I wanted to make sure she practiced reading them enough, so I would ask her to read the book 2-3 times each day (for a total of 4-6 times). I wouldn't have pushed it so much except she wanted to read them early. But I also wanted to make sure she was ready to read them if she wanted to read them early.

That wasn't going over so well. She's not liking having to repeat it so many times a day. I don't blame her - it gets boring reading the same story over and over again. So I told her that if she doesn't want to repeat it so many times a day, that she needed to give herself an extra day. She seems okay with that.

[Adele_Mommy]

Originally Posted by Miss Information

I don't know if they randomly assign children to teachers regardless of ability, or how that all works (maybe I should ask that in a separate question).

They probably do consider input from the child's current teacher, but I would suggest talking to the guidance counselor if your school has one. I was not very happy with my dd's first grade teacher (my dd had done kindergarten at a different school), so in the spring (about this time last year actually) I had a meeting with the guidance counselor and we talked about what sort of teaching style and classroom environment would be best for dd. The guidance counselor explained to me how the teachers, administration, and she work together to make the class rosters for the next year and said she would make sure my dd was placed in an appropriate class. I am much happier with dd's teacher this year.

[Miss Information]

Originally Posted by Adele_Mommy

They probably do consider input from the child's current teacher, but I would suggest talking to the guidance counselor if your school has one. I was not very happy with my dd's first grade teacher (my dd had done kindergarten at a different school), so in the spring (about this time last year actually) I had a meeting with the guidance counselor and we talked about what sort of teaching style and classroom environment would be best for dd. The guidance counselor explained to me how the teachers, administration, and she work together to make the class rosters for the next year and said she would make sure my dd was placed in an appropriate class. I am much happier with dd's teacher this year.

I should find out about that. Couldn't hurt to ask I guess.