Testing for Reading Level in Kindergarten
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Anonymous
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My DD went to a Montessori school and completed Kindergarten there. She tested at a second grade reading level using QRI testing two times during her Kindergarten year. The teacher said that "she was the by far the best reader in the class for comprehension." She said that other students could read what she could read, but she was comprehending far more than the other students.
Now, we are in Kindergarten in public schools because she is a Sept bday and she only tested at Level 6 which is the end of Kindergarten reading goal. That doesn't foot to me. I know what my DD is able to comprehend and I know that she is reading second grade level books and totally understanding them. I ask her questions about what she reads and she gets it! The question is how do I ask the teacher to test her again? I'd rather someone independent of her administer the test though. |
Anonymous
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Understand your frustration ... we had a similiar experience where DC tested at a much higher level in preschool than in Kindergarten.
A few thoughts - and I may be speaking out of turn since DC is now in 4th grade and not in 2.0 during K - One is that in MCPS "Text level 6 has been identified as the stretch goal for the end of kindergarten" - I got that from the MCPS web site. It could be that once she attained the benchmark, they just didn't test any higher. That happened to my child in 2nd grade. They tested DC at the very beginning of the year and found that DC had reached the benchmark, so they didn't test again all year. Not that I agree with that, but that is what happened. It is frustrating. At some point in MCPS, the kids have to demonstrate comprehension via written response. I don't think it is at Level 6, but I don't remember which level. My DC's writing skills were not on par with his reading skills. So while his reading may have been higher, he could not yet respond in writing to the comprehension questions, so that brought his reading level down until his writing level caught up. |
Anonymous
| Agree with the above. I'd approach the teacher with an air of curiosity rather than seeming to be challenging. You could ask whether your child was tested just through level 6 or was tested to failure (or whatever the expression is--maybe someone else will chime in). |
Anonymous
| When do they tell you the level? I have no idea where my DD tested and I know they did it in the last few weeks... |
Anonymous
| OP here... I called the teacher to ask about other concerns and she just let me know at what level she tested at. She did tell me that she stopped her at Level 6 and didn't go beyond that. I didn't ask why, but the writing part would make sense. My DD's writing is not up to the level of her reading, and I asked the teacher to focus on her writing this year. |
Anonymous
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Writing does not affect the reading level during K and 1st grade. It is bizarre to stop testing at Level 6. Is this something new, thanks to Curriculum 2.0 ? Any teacher out there ?
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Anonymous
It (writing) does affect the reading level if your child is reading significantly above grade level. It is possible that your child is demonstrating fluency in reading at a level K (equivalent to 18) in Kindergarten, but cannot respond in writing to the comprehension questions for that level; therefore they are pegged to the last level for which they can respond verbally to comprehension questions. This was our experience in a MCPS ES school. |
Anonymous
Same for us. |
Anonymous
| The k and 1st grade testing isn't supposed to take account of writing level. And it makes no sense to stop at 6. How will she know if your child is progressing? Plus, they can't lump a child who comes in at a 6 with a child who comes in at level J. This is completely inconsistent with the assessments I've seen (I have children who are currently in 3rd and 1st). |
Anonymous
Because what MCPS designates as K and 1st grade reading levels (1-16) don't require written response. Once you get into the letter designations - above level 16 - written response to comprehension is required. Therefore, if you have a Kindergartener who is able to read above level 16, but cannot respond in writing to the comprehension questions, their reading level will be pegged to the highest level at which they can respond verbally. Regarding the grouping - I have found from my own experience and reading those on this list - that every school handles ability grouping differently. There doesn't seem to be one set formula for MCPS. |
Anonymous
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Yes, it is above level 16 that you have to respond in writing. Our experience in K was though that they stopped testing at level 16. That didn't make sense to me. As a result my kid didn't learn anything all year, since they never really worked with him and the other kid that was at 16 going in.
Stopping at level 6 is kind of bizarre but perhaps part of new curriculum? |
Anonymous
Well, my daughter was just tested and went up to Level 14. So I'm not sure that it's part of the new curriculum to stop at 6. |
Anonymous
| Our MCPS doesn't cap the levels for testing, but, as PP stated, takes into account writing at a certain point, at level J, maybe. |
Anonymous
| Relax....oh no thats right if you genius K student isn't challenged enough they may fall behind in their effort to get into Harvard...give it a rest and let them be a child who is learning..if they tested at a fairly high level they will be fine! |