Reading Levels
A baseline assessment is administered to the student to determine his or her instructional reading level. Reading material at instructional level will be slightly challenging, but accessible with sufficient background knowledge about the topic. This differs from the independent level (the level at which a child can successfully read without assistance) and the frustration level (the level at which a child is unable to read with adequate word identification or comprehension). A student will gain the most benefit if instruction and reading take place at his/her instructional level.
Below is a table defining the general criteria for the three different levels.
| Criteria for Interpreting Oral Reading and Comprehension | |||
| TASK | FUNCTIONAL LEVELS | ||
| Frustration | Instructional | Independent | |
| Oral Reading Accuracy | Below 90% | 95%-97% | 98%-100% |
| Comprehension | Below 60% | 75%-89% | 90%-100% |
Also see the table of criteria used by the UURC for placement of students.