Criteria for Determining Instructional and Independent Levels

What is an instructional reading level? A student’s INSTRUCTIONAL READING LEVEL is where the teacher instructs a student in reading during small group reading time. The teacher is analyzing deficits in reading skills (comprehension, , acquisition, , ) and determining the type of modeled direction instruction needed to attain the skill. What is an independent reading level? A student’s INDEPENDENT READING LEVEL is where the student is able to apply oral reading accuracy, comprehension, and decoding/prosody at a determined level of accuracy, rate, and comprehension independently without teacher support.

HCPS Criteria Levels Readiness through PP3 Passages Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter

Accuracy 98%-100%

Level Comprehension retelling of 3 or 4

Independent Independent Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fourth Quarter Fluency Chart Below only Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter

Accuracy 85%-97%

Comprehension retelling of 3 or 4 Level

Instructional Instructional Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fluency Chart below Frustration Level 84% or lower HCPS Criteria Primer through Eighth Grade Passages Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter

Accuracy 98%-100%

Comprehension 80% or higher OR retelling 3 or 4 Level

Independent Independent Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fourth Quarter Fluency Chart Below only

Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter 93%-97% 95%-97% Accuracy 90%-97% Borderline: 90%-92% Borderline: 90%-94% Frustration Level 89% or lower Comprehension 67%-79% OR retelling of 3 or 4

Instructional Level Instructional Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fluency Chart below Determining WCPM: When using the ONLINE PALS WIZARD-Teachers must calculate wcpm. PALS will not.  This is the formula to use to determine words correct per minute (fluency): WCPM = # of words read correctly in passage X 60 = Words read per minute Time in seconds Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) Hasbrouck & Tindal rates applied to 4th quarter. Range Benchmark Passage Level 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter 1st Grade 20-30 31-47 48-60 2nd Grade 48-55 63-73 74-83 84-90 3rd Grade 68-75 83-92 93-101 102-110 4th Grade 90-97 109-112 113-117 118-130 th 5 Grade 110+ 127+ 127+ 139+ 6th – 8th Grade 127+ 140+ 140+ 150+ The fourth quarter benchmark numbers are ranges reflecting oral reading fluency rates of students in grades 1 through 8 scoring at the 50th percentile. Students scoring 10 or more words below the 50th percentile on two or more unpracticed from grade level materials need a fluency building program. Students must meet this rate chart as given. No 5 word rate change allowed. It is already factored into the benchmark fourth quarter criteria. Coding Running Records and Comprehension Procedures

PALS and HCPS Running Records Comprehension Requirements

 Self-corrections ARE NOT counted as errors. Retellings from HCPS binder passages or PALS Levels Readiness through PP3  If a student omits or substitutes a word, it is 1 error.

 If a student inserts words that are not on the page, each  Remove the passage from the students and say, word added is 1 error. “Now tell me as much as you can about the story you just read.”  If the student makes the same error (always says a  If the students stops, hesitates, provides a limited instead of the) a word more than once, it is counted as response, or provides and off-track response, say an error each time. If a proper name is said incorrectly, “Tell me as much as you can about the story.” correct the error and it counts as 1 error. If they miss it OR “ Can you tell me anything more about the again, ignore it, it does not count against them the second story?” time EVEN if it said differently than the firt time.  Then rate the quality of the student’s response using the rubric below. (This is not a timed  If a child loses their place, redirect them and but do not retelling.) count it as an error.  Quality of the Response Rubric  If a child makes a pronunciation/dialectical error, Comprehension is acceptable. (speech/dialect/grammar) it is not an error. Example: It is not Provides 3 or more details in a meaningful an error, for example if a student says “ax” for “ask” or “wif” 4 sequence that captures the main idea for “with”. Make sure instruction is provided in standard Provides 3 or more details in a meaningful sequence English. 3 although the main idea may not be stated  If students follow a pattern of always leaving off a certain Comprehension is considered weak. ending, count it as one error each time (never adds –s, - 2 Provides 3 or more details that relate to the passage. ing, -ed etc). Be sure to make a note in the comments Provides 2 or fewer details that may or may not 1 section that endings are an issue to be addressed. This relate to the passage. type of error should not prevent a student from attempting the next reading level. (It counts each time.) PALS Passages with Multiple Choice . Remove the passage.  Use the three second rule if a child comes to a word s/he . Teacher reads questions aloud on primer/first does not know. If the child continues reading with a nd miscue, DO NOT INTERUPT them. If the child pauses and grade passage. 2 grade & higher the either attempts to decode unsuccessfully or does nothing, students reads the questions. count three seconds and then give him/her the word. This . See the HCPS table on the front for IS marked as a TEACHER ASSIST. percentage accuracy levels.

 If a student skips an entire line of text while reading, stop Independent Level the student and redirect him or her to the correct place. 80% or higher Instructional Level  Numbers and dates written as numerals (e.g., 45,000, 12th, or 1961) are not counted in the total word count, and 67%-79% therefore, are not counted as errors when reading Frustration Level incorrectly. 50% or lower

Revised 8/2015