DRA testing - Can I test at home?

[Sahmqui]

How can I test my child's DRA Level at home? The schools around here access kids reading level and what group the kids will be in based solely on their DRA results.

 

I want to access my daughter now before fall in case DH decides they will go to non homeschool. How can I do this? Thanks in advance.

[Dmmetler]

You probably can't get the official DRA kit, but you can do a test very similar to the DRA by getting the books from Reading A-Z.com and doing the running records/comprehension questions once your child gets to a level that requires them. There are enough free samples to give you a rough idea of where your child falls (the full subscription is a bit pricey, unless you want to actually use it as part of teaching reading).

 

Two caveats on DRA testing

 

1) Some schools have a policy of testing from AA on, no matter how high the child is. Not surprisingly, this tends to underestimate good readers, who get frustrated with the test (it doesn't take a super intelligent kid to figure out that if I miss the questions, she'll let me go play. This also applies to the STAR test if your child's school uses it). I suggest starting at home closer to what you think your child's reading level is, and then moving backwards or forwards from there to avoid burning out your child.

 

 

2) Be aware that some schools have a policy of only teaching X levels above grade level, no matter what, and stop testing at that level, especially with K-2 children, so if you get a mismatch between home and school, that may account for it.

[Sahmqui]

Thx :)

[Staceyshoe]

Your school district may do some testing for free. It might be worth calling to ask. Before ds entered kindergarten, they required testing due to his age. It consisted of an IQ test and an achievement test. I would think that a reading test would be easier for them to do than all that, but they might not do it unless their policies require them to.

[homefront]

If you are only looking for a score and not the official DRA test you could look at the DORA test at http://www.letsgolearn.com/ It results include DRA score plus some other useful info.

[Guest mikelangelo11]

I use DRA Testing at my school.We started using the DRA this year. I agree that it's time consuming! It does give a lot of information about each student as a reader but I find so much of the test is very subjective.