Public school reading level expectations?

[Wabi Sabi]

What level do most school systems want to see a first grader comfortably reading by the end of the year?

 

I'm quite happy with the reading progess my ds has made this year but I'm curious to know if his reading level would be acceptable/satisfactory or more? I've looked up several of the books that we've read recently and they're mostly in the DRA range of 20-24ish. How would that align with school expectations?

[Jenny in GA]

I don't know exactly, and I would be curious.

 

There was some concern about my oldest child not being "at grade level" at the end of first grade. I was told by a couple people that the criteria was "Could she read 4-letter words," meaning vowel and consonant blends:

 

wash

that

back

trip

 

etc

 

I have no idea, though, how accurate that is. Years later, I still don't understand "reading levels," what they mean exactly, or how to know where your child is.

[jallison25]

this is pretty accurate from my experienc in teaching. You can browse their site and see samples of books for each level

 

http://www.readinga-z.com/correlation-chart.php

[jallison25]

20-24 would be 2nd grade level :001_smile:

[Karen in CO]

Frog and Toad by the end of first grade has always been my guideline. If you check your local library's website, they should have accelerated reader lists for your local schools. you can see what grade level they put specific books. Little Bear is typically early to mid first grade level.

[In the Rain]

I have a good friend who teaches kindergarten at a public school. She says their goal is for K'ers to leave reading at a 2nd grade level, assuming they will drop some over the summer. That is their goal, but I'm not sure how many kids reach it. ;)

[Murmer]

Era level 16 is the most common expectation for the end of first grade. So your child is more than good :)

[Sneezyone]

At DD's school last year (private) the summer reading for 2nd graders was Flat Stanley (GRL 4.4/DRA 24). At DD's current school (public) they expect something like Frog and Toad (GRL 2.2/DRA 18) by the beginning of grade 2.

[lindsrae]

Frog and Toad by the end of first grade has always been my guideline. If you check your local library's website, they should have accelerated reader lists for your local schools. you can see what grade level they put specific books. Little Bear is typically early to mid first grade level.

That is a huge relief! :) Thank you for posting that...I hate to compare, blah, blah, but it's nice to have SOME kind of measure!

[PhotoGal]

I used to teach first grade and agree with "Frog and Toad" type books as the end of first grade level. Though most of my students were above that at the end of the year (only two were exactly on DRA 16). This was an upper middle class school.

 

Once you get to "Frog and Toad" level, it really says your child can read. Anything above that is just learning more sight words & vocabulary, kwim?

[Spy Car]

At my son's school (which is a highly functioning public elementary) Frog and Toad were Kindergarten level readers. First grade is typically simple chapter books. Second grade (current) is longer chapter books. Things like Roal Dahl type books. At lot of the kids are reading Harry Potter and books like that.

 

Bill

[....]

Frog and Toad by the end of first grade has always been my guideline. If you check your local library's website, they should have accelerated reader lists for your local schools. you can see what grade level they put specific books. Little Bear is typically early to mid first grade level.

 

These are my expectations, too. My daughter is reading Frog and Toad this week. I think she is exactly where my oldest daughter (who went to public school in 1st grade) was academically at this time of year. My son, however...I pulled him out of ps in 1st grade and he couldn't read. He didn't even know his letter sounds. So, it took him a little longer.

[Cassy]

At my son's school (which is a highly functioning public elementary) Frog and Toad were Kindergarten level readers. First grade is typically simple chapter books. Second grade (current) is longer chapter books. Things like Roal Dahl type books. At lot of the kids are reading Harry Potter and books like that.

 

Bill

 

:iagree: Same here.

[ByGrace3]

I have been wondering this as well. Seems like they are all over the place around here. I know you are not "supposed" to compare, but I totally understand the desire to not have your child behind, and hoping to be "ahead" ;) Also, from what I have seen readers from different "curricula" are all over the board as well. After we finished Abeka one we moved onto the SL 2 readers, but really the abeka 1st grade readers (at the end) were more challenging than the SL 2 ones.

[mommy5]

Thanks for posting about this. My DS is at the end of first grade (by public school standards) ... he would have 2 more months in ... but we do year round so technically we've finished his 1st grade curriculum, etc. However, he has made huge leaps this year in reading but is still not reading with ease ... he can read early reader books and all his CVC words ... I'm going to be looking at Frog and Toad to see if he can read these. I feel like this didn't come naturally to him (like it has been for my 4 yr old) and it has taken a lot of trying different programs to see what fit. For him PAL-R/PAL-W and Reading Eggs has been huge at getting to where he is.

[Jen500]

Most of the kids in my son's first grade class read Magic Treehouse, the higher number ones by this time of year. I have no idea what grade level they are.

[livingmydream]

Oh gosh :( I better check and see if my daughter can even read frog and toad. She is just not getting the silent e's right now, can't remember if there are silent e's in that book. (she is in first grade, but we really didn't do K last year with the new baby and some family emergencies)

[Julie Smith]

I find this site to be helpful.

 

http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx

[boscopup]

Oh gosh :( I better check and see if my daughter can even read frog and toad. She is just not getting the silent e's right now, can't remember if there are silent e's in that book. (she is in first grade, but we really didn't do K last year with the new baby and some family emergencies)

 

As long as she's making progress, I wouldn't worry. No child follows the "grade level expectations" exactly, and the ability to read Frog and Toad now vs. next year makes no difference long term in reading ability. And if she has only been "learning to read" for a year (or less?), I wouldn't expect Frog and Toad level anyway. Sounds like she's reading at a K level, which is expected if you started teaching her to read this year in first grade. That's perfectly fine. That first year or two of reading can go slow, but then they often speed up once they get "reading".

[Julie Smith]

As long as she's making progress, I wouldn't worry. No child follows the "grade level expectations" exactly, and the ability to read Frog and Toad now vs. next year makes no difference long term in reading ability. And if she has only been "learning to read" for a year (or less?), I wouldn't expect Frog and Toad level anyway. Sounds like she's reading at a K level, which is expected if you started teaching her to read this year in first grade. That's perfectly fine. That first year or two of reading can go slow, but then they often speed up once they get "reading".

 

And you never know what the future holds. My son went from "Frog and Toad" at the start of September to books that are according to AR late grade 3, or early grade 4.

[Paige]

In my son's average middle class public school, kids were expected to read early chapter books by the end of 1st grade. Things like Magic Treehouse, Junie B. Jones, etc. would be average. Things like Little Bear and Nate the Great or any graded reader would be below average. My friend's DS was almost retained at the end of first grade because he only scored as a late first grader (so only "on" grade level) in the last few months of school. Almost retained! I think schools on average expect levels that are at least a grade ahead of what the books are usually labeled.

[Wabi Sabi]

In my son's average middle class public school, kids were expected to read early chapter books by the end of 1st grade. Things like Magic Treehouse, Junie B. Jones, etc. would be average. Things like Little Bear and Nate the Great or any graded reader would be below average. My friend's DS was almost retained at the end of first grade because he only scored as a late first grader (so only "on" grade level) in the last few months of school. Almost retained! I think schools on average expect levels that are at least a grade ahead of what the books are usually labeled.

 

See, that's what I've been wondering. I know that I'm quite happy with my ds' reading progress and think he's doing just fine. He's certainly reading "on grade level" based upon looking up the books he's been reading on the Scholastic Book Wizard, but it seems like reading ON grade level is actually behind by some standards? It's so confusing.

 

Ultimately it doesn't matter, I suppose, seeing as we have no intention of sending him back to school in the foreseeable future, but I still find the whole thing so very perplexing...

[WIS0320]

My friend was told that her K age daughter was expected to be on a Level 6 (whatever that is) per the school's goals but to meet state benchmarks the students only had to be at a Level 3.

 

I think what is sad and frustrating about some of these expectations is that some kids in a first grade class can be almost a year older than others in their class peer group. It isn't always reasonable to expect the brain development and academic capabilities out of a child in first grade who turns 6 with a September birthday being compared to a child who turned 6 the previous October and is close to age 7. A year is a big percentage of a child's age when you are looking at the under 10 crowd.

[boscopup]

I think what is sad and frustrating about some of these expectations is that some kids in a first grade class can be almost a year older than others in their class peer group. It isn't always reasonable to expect the brain development and academic capabilities out of a child in first grade who turns 6 with a September birthday being compared to a child who turned 6 the previous October and is close to age 7. A year is a big percentage of a child's age when you are looking at the under 10 crowd.

 

And when schools up their expectations like that, parents start redshirting their kids (especially boys), so the class ends up mostly being kids a year older than normal for their grade level, which probably skews the grade level expectations also. :tongue_smilie: I know in my son's class, there were several redshirted boys.

[Crimson Wife]

I think what is sad and frustrating about some of these expectations is that some kids in a first grade class can be almost a year older than others in their class peer group. It isn't always reasonable to expect the brain development and academic capabilities out of a child in first grade who turns 6 with a September birthday being compared to a child who turned 6 the previous October and is close to age 7. A year is a big percentage of a child's age when you are looking at the under 10 crowd.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: The whole "redshirting" thing is a self-perpetuating cycle. Because so many kids are "redshirted" these days, the expectations get pushed down into the lower grades, and that just causes more parents to decide to "redshirt". You wind up in a situation where even spring birthday kids are now getting "redshirted", which to my mind is crazy.

 

I think the solution is to group the children by birthday. All the kids with winter and spring birthdays get put together and all the summer and fall birthday kids get put together. No "redshirting" allowed unless there are documented special needs.

[mytwomonkeys]

i can tell you that neither of my children could read the titles listed in this thread by the end of grade 1. my daughter was not on level until she was almost 8... and that's true for my son as well now that i think about it (he'll be 8 in 3 weeks). just at the beginning of this year , he couldn't really read "little bear" or "frog and toad" (at least not fluently) ETA - our school year started mid august. now he's reading chapter books comfortably and is above grade level.

 

i only say this because i'm sure others are peeking in and perhaps feeling unsure with their own child's level. for me it isn't about what they are reading at the end of a specific grade, but it is about progress. if i see true progress and growth, i know they are on track.

Edited March 9, 2012 by mytwomonkeys

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

this is pretty accurate from my experienc in teaching. You can browse their site and see samples of books for each level

 

http://www.readinga-z.com/correlation-chart.php

 

They're all sight words! No phonics? This is the type of learning ds5's friend in public school is doing. Whole-word memorizing. She can read "I like the slide" but can't sound out basic CVC words. IDK about the other parents on here, but that does not seem to me to be a good standard to compare our kids to.

 

 

 

 

 

(Yes, I know that last sentence ended in a preposition. :glare: I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.)

[ErinE]

What level do most school systems want to see a first grader comfortably reading by the end of the year?

 

I'm quite happy with the reading progess my ds has made this year but I'm curious to know if his reading level would be acceptable/satisfactory or more? I've looked up several of the books that we've read recently and they're mostly in the DRA range of 20-24ish. How would that align with school expectations?

 

My son's school expected DRA of 24-28 by the end of second grade. For third grade, it was a DRA of 34-38. He went to a good, although not stellar school.

[jallison25]

Yes, i know :glare: but the chart that compares the levels is accurate for what the schools are expecting for each grade. We do a phonics approach and a friend of mine, who is a teacher, asked why we didn't do a more "normal" approach to reading, ala the sight words...sigh

 

They're all sight words! No phonics? This is the type of learning ds5's friend in public school is doing. Whole-word memorizing. She can read "I like the slide" but can't sound out basic CVC words. IDK about the other parents on here, but that does not seem to me to be a good standard to compare our kids to.

 

 

 

 

 

(Yes, I know that last sentence ended in a preposition. :glare: I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.)

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Yes, i know :glare: but the chart that compares the levels is accurate for what the schools are expecting for each grade. We do a phonics approach and a friend of mine, who is a teacher, asked why we didn't do a more "normal" approach to reading, ala the sight words...sigh

 

You're right; it's a good way to see where the public school system is. It seemed to me that some of the posters were looking at the public school system as where their kids ought to be, rather than just being curious. I hope I didn't come off as judgmental. :(

[jallison25]

You're right; it's a good way to see where the public school system is. It seemed to me that some of the posters were looking at the public school system as where their kids ought to be, rather than just being curious. I hope I didn't come off as judgmental. :(

 

 

no, no, no not at all! :grouphug:

I also think the chart is good b/c it does give you the different levels and tells you where the public schools think you should be. You can look up the books that your kids are reading and find the dra or whatever level and then see where your child falls:001_smile:

[Spy Car]

They're all sight words! No phonics? This is the type of learning ds5's friend in public school is doing. Whole-word memorizing. She can read "I like the slide" but can't sound out basic CVC words. IDK about the other parents on here, but that does not seem to me to be a good standard to compare our kids to.

 

 

Certainly not our experience here. The children at our school are taught to read phonetically, and read well. There is a list of "high frequency" words and sight-words (that might rile phonics purists) but they are few, and the children are really soaring in their reading.

 

Occasionally I will participate in the weekly Friday program where parents come in and read round-Robbin with small group of kids (usually 4). I could not be more impressed with the fluency and expression with witch these children read. It is inspiring!

 

Bill

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Certainly not our experience here. The children at our school are taught to read phonetically, and read well. There is a list of "high frequency" words and sight-words (that might rile phonics purists) but they are few, and the children are really soaring in their reading.

 

Occasionally I will participate in the weekly Friday program where parents come in and read round-Robbin with small group of kids (usually 4). I could not be more impressed with the fluency and expression with witch these children read. It is inspiring!

 

Bill

 

I noticed you're in LA which surprised me because I thought all the CA schools were teaching whole-word reading. That is how I was taught (CA public school in the '90s) and how my friend's daughter (also in CA) is being taught. That's really great that there are some schools out there that are not ruining the kids. :001_smile:

[hollyh]

I would venture to say that most CA schools are teaching phonics based on the "approved" state curriculums.

[Walking-Iris]

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/charlie-and-chocolate-factory

 

My oldest has been reading this on his own lately. But I feel dumb, interest level and grade equivalency I can understand. But what in the heck is a Lexile measure and DRA? :001_huh: (I didn't even know it was 5th grade reading level until this second---cool.)

 

I've never given much thought to the level of the chapter books he chooses to read. That is the the trappings of ps that I chose to avoid by homeschooling. He may read Dahl this week, next week he may only want to read Discovery magazines or read picture books out loud to his little brother.

 

As far as 1st grade goes---the Frog and Toad and Little Bear has always been my starter books and I like for the kiddo to be able to read/sound out unknown words in Bill Peet's stories by the end of 1st.

 

I feel like if they can have the stamina and confidence to read one of his stories out loud to me then they are well on their way.

[didadeewiththree]

And you never know what the future holds. My son went from "Frog and Toad" at the start of September to books that are according to AR late grade 3, or early grade 4.

 

Was this your eldest son or youngest son?

[Julie Smith]

Was this your eldest son or youngest son?

 

My eldest. Let me look something up for you...

 

During the Summer of 2010 he read books such as:

Stuck in the Muck

Hop on Pop

An Ant

Fred and Ted go camping

Goodnight little Critter

Big Dog... Little Dog

Go. Dog. Go!

The Big Honey Hunt

Ice is Nice

 

During the Summer of 2011 he read books such as:

Starwars R2D2 and friends by Simon B.

Batman Frostbite by M. A. Steele

Spiderman versus Hydro-Man

Frog and Toad Together

Winter Days in the Big Woods (Little House picture book)

Country Fair (Little House picture book)

Mouse Tales

Owl at Home: Owl and the Moon

 

And right now he is reading Magic School bus chapter books, and the Moongobble series, The Littles, and the Catwings books.

 

He sometimes has read out loud to me a few chapters a night, other nights I have to insist that he read a chapter. It really depends on his mood.

[ElizabethB]

I noticed you're in LA which surprised me because I thought all the CA schools were teaching whole-word reading. That is how I was taught (CA public school in the '90s) and how my friend's daughter (also in CA) is being taught. That's really great that there are some schools out there that are not ruining the kids. :001_smile:

 

There are some good schools there in pockets.

 

However, there were schools there that not only had an almost complete whole word program but did speed drills on their sight words! :eek:

 

I had several remedial students while we were there for a year from schools and teachers that taught with a lot of sight words. Even within the same school, different teachers use different methods. Within the same family, one child got great teachers and was reading above grade level and the other got poor teachers and was 1 - 2 grade levels behind. His teacher discouraged my tutoring, she said phonics would harm him. I had to convince his mom to let me tutor him, it took months of convincing before she would let me tutor him.

 

(BTW, when he was reading at grade level a few months after I started tutoring him, mom said that the teacher explained grudgingly, something along the lines of: well, some people learn differently, but she still didn't recommend phonics.)

Edited March 16, 2012 by ElizabethB

[Spy Car]

There are some good schools there in pockets.

 

However, there were schools there that not only had an almost complete whole word program but did speed drills on their sight words! :eek:

 

I had several remedial students while we were there for a year from schools and teachers that taught with a lot of sight words. Even within the same school, different teachers use different methods. Within the same family, one child got great teachers and was reading above grade level and the other got poor teachers and was 1 - 2 grade levels behind. His teacher discouraged my tutoring, she said phonics would harm him. I had to convince his mom to let me tutor him, it took months of convincing before she would let me tutor him.

 

(BTW, when he was reading at grade level a few months after I started tutoring him, mom said that the teacher explained grudgingly, something along the lines of: well, some people learn differently, but she still didn't recommend phonics.)

 

I will be curious to see what happens with reading scores in the LAUSD. As you know the LA schools used Open Court for reading. While it may not have been the perfect LA program it did hit phonics hard for a public school program.

 

Our school was unusual in the district (where every class in every school was expected to be on the same lesson of Open Court in every grade everyday, OR ELSE!) in that the teachers only "pretended" to be using it, and (because test scores are so high) were free to use whatever materials they wanted, which included their own phonics materials.

 

But now the LAUSD has gone to a new LA program called California Adventures. I have not seen much of the K or 1st Grade materials, but I'm not getting a warm feeling from the Second Grade LA work I've seen. Unfortunately.

 

Bill