Reading Test Scores

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

My 13 yo / 7th grade daughter has fininshed her reading testing for her 3 yr re-eval for her IEP. She received the following scores:

On the Woodcock Johnson -Revised of Achievement (WJ-R) - Basic Reading Skills=2.4 and Reading Comprehension=5.2.

Then on the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised - Basic Skills=8.7 and Reading Comp=10.1 (these are all grade level scores).

Is anyone familiar with these 2 tests? While I don’t know if this is really comparing apples to apples, I’m concerned about the wide spread in the scores on this testing and have no better explanation other than “This proves she’s LD.”.

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated!

Nancy

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/20/2002 - 9:38 AM

Permalink

Did the same person administer both tests? They are essentially the same test BTW and have many items in common- so the scores should be at least in the same zone…
Robin

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/20/2002 - 5:25 PM

Permalink

Robin do you think the Woodcock Reading Mastery test is a good test of reading skills? I am just curious because that test is going to be given to my youngest son along with the Key Math test to see where is basic reading and math scores are. These tests do not score artificially high do they? On the WIAT at the begining of the year his reading score was 68 and his basic math score was 93. His IQ is 104. His teacher says she wants to give him these tests because they would tell her better where his strengths and weakness fall and make it easier to come up with goals to remediatte his weak areas. After reading Nancy’s post I was wondering how accurate the test is. Thanks for the input.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/20/2002 - 9:08 PM

Permalink

I like Key Math. It is normed on 100 so it can be compared to his other test. The best part about Key Math is that it tests very specific skills. You can really see where his strengths and weaknesses are. It will give the teacher an excellent way to develop an IEP for next year. You will get a grade equivalent score for each part of the test. I am not familiar enough with the other test.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/20/2002 - 11:02 PM

Permalink

Do you have percentiles? THey’re more meaningful than grade levels — but that is a spread worth wondering about. Did you ask your daughter if she remembers anything different?

And in both tests, you’re right, that honking difference between “skills” and “comprehension” says you’ve got a bright young lady who needs work on skills so that she can use her very good intelligence.

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 04/22/2002 - 2:09 PM

Permalink

Thank you! I know she’s intellegent, even though she doesn’t think she is. So I’ll continue looking for the right tutor. With her being in middle school, they don’t work on phonemic awareness or phonics any more. They contine to coach her to predict/read in context. I really feel if her decoding was stronger, she wouldn’t have to guess!!

Also, 2 different people gave her the tests.

Thanks, Nancy

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 05/10/2002 - 8:28 PM

Permalink

Hi all. I just found out the confusion in the scores of the 2 reading tests that may kiddo was given - the lower scoring test were grade level scores. The higher scoring test were AGE level scores.

Moral of the story - a couple of things - prior to testing ask for the type of scores you identify with (I have always liked to look at grade equivelent scores). And - get the scores in writing - I kept asking and finally got a computer print out of all the scores (which is what I’m used to getting anyway). Thanks for all your input!

Nancy
St. Louis

Back to Top