Understanding Your Child's Reading Level

Independent Elementary uses the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment to measure students’ reading levels in all grades K-5.  

A benchmark assessment system is a series of texts that can be used to identify a student's current reading level and reading progress along a gradient of text levels over time. The word "benchmark" means a standard against which to measure something.

Our goal during assessment is to find the student’s independent and instructional levels.  Students’ levels are determined after testing using the chart below by looking at the comprehension level and accuracy rate. We also take note of the fluency score in determining an overall level.  

For example, if a student read a level J with 94 percent accuracy and had satisfactory comprehension (score of 5) then we’d determine that the student is an Instructional level J.   

Levels A-K

Levels L-N   *note that the accuracy percentages are different at these levels*

The instructional level means that the student requires additional instruction at that level and it is not the students’ independent level that they can read on their own without support. When reporting data, we report students’ instructional and independent reading levels using the F&P online data tracker.  See attached the Fountas and Pinnell Instructional Level Expectations for Reading chart to understand where students should be at each grade level at different times of the year.