Lower Elementary
Upper Elementary
Common Questions
Remember This?
What's the Score?
100
Who must be benchmarked in grades K-2?
All students
100
Who must be benchmarked in grades 3-5?
Any student in tier II or III for reading and/or students who have a MAP RIT score that is below grade level expectations. Teachers may benchmark other students as well, but this is their option.
100
How many time a year are teachers required to benchmark students?
2 times (#1 by October except for K, #2 before the end of the school year). You may benchmark more frequently if desired.
100
Does the teacher read the title of the book, story, or passage to a student?
No. The title can be given on completion of the test if needed.
100
Do the underlined words (proper nouns) count as errors if a student misreads them?
No. (Proper nouns that were 1 syllable and decodable were not underlined and do count as errors)
200
What do you do if the student begins a side conversation during the running record portion of the reading?
Stop the timer and refocus the child, then begin timing again.
200
Do you stop the timer if a student stops to read a caption or any other text feature?
No, but make note of it on the benchmark. If a student was doing this, and didn’t reach the fluency goal, use teacher judgment on whether or not to continue testing.
200
When are you done benchmarking a student?
You are done when the student reaches frustration in one or more of the following areas: Accuracy, Comprehension, Fluency*. See your pacing guide for accuracy, comprehension, and fluency* goals. *fluency goals are only used to determine frustration for students reading above grade level expectations
200
Can a teacher prompt a student to use the look back strategy to answer a comprehension question?
No. A student may look back without prompting. (Make note of students not using or using this strategy ineffectively for future instruction)
200
If a student repeatedly misses the same word while reading, it will only be counted up to ______ errors.
2
300
In the reading accuracy portion of a running record for all grade levels; name three reading behaviors are counted as errors?
Substitution, Omission, Insertion, Word Reversals ( “actual text” read as “text actual”)- only 1 error, Appeal & told (use sparingly, the more you insert yourself in a test the less accurate it becomes), Multiple attempts at a word that doesn’t ends with an inaccurate reading – only 1 error
300
In the reading accuracy portion of a running record for all grade levels; what two reading behaviors are not counted as an error?
Self Corrections , Repetitions, Multiple attempts at a word that ends with an accurate reading
300
How long do you time a student to calculate CWPM?
Stop the timer when the student finishes reading the text on the benchmark recording form. They may have to continue reading the passage but you will no longer time them. (You will see a picture of a timer as a reminder for you to stop timing).
300
What is the maximum number of times a student should be benchmarked in one quarter?
Once a quarter (use running records for more frequent monitoring)
300
It is okay for an inferential comprehension question to be answered differently than the recorded answer on the benchmark form?
Yes, as long as the answer is reasonable
400
It is the end of 3rd quarter. Can a teacher instruct a 1st grade student at a level H if they were instructional in accuracy and comprehension but did not meet the fluency requirement?
Yes, but the teacher needs to be asking themselves, “why did fluency drop?” and looking further at the student to find answers. (Use teacher judgment if fluency is extremely low it may be best to go down a level for instruction)
400
It is the end of 2nd quarter. Can a teacher instruct a 4th grade student at a level Q if they were instructional in accuracy and comprehension but did not meet the fluency requirement?
Yes, but the teacher needs to be asking themselves, “why did fluency drop?” and looking further at the student to find answers. (Use teacher judgment if fluency is extremely low it may be best to go down a level for instruction)
400
If a student gives an example in response to a vocabulary question. What should you do?
Prompt: “That is an example, but what does it mean?” If only an example is given it is scored as incorrect. (Make note of this to guide future language & vocabulary instruction)
400
What should you tell a student who is stuck on a word for a long period of time or appeals for help?
"Just try your hardest and move on" (The more we insert ourselves in a test the less valid it becomes!)
400
It is okay for a literal comprehension question to be answered differently than the recorded answer on the benchmark form?
No. They must be answered with the same or a similar response to what is listed on the benchmark form.
500
It is the end of the 4th quarter. A 2rd grader has a level M benchmark with 90% accuracy, 67% comprehension, and 75cwpm. What do you report to the parents on grade cards about this child’s reading in regards to their grade level?
The student is reading on grade level but fluency is lower than expected. (If the student’s fluency was significantly lower than the expected range use teacher judgment and you may want to report the child as reading below grade level due to fluency concerns).
500
It is the end of the 4th quarter. A 3rd grader has a level P benchmark with 92% accuracy, 80% comprehension, and 98cwpm. What do you report to the parents on grade cards about this child’s reading in regards to their grade level?
The student is reading on grade level but fluency is lower than expected. (If the student’s fluency was significantly lower than the expected range use teacher judgment and you may want to report the child as reading below grade level due to fluency concerns).
500
Should you fill out the “cover page” for each student that is benchmarked? Why or Why not?
Yes. It allows you to quickly determine a student’s goals for instruction, strengths, and needs. It is also a great reference when preparing to communicate with parents or other teachers about a child’s reading.
500
Is it ever okay for students to take a picture walk or preview the benchmark test before they begin reading? If so, when?
Yes, but only if the student initiates it
500
What do you do if a student skips a line while reading during the running record portion of the assessment?
Count the skipped line as one error. Then, prompt the student to read the skipped line. Any incorrect words count as additional errors.
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