Comparing the Construct of “Reading Proficiency” Across Five Commonly Used Reading Assessments: Implications for Policy and Practice

Summary of Findings:

This study compared assessment results from five different instruments that require differing amounts of time to administer. These five assessments were developed across multiple decades, each adhering to the philosophies and standards popular at the time they were created. Results suggest a significant overlap in reading proficiency scores across assessments regardless of the primary focus of the assessment, the time it takes to administer the assessment, or time period during which a given assessment was developed.

“Considerations (when choosing an assessment) should include the time required to administer and score the assessment, the ease with which it is administered, the format of the test, and how useful the data are when planning instruction for individual students.”