First Grade Reading Assessments

    Information on this page was obtained from the MCPS first grade reading assessment guide. 

    Kindergarten, first, and second graders' reading abilities are assessed in September, January, and May. There are two parts to the assessment. First, students' foundational reading skills are assessed. Then, they are given a reading proficiency assessment.

    Foundational Reading Skills Assessments

    There are six parts to the foundational reading skills portion.

    Record of Oral Language

    • How is the test administered?
      The teacher says a sentence. The student repeats the sentence. Sentences get increasing longer and more difficult.
    • What does it test?
      Demonstrates students' mastery of language

    Letter Identification

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are shown upper case letters in a random order and then lower case letters. Students should respond with the correct letter name or sound.
    • What does it test?
      Assesses students' recognition of upper case and lower case letters

    Concepts About Print

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are handed a book and asked different questions about the book like, "Show me the front of the book."
    • What does it test?
      Shows students understanding of directional movement, one-to-one correspondence, book conventions, and punctuation

    Phonemic Awareness

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are asked to identify words that rhyme
    • What does it test?
      Demonstrates students' ability to manipulate and understand individual sounds

    Hearing and Recording Sounds

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are asked to write a sentence they hear orally
    • What does it test?
      Shows students ability to hear sounds and represent them in writing

    Reading Proficiency Assessment

    The reading proficiency assessment finds the level of book students are able to decode AND comprehend.

    Oral Reading Accuracy

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are given leveled texts to read. They continue to read different levels until they read a book with 90%-94% accuracy.
    • What does it test?
      Determines students' areas of need

    Oral Reading Fluency

    • How is the test administered?
      Teachers record how fluently students read the level texts.
    • What does it test?
      If students read too slowly, the will not be able to comprehend what they are reading.

    Oral Retell

    *Administered only to the beginning levels  

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are asked to retell the beginning, middle, and end of the leveled text
    • What does it test?
      Demonstrates students' understanding of the specific text

    Oral Comprehension Questions

    • How is the test administered?
      Students are asked questions about their book. Some answers are right in the book. Others require students to think on their own.
    • What does it test?
      Demonstrates students understanding of the leveled text

    Written Response to Reading

    *Administered to early fluent and fluent readers 

    • How is the test administered?
      Students respond to the leveled text in writing. Responses are scored using a 4 point rubric.
    • What does it test?
      Demonstrates comprehension of text