Criteria for Determining Instructional and Independent Reading Levels

What is an instructional reading level?

A student’s INSTRUCTIONAL READING LEVEL is where the teacher instructs a student in reading during small group reading time. The teacher is
analyzing deficits in reading skills (comprehension, phonics, vocabulary acquisition, fluency, phonemic awareness) and determining the type of
modeled direction instruction needed to attain the skill.
What is an independent reading level?
A student’s INDEPENDENT READING LEVEL is where the student is able to apply oral reading accuracy, comprehension, and decoding/prosody at a
determined level of accuracy, rate, and comprehension independently without teacher support.

HCPS Criteria Levels Readiness through PP3 Passages

Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter
Independent

Accuracy 98%-100%
Level

Comprehension retelling of 3 or 4
Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fourth Quarter Fluency Chart Below only
Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter
Instructional

Accuracy 85%-97%
Level

Comprehension retelling of 3 or 4
Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fluency Chart below
Frustration Level 84% or lower
HCPS Criteria Primer through Eighth Grade Passages
Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter
Independent

Accuracy 98%-100%
Level

Comprehension 80% or higher OR retelling 3 or 4

Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fourth Quarter Fluency Chart Below only
Criteria Bands First Quarter Second and Third Quarter Fourth Quarter
Instructional Level

Accuracy 90%-97% 93%-97% 95%-97%

Borderline: 90%-92% Borderline: 90%-94%
Frustration Level 89% or lower
Comprehension 67%-79% OR retelling of 3 or 4
Fluency Rate (wcpm) See Fluency Chart below
Determining WCPM: When using the ONLINE PALS WIZARD-Teachers must calculate wcpm. PALS will not.
 This is the formula to use to determine words correct per minute (fluency):
WCPM = # of words read correctly in passage X 60 = Words read per minute
Time in seconds
Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM)
Hasbrouck & Tindal rates
applied to 4th quarter. Range Benchmark
Passage Level 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter
1st Grade 20-30 31-47 48-60
2nd Grade 48-55 63-73 74-83 84-90
3rd Grade 68-75 83-92 93-101 102-110
4th Grade 90-97 109-112 113-117 118-130
5th Grade 110+ 127+ 127+ 139+
6th – 8th Grade 127+ 140+ 140+ 150+
The fourth quarter benchmark numbers are ranges reflecting oral reading fluency rates of students in grades 1 through 8 scoring at the 50th percentile. Students
scoring 10 or more words below the 50th percentile on two or more unpracticed readings from grade level materials need a fluency building program. Students must
meet this rate chart as given. No 5 word rate change allowed. It is already factored into the benchmark fourth quarter criteria.
 Coding Running Records and Comprehension Procedures

PALS and HCPS Running Records Comprehension Requirements

 Self-corrections ARE NOT counted as errors. Retellings from HCPS binder passages or
PALS Levels Readiness through PP3
 If a student omits or substitutes a word, it is 1 error.

 If a student inserts words that are not on the page, each  Remove the passage from the students and say,
word added is 1 error. “Now tell me as much as you can about the
story you just read.”
 If the student makes the same error (always says a  If the students stops, hesitates, provides a limited
instead of the) a word more than once, it is counted as response, or provides and off-track response, say
an error each time. If a proper name is said incorrectly, “Tell me as much as you can about the story.”
correct the error and it counts as 1 error. If they miss it OR “ Can you tell me anything more about the
again, ignore it, it does not count against them the second story?”
time EVEN if it said differently than the firt time.  Then rate the quality of the student’s response
using the rubric below. (This is not a timed
 If a child loses their place, redirect them and but do not retelling.)
count it as an error. 
Quality of the Response Rubric
 If a child makes a pronunciation/dialectical error, Comprehension is acceptable.
(speech/dialect/grammar) it is not an error. Example: It is not Provides 3 or more details in a meaningful
an error, for example if a student says “ax” for “ask” or “wif” 4
sequence that captures the main idea
for “with”. Make sure instruction is provided in standard
English. Provides 3 or more details in a meaningful sequence
3
although the main idea may not be stated
 If students follow a pattern of always leaving off a certain Comprehension is considered weak.
ending, count it as one error each time (never adds –s, - 2 Provides 3 or more details that relate to the passage.
ing, -ed etc). Be sure to make a note in the comments Provides 2 or fewer details that may or may not
section that endings are an issue to be addressed. This 1
relate to the passage.
type of error should not prevent a student from attempting
the next reading level. (It counts each time.) PALS Passages with Multiple Choice
 Remove the passage.
 Use the three second rule if a child comes to a word s/he  Teacher reads questions aloud on primer/first
does not know. If the child continues reading with a
miscue, DO NOT INTERUPT them. If the child pauses and grade passage. 2nd grade & higher the
either attempts to decode unsuccessfully or does nothing, students reads the questions.
count three seconds and then give him/her the word. This  See the HCPS table on the front for
IS marked as a TEACHER ASSIST. percentage accuracy levels.
 If a student skips an entire line of text while reading, stop Independent Level
the student and redirect him or her to the correct place. 80% or higher
Instructional Level
 Numbers and dates written as numerals (e.g., 45,000,
th
12 , or 1961) are not counted in the total word count, and 67%-79%
therefore, are not counted as errors when reading Frustration Level
incorrectly. 50% or lower

Revised 8/2015