K-5 Literacy Assessment Practices & Guidelines
Comprehensive assessment practices include a variety of tools and processes that provide both formative and summative feedback to teachers, administrators, students, parents, and the community . At the classroom level, the primary purpose of literacy assessments are to inform instruction for the purpose of screening, diagnosis, and/or progress monitoring.
Kindergarten
Screening (K)
FastBridge earlyReading
Fall - Concepts of Print, Onset Sounds, *Letter Names,* Letter Sounds, *Word Segmenting
Winter - Onset Sounds, *Letter Names, *Letter Sounds, *Word Segmenting, *Nonsense Words
Spring - *Letter Names, *Letter Sounds, *Word Segmenting, *Nonsense Words, Sight Words (50)
* Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (K)
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Letter names and sounds
Phonograms
High Frequency Words
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (K)
FastBridge Assessments
Letter names and sounds
Phonemic Awareness Assessments
High Frequency words
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (K)
FastBridge earlyReading and CBM
Letter Sounds Mastery
25 High Frequency Words
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 1
Screening (Gr 1)
FastBridge earlyReading and CBM
Fall - *Word Segmenting, *Nonsense Words, Sight Words (150), Sentence Reading
Winter - *Word Segmenting, *Nonsense Words, Sight Words (150), *CBMreading
Spring - *Word Segmenting, *Nonsense Words, Sight Words (150), *CBMreading
*Developmental Spelling Inventory
*Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (Gr 1)
PAST- Phonological Awareness Screening Test
Phonics Skills Assessments – Phonograms, dictated sentence, FastBridge
High-Frequency Words
Six Dimensions of Fluency Rubric
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 1)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
High-Frequency Words
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 1)
FastBridge earlyReading and CBM
High Frequency Words
Developmental Spelling Inventory
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 2
Screening (Gr 2)
FastBridge aReading and CBM
Fall- aReading and *CBM
Winter- aReading and *CBM
Spring- aReading and *CBM
NWEA – MAP Test
*Developmental Spelling Inventory
*Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (Gr 2)
PAST - Phonological Awareness Screening Test
Phonics assessments: Phonograms, FastBridge, phonics inventories
High Frequency Words
Six Dimensions of Fluency Rubric
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 2)
FastBridge Assessment
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 2)
FastBridge aReading and CBM
NWEA – MAP Test
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Developmental Spelling Inventory
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 3
Screening (Gr 3)
FastBridge - aReading and CBM
Fall - aReading and *CBM
Winter - aReading and *CBM
Spring - aReading and *CBM
NWEA – MAP Test
*Developmental Spelling Inventory
*Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (Gr 3)
Phonics Assessments- FastBridge, phonics inventories
Six Dimensions of Fluency Rubric
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 3)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 3)
FastBridge- aReading and CBM
NWEA - MAP Test
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Developmental Spelling Inventory
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 4
Screening (Gr 4)
FastBridge - aReading and AUTOReading
Fall - aReading and AUTOreading
Winter - aReading and AUTOreading
Spring - aReading and AUTOreading
NWEA – MAP Test
*Developmental Spelling Inventory
*Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (Gr 4)
Phonics Assessments
Six Dimensions of Fluency Rubric
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 4)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 4)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
NWEA - MAP Test
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Developmental Spelling Inventory
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 5
Screening (Gr 5)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOReading
Fall- aReading and AUTOreading
Winter- aReading and AUTOreading
Spring- aReading and AUTOreading
NWEA – MAP Test
*Developmental Spelling Inventory
*Dyslexia Screener
Diagnostic (Gr 5)
Phonics Assessments
Six Dimensions of Fluency Rubric
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 5)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Essentials Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 5)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
NWEA - MAP Test
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Developmental Spelling Inventory
Standards-based Writing Rubrics
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 6
Screening (Gr 6)
NWEA – MAP Test (universal screener)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
Fall - aReading and AUTOreading
Winter - aReading and AUTOreading
Spring - aReading and AUTOreading
Diagnostic (Gr 6)
LETRS Spelling Inventory
QRI- Qualitative Reading Inventory
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 6)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 6)
NWEA - MAP Test
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 7
Screening (Gr 7)
NWEA – MAP Test (universal screener)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
Fall - aReading and AUTOreading
Winter - aReading and AUTOreading
Spring - aReading and AUTOreading
Diagnostic (Gr 7)
LETRS Spelling Inventory
QRI- Qualitative Reading Inventory
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 7)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 7)
NWEA - MAP Test
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Common Summative Assessments
Grade 8
Screening (Gr 8)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
Fall - aReading and AUTOreading
Winter - aReading and AUTOreading
Spring - aReading and AUTOreading
Diagnostic (Gr 8)
LETRS Spelling Inventory
QRI- Qualitative Reading Inventory
Writing Samples
Progress Monitoring (Gr 8)
FastBridge Assessments
Sonday Mastery Checks
Common Formative Assessments
Proficiency Outcome (Gr 8)
FastBridge- aReading and AUTOreading
MCA- Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
Common Summative Assessments
Screening & Identifying Characteristics of Dyslexia
Step 1: Universal screening
The above assessments are administered with all students. Students performing below grade level proficiency are identified.
Step 2: Collect additional diagnostic information
More in-depth assessment is done with students flagged through universal screening. Assessments include phonological awareness, phonics and spelling inventories, fluency rubrics, writing samples, and miscue analysis. Information is gathered related to intervention history and family history.
Step 3: Share data and develop a plan
Data is integrated and shared with stakeholders. Decisions about instructional supports and interventions are aligned to the needs identified in the data collection process.