We expect students to excel when Small-Group Reading instruction is provided with integrity and instructional decision-making occurs to meet the needs of the students.
Recalibrate only when a student seems like an outlier in the group.
If there is a need to recalibrate placement, use the mastery tests alongside your observations of the student’s text reading to determine their needs.
Step 1: Check Mastery Test Progress
- If a student did NOT pass the last Mastery Test administered, there is no additional testing needed (use this as your current data point).
- If a student DID pass the last Mastery Test administered, continue administering Mastery Tests sequentially (even if you haven't taught those lesson yet). Stop when the student does not pass
Step 2: Confirm with Connected Text
- Have the student read a short portion of connected text aligned to the Set/Week of the last Mastery Test they passed (identified in Step 1). As they read, pay attention to:
- Accuracy (are errors frequent or minimal?)
- Fluency (smooth vs. word-by-word)
- Ask yourself: Does this text feel like a good instructional match?
Step 3: Use What You Learn
- Using both the Mastery Test data, and your observations of student reading, adjust your groups and Set/Week placement to best meet your students’ needs.
This recalibration step is powerful because it ensures:
- students are working at the right level
- student practice in CC PAL is aligned to instruction
- instruction is targeted and efficient
- you’re maximizing growth toward mastery before the end of the year
Note: Once students have been placed into the Small-Group Reading sets and instruction has begun, avoid re-administering the placement assessment. The placement assessment provides a broad view for initial placement, while the mastery tests provide more targeted and comprehensive information about the skills taught.