DRA2 Question and Answers Document

DRA2 Question and Answers Document

Penfield Central School District

1.  Q: Who should administer the DRA2?

A: The classroom teacher must be responsible for the administration of the DRA2 to all. The classroom teacher has the primary responsibility for planning and implementing the reading instruction for the children in his/her classroom.

2.  Q: What is the purpose of the DRA2 assessment?

A: The DRA2 allows teachers to systematically observe, record, and evaluate each student’s reading engagement, oral fluency, and comprehension. Teachers provide guidance for students, both individually and as a group, by targeting areas of instruction based on the DRA2 results. The information gathered from the assessment is used to determine a reading level, support continued reading growth over time, and identify trends in reading behaviors. The DRA2 assessment is very comprehensive; however teachers should always use multiple measures to determine a student’s learning strengths and needs.

3.  Q: How do I determine a starting point?

A: Teachers should use all data available to help determine what text to give to a student. This data includes previous DRA levels (found in the ELP/ILP documentation), the classroom teacher’s knowledge of a student’s daily performance in guided reading group and literacy block, as well as information from other teachers working with a student.

4.  Q: Am I finding the independent reading level or the instructional level?

A: The Penfield district expectation is to find the student’s instructional level. There are two ways to find a student’s instructional level:

1.  The student’s score falls in the Instructional range on the Continuum for both the Oral Reading Fluency and Comprehension.

2.  The student’s score falls in the Instructional range for either the Oral Reading Fluency or the Comprehension and the other score is in the Independent range.

However, if a student receives the lowest score in the Instructional range for both the Oral Reading Fluency and the Comprehension, the teacher should carefully review the data and use his/her professional judgment to determine whether or not the child can stay at that level instructionally or whether the child needs to be assessed at the next lower level. Please note: Scoring in the Intervention range on the Continuum in either the Oral Reading Fluency or the Comprehension should result in dropping to the next lower level.

DRA2 Question and Answers Document

Penfield Central School District

5. Q: What should I do if the previous DRA2 results indicate an Instructional level but the student performs at Intervention when assessed? For example, the student is listed as a 40 Instructional but when I administer the 40, the student performs at the Intervention level.

A: You should follow the guidelines outlined in the Teacher’s Guide and stated here in the Q&A and drop the student to the lower level if necessary. In the example stated above, if the student falls in the Intervention range on the Continuum then the 38 should be administered next to work towards determining a current Instructional level.

6. Q: How do I find the instructional level?

A: You can find the directions for finding an instructional level on page 64 in the K-3 Teacher’s Guide and on page 58 in the 4-8 Teacher’s Guide.

7. Q: Are there any parts of DRA2 that can be omitted and still maintain the integrity of the test?

A: No. The assessment was field-tested and revised based on the field-test feedback. One of the strengths of DRA2 is that a student reads the entire text as opposed to an excerpt. This helps the student construct meaning or comprehend across extended text (beginning, middle, end). The student is able to respond with more depth because more information and context is provided.

8. Q: Are we required to use the exact symbols from the Record of Oral Reading Guidelines (found in the Teacher’s Guide and as a laminated card in the kit)?

A: While using the symbol outlined in the Guidelines provides consistency, you may use the symbols that work for you as long as you follow the scoring guidelines at the bottom of the page. You must ensure that the symbols you use are legible since other teachers will review the documentation.

9. Q: How does the teacher score repeated substitutions?

A: If the student makes an error (e.g., “run” for “ran”) and then substitutes this word repeatedly, it counts as an error every time; but the substitution of a proper name (e.g., “Mary” for “Molly”) is counted as an error only the first time.

10. Q: How does the teacher score contractions?

A: Contractions are counted as one (1) error (e.g., “I will” for “I’ll” and “I’ll” for “I will”).

DRA2 Question and Answers Document

Penfield Central School District

11. Q: Do I have to time the students as they read?

A: Yes. Teachers time students’ oral reading rate beginning at Level 14. This is part of how fluency is assessed.

12. Q: When I’m timing a student as he/she reads orally, should I “stop and drop” if the student’s time falls in the shaded parts of the grid like the book says?

A: In the Teacher’s Guide, it states that the assessment is stopped if the student’s score falls in the shaded areas (intervention and instructional levels) for either words-per-minute or accuracy. The teacher should reassess the student with a lower level text. However, because we are finding the student’s instructional level, the teacher should “stop and drop” if the words-per-minute falls in the intervention level. If the words-per-minute falls in the instructional level, the teacher can use his/her professional judgment to determine whether or not the text level is too challenging or appropriate for the reader.

13. Q: Is there a ceiling level for DRA2?

A: To ensure that there are levels available for assessing during each assessment period, the author and the publisher recommend ceiling levels at each grade level. These levels are approximately one year above the expected reading level for that grade level. The ceiling level for each grade at the end-of-year level is as follows:

·  Kindergarten - Level 18

·  Grade 1 - Level 28

·  Grade 2 - Level 38

·  Grade 3 - Level 50

·  Grade 4 – Level 60

·  Grade 5 – Level 70

The recommended ceilings stated above should be used as a general “rule of thumb”. If a teacher believes it may be necessary to assess beyond these levels, he/she should contact the building principal to discuss this.

DRA2 Question and Answers Document

Penfield Central School District

14. Q: Does writing in the DRA2, K-3 and 4-8, give an accurate portrayal of comprehension?

A: It is true that students will not be able to write all they would tell in an oral retelling so they must determine what is most important to include in their written responses and how to organize their thoughts in a meaningful or logical order. The composing process gives students time to do so. It also enables students to reread and revise what they have written in order to clarify their understanding of what they have read and/or written. In addition, the New York state assessment asks for written responses. The DRA2 gives teachers insight into how well Extending (grades 2-3), Intermediate, and Middle-school readers respond in writing.

15. Q: What do I do with the old kit (DRA Classic)?

A: Please send your DRA Classic materials to Deborah White at the District Office. Do not mix the DRA Classic materials with the DRA2 materials. Although some of the titles remain the same, the publisher has made revisions that would impact the administration of the assessment.

16. Q: Can I use the DRA2 more than the assigned times within the ELP/ILP calendar?

A: You certainly can. In addition, you can use other resources to give you the same kind of information. For example, use a comparable text (found in the Teacher’s Guide) to administer a running reading record and answer comprehension questions or have the student read the whole book or an extended excerpt from his/her guided reading text and follow up with questions. If you need additional ideas for how to assess a student’s reading strengths and needs, contact a reading teacher or Curriculum Coach for support.

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DRA2 Question and Answer Document

October 2009