The relationship between reading skills in earlier grades and achievingProficiencyon the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) grade 8 reading assessment was examined by establishing a statistical link between NAEP and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) grade 8 reading assessments using data from a common sample that took both assessments. The link allowed a comparison between NAEP grade 8 achievement levels in reading and the finer grain and developmentally descriptive ECLS reading proficiency levels. Reading skills students need to master in earlier grades to later reach NAEP’sProficientlevel at grade 8 were identified. Results showed that, in terms of ECLS reading proficiency levels, to have about a 50% chance of reachingProficientin NAEP’s grade 8 reading assessment students need to be at level 5 (reading words in context) or higher by spring term of first grade, at level 7 (extrapolation) or higher by spring term of third grade or at level 8 (evaluation) or higher by spring term of fifth grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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