I have been seeing a number of questions lately on different online homeschool groups about reading levels and how to assess, and are they important? This is an interesting question because you get a wide variety of answers. Do they matter? If so, why? Should we care about them? And how can we assess?

Yes, reading levels are important for kids, but they’re not the whole story. And that is coming from an educator. There are so many variables. The key is finding a balance. One thing I ultimately struggle with is when we are pushing our children to be reading early and then reading “ahead” of their development. That really isn’t going to work out well in the long run.

Why Reading Levels Matter

Are there children who are naturally reading early and then stay advanced throughout their early years? Yes! But they are not the norm. 

There are a few reasons why reading levels matter. They do provide valuable information, but they shouldn’t limit a child’s reading experience. 

• They provide a foundation for learning, because strong reading skills really are crucial for learning success in all subjects. 
• Children who read proficiently by third grade are more likely to graduate high school (but do not worry if they might be behind. This is just one metric from different studies and it doesn’t paint the whole picture).
• There are a number of lifelong benefits. While we do have audiobooks and text to speech, good reading skills are needed for daily life, for job opportunities, etc.  
• Children develop at different paces, so it is essential to consider each child’s needs, and knowing their reading level can help match suitable books, etc. 

Why should you care about the reading level?

Knowing your child’s reading level can help them emotionally. If the book is too hard they will likely become frustrated or discouraged. “It’s too hard!” can lead to “I can’t read!” or similar statements. We don’t want that. Likewise, if the book is too easy then it can be boring and that can also be a turn off. We want our children to like reading, right?

The best way to grow as a reader is by reading text that’s not too hard and not too easy. This can also be known as their “independent reading level” – what they can read on their own without your assistance. I think that it is important to note that when we talk about reading levels, it is not just fluency – how well they can read without making a mistake or hesitation – but also reading comprehension – how well they understand the material. I have seen children who read fluently but have very little comprehension (this is like me with German. I can “read” it out loud well but I don’t fully understand it). It is important to assess both these aspects. 

It is not “one size fits all”

Like most things in life, reading levels are not “one size fits all”, just like I don’t think children are necessarily “one grade level”. Not all 8 year old children fit into 8 year old clothing. Not all 3rd grade books are going to fit either. Maybe your child has a reading ability that is considerably higher than their peers. Maybe they are not quite reading on grade level yet. This is where you need to know where they are at, so that you can fit the book to them. Matching or fitting the right book to the right child is important. Content, style of writing, reading interest, etc all play a part. You want them interested but also have the right amount of challenge or engagement.

Do You Have to Follow Reading Levels with Your Kids?

The short answer to that is “no” but they can be a helpful tool. They are not a rigid rule. No one will be happy if you enforce a reading level based on age or expectation. The most important thing is to foster a love of reading. If a child is engaged and enjoying a book, it’s likely beneficial even if it’s slightly above or below their level. Reading books at different levels can expose children to various vocabulary and writing styles, which is crucial for language development.

However, reading levels can be a helpful guide because they can help you find books that are neither too easy nor too challenging for your child. By monitoring reading levels  you can get an idea of your child’s reading growth over time.  The best approach is to use reading levels as a starting point, but ultimately trust your child’s interests and abilities.

How do I find my child’s Reading Level?

Reading Level assessments are usually determined at school. But if you are homeschooling there are different assessments you can use. My recommendation is to actually do more than one, as they are all slightly different in their approach. 

The Macmillan online test is a good one. So is the Scholastic Reading Placement test and the Lexile Framework (many schools also use this). 

Different curriculum will offer basic reading assessments.

You can pay to have different assessments, like at Let’s Go Learn or do tests like the ITBS or Standford. 

These assessments are tools to help you, but they shouldn’t replace your judgment as a parent. Observe your child’s reading habits, comprehension, and enjoyment to get a complete picture of their reading skills.

Worried about your child not reading? Here is a post about that very subject.