How Do You Interpret Standardized Test Scores?
Not all the students in your child’s school can be above average. Here’s how to understand those standardized test reports, and more importantly, use the information to help your child do well in school. Know which tests are being given. Some common standardized tests given nationwide in third, fifth and eighth grade are the California Comprehensives and the Detroit Reading Test. Understand the norms. Standardized tests are called standardized because they measure performance against a normed group (see glossary). The scores will have different meanings depending on what norm your child’s results are ranked against. If you are in an academically strong school district, for example, your child’s scores against national norms may be quite high. Identify how the measurements are being reported. Typical measurements are percentiles, stanines and grade equivalents (see glossary and warning section). Find out how the test results will be used. Many school districts use aggregate data as a br
