North Carolina Foundations of Reading Practice Test

In a reading assessment, if a student reads with 93% accuracy while misreading an average of seven words out of 100, what is their reading level?

1. Frustration level

2. Instructional level

3. Independent level

4. Benchmark level

The correct answer is: Instructional level

The student's reading accuracy of 93%, which equates to misreading an average of seven words out of 100, indicates they are performing at a level where they can still receive effective support and instruction. This level of accuracy typically characterizes the instructional level, where students can benefit from guidance as they work to improve their reading skills. At this level, students can decode text with some assistance, allowing educators to provide targeted teaching strategies to help them become more proficient readers. Other levels, such as frustration or independent, involve different accuracy thresholds. The frustration level usually occurs below 90% accuracy, making comprehension difficult, while the independent level is generally a reading accuracy of 95% or higher, suggesting the student can read successfully without help. The benchmark level is a more general term and does not define a specific accuracy threshold. Thus, the characteristics of the student's reading performance clearly align with the instructional level.