Utah's Definition of "Reading on Grade Level"
The idea of “reading on grade level” means different things to different people. It does not have a single, agreed-upon definition, and it varies greatly across the country. For Utah schools, The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) recently (April, 2024) simplified the definition of elementary grade level reading. The new definition is the following:
The student achieved a score on the Acadience Reading screener test that places them in the "above benchmark" (AKA "blue") category.
Utah uses the Acadience Reading screener in grades kindergarten through third grade. This assessment is not a test of grade level reading, but rather a screener intended to identify students who need additional reading support. In the absence of a proper grade level reading test, the USBE decided to use the existing Acadience test to approximate reading on grade level.
The Acadience "above benchmark" (blue) category means that the student has a 90-99% likelihood of hitting the next reading target. (By contrast, students in the "at benchmark" or green category have a 80-90% likelihood of hitting the next reading target.) The cut-score for the "above benchmark" (blue) category equates to about the 56-58th percentile nationally. We know that the scores the USBE has selected as the Utah cut scores for reading on grade level are among the highest in the nation. Many of our Utah students who score below our grade level reading threshold would likely score on or above grade level reading in many other states.
See below for the breakdown of grade level reading cut-scores for Grades 1, 2, and 3.
Click here to read more about what Acadience scores mean.
Click here for a public version of this grade level reading information that is also printable
Grade 1
The first grade reading cut-score for "above benchmark" (blue) and therefore grade level is an Acadience score of 208. This means the student has a 90-99% likelihood of hitting the next reading target. This score is at the 56th percentile nationally, meaning that this score is the same or better than 56% of 1st graders across the nation. We would expect only 44% of students nationally to achieve a score above this cut-score. The exact average 1st grader nationally (50th percentile) achieves a score of 193, making them a proficient reader, and yet not qualify as “reading on grade level” using Utah’s cut scores.
A first grade Acadience score of 155 places the student in the "at benchmark" (green) category, with an 80-90% chance of hitting the next learning target. These students are proficient readers who are on track for academic achievement, but they are not counted as being "on grade level" by the USBE. This cut score is at the 36th percentile nationally, meaning that we would expect 64% of students nationally to achieve a score above this line (in the green or the blue).
Grade 2
The second grade reading cut-score for "above benchmark" (blue) and therefore grade level is an Acadience score of 287. This means the student has a 90-99% likelihood of hitting the next reading target. This score is also approximately the 57th percentile nationally, meaning that this score is the same or better than 57% of 2nd graders across the nation. We would expect only 43 % of students nationally to achieve a score above this cut-score. The exact average 2nd grader nationally (50th percentile) achieves a score of 273, making them a proficient reader, and yet not qualify as “reading on grade level” using Utah’s cut scores.
A second grade Acadience score of 238 places the student in the "at benchmark" (green) category, with an 80-90% chance of hitting the next learning target. These students are proficient readers who are on track for academic achievement, but they are not counted as being "on grade level" by the USBE. This cut score is at the 35th percentile nationally, meaning that we would expect 65% of students nationally to achieve a score above this line (in the green or the blue).
Grade 3
The third grade reading cut-score for "above benchmark" (blue) and therefore grade level is an Acadience score of 405. This means the student has a 90-99% likelihood of hitting the next reading target. This score is also approximately the 65th percentile nationally, meaning that this score is the same or better than 65% of 3rd graders across the nation. We would expect only 35 % of students nationally to achieve a score above this cut-score. The exact average 3rd grader nationally (50th percentile) achieves a score of 381, making them a proficient reader, and yet not qualify as “reading on grade level” using Utah’s cut scores.
A third grade Acadience score of 330 places the student in the "at benchmark" (green) category, with an 80-90% chance of hitting the next learning target. These students are proficient readers who are on track for academic achievement, but they are not counted as being "on grade level" by the USBE. This cut score is at the 33th percentile nationally, meaning that we would expect 67% of students nationally to achieve a score above this line (in the green or the blue).
