Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Question about Dibels and assigned book level

I have read other posts on this (and Googled my questions), but as a Kindergarten mom, I am still confused, so looking for help.

My DS5's Dibels TRC result was a "C to the power of H." His teacher described this as 2-3 years above grade level. So is he actually at level H? Because then toward the bottom of his results page it lists his book level as "C". And the teacher sends home picture books with 2-4 word sentences ("The duck is soft. The sofa is soft."), and we have to read one each night and fill out a log to say we've done it. So we dutifully do it and then read more appropriate and interesting books on our own.

Would it make sense to ask for level H books to be sent home? What does the tiny H next to the big C indicate on his Dibels results? I am so confused why the books are nowhere near matching his ability!

Can't help you exactly but is there a cap on K levels? If there is the H may be tge true level and C the maximum alowed at this point. If so i suspect the. AH was left by accident. Or if they are grouped he may be in the top grouo at C but be tested at H.

From what I can find, C is the end of year goal for kindergarten/beginning of year goal for first grade, and H is late first grade level. Since he is a beginning kindergartner, C is a year ahead, and H is almost two years ahead. (Some districts may have slightly higher or lower goals.) A few possible interpretations:

1. C = independent level, H = instructional level
2. C = current level, H = end of year goal level

If 1 is the correct interpretation, then the C level books coming home would be because they are supposed to be for leisure reading and fluency practice, which is generally supposed to be at the independent level, and not the instructional level.

If 2 is the correct interpretation, then the C level books are coming home because that is what they assessed as his instructional level, and H is the "reach" or goal level that he is expected to attain some months down the line.

More practically, it may be that C level books are coming home because they are the most challenging books available in a kindergarten classroom.

Have you asked the teacher for harder books? It's not much to ask her to walk to the 1st grade classroom for a level higher.

Our son gets "easy" books sent home, and he's moved up levels twice since the start of school. He's still not really challenged by the books, but we're doing comprehension work and expressive reading, while focusing on some basic phonics skills that will help with spelling.

We're letting him go up by levels, and since his teacher is happy to move him up, one level at a time is working great.