I feel like I see this a lot... children not performing in school on the tests as they do at home. I have the very same problem with the DRA... DS seems to me at a much higher level than where he lands on the assessment (every time!). On the WISC achievement tests he scored a year ahead of grade level in reading. I don't think the teacher is purposely trying to hold him back or downplay his abilities, but I find it very frustrating. As does DS who is adament that he should be able to take books form the higher level basket (leading to him "stealing" books from the higher level basket and/or refusing to pick book any books the level he has been assigned b/c he considers those books "far below him"). I mostly assume it is due to inconsistencybecasue of his convergence issus. So my way of dealing with it is to just provide hhim with books at home for him to log on his reading log. But THEN we get in trouble for not reading the proper books on his "just right reading level." It is a real problem!
Anyway, when I question the teacher about DRA assessment this is the explanation she gave me (it may be helpful for you in terms of understanding how these DRAs work):
"There are three components to the DRA; reading engagement, fluency and comprehension. None of it involves writing (until mid 2nd grade level books are reached) and the only part that involves the vision is the oral reading. I feel that the assessment was accurate as it was the comprehension (oral responses) piece not the fluency that decided where to end the test."
