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Until you know how the Lexile scores are being derived, there is probably limited value in investing time and thought into practicing the SRI. And even if the school is using the SRI itself, I would tend not to advocate for practicing the test. Practice may make it unclear what the student's true score is, due to prior exposure to specific test items, in which case the numbers become meaningless. An appropriate practice test is only for the purpose of developing familiarity with the test format. As she has already taken the test (apparently) at least twice, there is nothing to be gained from further practice, and possibly something to be lost. It's also possible to generate Lexile estimates based simply on the reading selections that students make (e.g., by using the Lexile of the text, rather than that of the reader).
The latest version of the SRI (now HMH Reading Assessment, since the purchase), has a 30 minute time expectation for the group-administered condition, so the time limit may be appropriate.
And most importantly, the meaning of the change in scores must be weighed in the context of standard error of measurement. The SEM of the Lexile is fairly large when compared to the range of scores expected in primary age learners (SEM = 93L, or Lexile points), so any change within that range is already sufficiently explained by normal measurement error intrinsic to the instrument, without invoking any other factors. If the school is interpreting data appropriately, then they know this already.
Last edited by aeh; 10/23/17 10:41 AM.
