At our school, kids are expected to be at a DRA 18 by the end of first grade or they are a candidate for a literacy plan. For us, 14-16 would be considered grade level for the second semester of first.
FYI, we have noticed that the teachers only test DRA level up to one year above grade level in the lower grades. In the upper grades, they seem to test up to two years above grade level.
In K my son got a DRA level of 40 which is 4th grade. I am glad the K teacher didn't just stop at one level up...what a difference that would have made in her educational planning for him. He is in 2nd grade now and I haven't heard lately what his DRA is probably because he is such an outlier that he gets taught as a group of one for his reading and they have to work hard to keep him in books and at a challenging level. They are probably not too worried about his DRA.
