Thanks for the links. I'm going to dig around and try to find more info on the BAS ceiling and why it even exists.
One thing I do know about these guided reading assessments--they are not simple to give and it would take a lot of time to give assessment after assessment to find the right level. Say you start at a Level B or C where you think a first grader should be. And if they pass that level, you go onto the next assessment. If you tested them all the way to a Q or R when they might start struggling, you would be there literally all day. I am actually liking the idea of computerized testing now, which unfortunately doesn't start til second grade. The test adapts itself based on what the child is answering right or wrong. If they answer right it gets harder, if they answer wrong, it gets easier. When they miss a certain number of questions in a row, the test ends. I think DS would do a lot better on that, than being asked to read a story aloud and answer questions like "what is the main idea of this story."
