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Use the Science of Reading to improve literacy

K-12 research-based CAT and CBM reading assessment

FastBridge offers reading assessment tools that are grounded in Science of Reading research. Our CAT and CBM reading assessments identify the specific literacy skills causing a student to struggle and provide evidence-based recommendations on how to close skill gaps.

FastBridge reading assessment suite

CAT and CBM reading assessment tools in one platform

FastBridge’s unique FASTtrack screening removes confusion about what to administer by providing easy access to recommended assessments for each grade level, based on their capacity to predict future student reading performance. It also indicates what type of reading instruction is needed.

aReading

Universal Screening | Grades K–12 | Computer-Based | Computer-Adaptive Test | Time Required: 15–40 min | Included in FASTtrack Reading

aReading is a computer-administered adaptive screener that measures broad reading ability. Developed for students in grades K–5, it targets concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension and aligns with national reading standards. It also provides student Lexile® scores derived from a large-scale Lexile® linking study.

The FastBridge adaptive assessments produce a highly accurate indicator of overall performance with as few as 25 items. This reduces testing time up to 50% compared to traditional fixed-form assessments.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

FastBridge aReading

AUTOreading

Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring | Grades K–12  | Computer-Based | Curriculum-Based Measure | Time Required: 2–6 min | Included in FASTtrack Reading

AUTOreading emerged from years of research as a fully automated, computer-administered measure of decoding, word identification, spelling, and vocabulary. It includes eight individual subtests of 30 items, with two to four subtests recommended per grade level, to measure students’ accuracy and automaticity.

Subtests include: letter names, letter sounds, encoding, word identification, vocabulary, matching synonyms, decoding, morphology.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

AUTOreading example 1
AUTOreading example 2
AUTOreading example 3

CBMreading

Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring | Grades 1–8 | Teacher-Administered | Curriculum-Based Measure | Time Required: 1–3 min | Included in FASTtrack Reading | Available in both English and Spanish

CBMreading is a research-based assessment offered in English for grades 1–8 as well as in Spanish for screening in grades 1–6 and progress monitoring in grades 1–5.

CBMReading aligns with skills included in the National Reading Panel Report (2000) and the national standards for English and Language Arts (2010). By listening to a student read, a teacher can assess key skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.

Substantial research evidence demonstrates that CBMreading is a robust indicator of reading development and a useful predictor of student performance on state tests.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

CBMreading screenshot

earlyReading

Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring | Pre-K–1 | Teacher-Administered | Curriculum-Based Measure | Time Required: 1–4 min | Included in FASTtrack Reading | Available in both English and Spanish

earlyReading is a suite of CBM assessments measuring essential reading skills that typically develop in grades K–1. It can also be used as a valid screener in pre-K programs and to support students at-risk above Grade 1.

The assessment suite includes a continuum of 13 subtests that is typical of early reading skill development for most students. Based on research, FastBridge recommends four subtests (three for Spanish) that vary across grades K–1 for screening. Remaining assessments may be used to further evaluate skill deficits.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

earlyReading screenshot

COMPefficiency

Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring | Grades 2–8 | Computer-Based | Curriculum-Based Measure | Time Required: 7–12 min | Lab Status*

COMPefficiency measures the quality and efficiency of the comprehension processes that occur during reading (e.g., main ideas, sequence of events, literal and inferential comprehension) and the quality of the comprehension after reading (e.g., qualities of the mental representation).

Students read sectioned text passages with brief true-false questions that measure literal and inferential comprehension. After reading the entire passage, students respond to multiple-choice questions designed to evaluate understanding of the main idea, sequence of events, and reasonable inferences that can be drawn from the passage.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

*The assessment has been researched and verified in controlled studies and is now available to districts for a limited, trial use to gather feedback.

COMPefficiency example 1
COMPefficiency example 2
COMPefficiency example 3

CBMcomp

Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring | Grades 1–8 | Teacher-Administered | Curriculum-Based Measure | Time Required: 5–10 min | Lab Status*

CBMcomp is a supplemental assessment to CBMreading that measures oral reading fluency and students’ ability to recall information from passages of connected text in two parts:

CBMcomp Recall provides standardized prompts to the student to recall the story. The teacher marks each of approximately 17 important details as the student recalls them to define the thoroughness of the recall.

CBMcomp Questions provides directions and 10 standardized, passage-specific comprehension questions with answers. Comprehension accuracy is reported on a scale from 0 to 100% and takes approximately one minute to administer and score online.

Learn more about the FastBridge assessments.

*The assessment has been researched and verified in controlled studies and is now available to districts for a limited, trial use to gather feedback.

CBMcomp screenshot 1
CBMcomp screenshot 2

Learn more about how FastBridge Reading assessments help drive equitable, science-based reading instruction

Ensure all students achieve literacy

FastBridge’s reading screeners are already approved in many states

Dyslexia

Dyslexia and Universal Screener|Reading

Universal Screener|Reading

Dyslexia, with Statewide FastBridge Implementations

Universal Screener|Reading, with Statewide FastBridge Implementations

No approved screeners

Drive literacy instruction and intervention with reading assessment insights

Acting on CAT and CBM reading assessment data

FastBridge provides insights into the specific reading skills causing students to struggle. As a result, teachers can easily and efficiently leverage Science of Reading research to help struggling students catch up and ensure all students achieve literacy.

Concepts of Print

Proficiency includes an understanding that English words are composed of letters, and sentences are composed of words.

Phonemic Awareness

Proficiency includes an understanding that there are individual sounds in words, and words can be split apart into their individual sounds.

Phonics

Proficiency includes an ability to connect speech sounds to letters and make them accessible by sight.

Fluency

Proficiency includes reading text accurately, automatically, and at a rate that allows comprehension.

Vocabulary

Proficiency includes an ability to build, store, and retrieve words and background knowledge.

Comprehension

Proficiency includes using phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary to understand written words and making sense of what one reads.

Reading assessment FAQs

Understanding CAT and CBM reading assessments

How do you assess a student’s reading level?

The best way to assess a student’s reading level is to conduct universal screening three times a year (e.g., fall, winter, spring) for the purpose of identifying students who may benefit from additional instructional support. The earlier a reading difficulty is identified, the easier and more effective it is to provide intervention. After identifying students not on track to meet reading benchmark goals, the screening data can be compared with other sources of information to plan instruction. As needed, additional screeners, such as the Star Phonics phonics screener, can be used to provide more specific information about student reading skills.

What makes a quality reading assessment tool?

A quality reading assessment should be grounded in Science of Reading research to identify the specific literacy skills a student is struggling with and offer evidence-based recommendations on how to close skill gaps. Quality reading assessments should also be proven valid, reliable, and have multiple sources of high-quality research indicating that they help teachers identify and solve reading problems that students have in schools.

What are some examples of reading assessments

In addition to universal screening and progress monitoring, other reading assessments include:

  • Classroom Formative: Classroom formative assessments confirm that specific learning has taken place and provide data to inform instruction that follows. They are used continually and routinely (often on a daily basis) to monitor student learning, identify where students struggle, and understand where misconceptions exist, so that teachers can take the right next step to move learning forward for each student. DnA is an example.
  • Diagnostic Assessment: Diagnostic assessment is the process of using multiple measures and reports to identify student strengths and needs in specific skill areas, so teachers can provide instruction to address learning needs. FastBridge’s combination of CBMs and CATs can provide diagnostic reporting to better understand the specific skills causing students to struggle. Diagnostic assessments, such as Star Phonics, are designed to provide even greater specificity into student needs to more accurately target instruction.
  • Summative Assessment: Summative assessment is the process of evaluating or certifying learning at the end of a specific period of instruction. Summative assessments are often used for grading students and can be used to measure growth or change in student learning. They’re typically administered at the end of the year, end of course, or end of term. Examples include high-stakes state standardized assessments, the SAT, and the ACT. Additionally, DnA supports classroom summative assessments, such as district-wide end of year exams.

How many screening tools do you need to assess reading skills?

Different screening tools may be used to assess different aspects of reading, such as fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness.

Renaissance screening tools seamlessly work together to provide in-depth, holistic reading assessment data.

How do FastBridge’s reading assessments compare to other reading tests?

FastBridge’s reading assessments offer educators the most efficient way to assess reading skill gaps because our solution offers both CBMs and CATs. With FastBridge, teachers conduct screening with recommended reading assessments for each grade level. These include:

  • Specific assessments students complete for universal screening.
  • Pre-selected assessments that have the capacity to predict future student reading performance and indicate what type of reading instruction is needed
  • User-friendly reports that allow teachers to view student scores and see recommended reading instruction plans.
  • User-friendly reporting that allows teachers to view student scores and see recommended reading instruction plans.

More resources

Fastbridge document

Product Sheet

Learn how FastBridge can help you ensure success for all students

Download the product sheet (PDF, 414 KB)
Key Features FastBridge

Key Reports Booklet

See how FastBridge’s key reports provide insights to accelerate learning

Download key reports booklet (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Want to learn more?

A Renaissance representative can provide you with a more detailed understanding of FastBridge Reading.

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