What each grade expects by the end of the year

California's English language arts standards, adopted in August 2010 and modified in March 2013 (CDE), set out the reading skills for each grade. These are the decoding and fluency milestones:

Grade By the end of the year, a child can Standard
Kindergarten Name all upper- and lowercase letters; say the main sound for each consonant; hear and say the first, middle and last sounds in three-sound words like cat; read common sight words "(e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does)"; read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding RF.K
1st Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words; know consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th); know final -e and common vowel teams for long vowels; decode two-syllable words by breaking them into syllables RF.1
2nd Tell long and short vowels apart; read two-syllable words with long vowels; decode words with common prefixes and suffixes RF.2
3rd Decode multisyllable words and words with common Latin suffixes; read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words; read stories, dramas and poems "at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently" RF.3, RL.3.10
4th and 5th Use letter-sound patterns, syllables and word parts to read unfamiliar long words; read grade-level prose and poetry aloud "with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings" RF.4

In every grade from 1st to 5th, the fluency standard is the same idea: read "with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension." A child who reads every word correctly but can't say what happened is not yet reading at grade level; neither is one who understands but has to guess at many words.

How schools measure it

Measure Grades What it tells you
Reading difficulties screening K–2, every year Whether a child shows risk of reading difficulties; a flag, not a diagnosis (K–2 screening guide)
CAASPP English language arts 3–8 An overall level and a Reading and Listening area result (score report guide)
District screening and benchmarks Varies Oak Park Unified screens all K–5 students in reading and math three times a year with FastBridge, and uses IXL's diagnostic in grades 6–8 (Academic Supports). CVUSD's assessment page lists state testing and district benchmarks without naming a reading test. Las Virgenes Unified uses Renaissance STAR Reading in its middle school honors criteria (honors).
Report card and the teacher All How your child is doing against what the class is working on now

Checks you can do at home

These follow the standards above; they're a starting point for a conversation with the teacher, not a test.

  • K–1: Point to letters in a book and ask for their sounds. Say a three-sound word, like "map," and ask for the first, middle and last sounds.
  • 1st–2nd: Have your child read a page of a book they haven't seen at their grade level. Note whether they sound out unfamiliar words or guess from the first letter or the picture.
  • 3rd–5th: Listen to a page read aloud. Is it accurate, at a comfortable pace and with expression? Then ask what the page was about.
  • Any grade: Notice whether your child avoids reading aloud, or reads word by word. The federal tip sheet for parents reminds them that reading fluently doesn't necessarily mean reading quickly (IES tips).

If your child seems behind

  1. Ask the teacher what the school's screening or benchmark results show, and which skills to work on.
  2. Read every day at home. For K–3 readers, the phonics at home guide has short routines from the federal practice guide.
  3. Ask about school support. If the K–2 screening flags a risk, the district must provide support suited to the child's needs.
  4. Recheck in a few weeks against the same skills.

Questions parents ask

What should a 1st grader be able to read?

By the end of 1st grade, California's standards expect children to decode regularly spelled one-syllable words, know consonant digraphs such as sh and ch, know final -e and common vowel teams for long vowel sounds, decode simple two-syllable words, and read grade-level text aloud with accuracy, appropriate rate and expression.

How do I know if my child is behind in reading?

Compare what your child does with the grade's standards, then look at the school's measures: the K–2 reading screening results, the Reading and Listening area on the CAASPP report from 3rd grade, and the report card. Ask the teacher how your child compares with what the class is working on.

Does reading fast mean reading well?

No. The state's fluency standards ask for accuracy, an appropriate rate and expression, and the federal tip sheet for parents reminds them that reading fluently doesn't necessarily mean reading quickly.

Which reading tests do local schools use?

Oak Park Unified screens every K–5 student in reading and math three times a year with FastBridge. Las Virgenes Unified uses Renaissance STAR Reading in its middle school honors criteria. CVUSD's pages name CAASPP and district benchmarks but no specific reading test.

Sources