Accelerated Reader

Click Here to go to the AR BookFinder website. It will tell you the approximate reading level for the book you have selected.

Click Here for a website that allows you access to your student’s comprehension level and his progress towards meeting his AR goal.

Accelerated Reader, or AR, is a program that has been commercially developed to help track and guide student reading and understanding. Educators know that to become an excellent reader, one has to really read. AR is a computerized program in use at many CUSD schools including ours. Essentially, students read a book at their own independent reading level. They take a test on computer answering questions about the book.

It is important to note that the goal in AR is to achieve and maintain an average of 90% or better on quizzes. Averaging 85-- 90% indicates that the student understands the key points of the book, and it motivates the student to read more. Research has shown that 30-minutes of daily reading practice and an average of 90% and higher on AR quizzes produces the most significant gains in reading achievement.

On the CTA campuses, students in grades 2—6 STAR test to find their optimal independent reading level. Teachers then establish personal reading goals for the students. Students then work to accomplish a reading goal that is designed to meet their educational needs. The children take a comprehension test on the books they read. This tells us if they are reading “just right” books and can understand what they read.

On the CTA quarterly report card for grades 2—6, you will find your child’s AR goal and his progress towards that goal in percentage terms. In addition, the student’s comprehension mastery will also be reported as a percentage. Below are some websites that you can use to help your child monitor progress towards her reading goal and her level of mastery.