Ellie Hanlon
New York University Researcher

Change is around the corner for Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) administration! In the past, the Cornerstone coaches tested a sample of students in each school and the scores were entered into the DRA Online system. This required a great deal of the coaches' time and also meant that classroom teachers were not benefiting from assessing their own students and gaining the knowledge of each child's reading level. This year, we are asking every K-3 teacher to administer the DRA to his or her students. By now, each K-3 classroom teacher should have received his or her own DRA kit and instruction in how to administer and score the assessment.

Having classroom teachers administer the assessment to their own students provides useful data for teachers and the school as a whole. In addition, the DRA scores provided by each teacher will provide a better picture of Cornerstone's impact on student literacy because it will include all students in grades K-3.

The changes in the administration and submission of scores are described in detail below.

  • Each classroom teacher is being asked to administer the DRA to each student in his/her classroom during a one-month period. The DRA should be given to students towards the end of the school year in April or May to assess each student's end-of-year reading level.
  • Next school year (2005-2006) teachers will be asked to administer the DRA in both the fall and the spring.
  • Teachers are being asked to give a form to their Cornerstone coach with a summary of each child's performance on the DRA. The Cornerstone coaches will then mail the forms New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy. More information about the form is coming soon.
  • In cases where the district requires teachers to administer the DRA, we are asking teachers to submit the scores from the end of the year administration this spring and both the fall and spring administrations in 2005-06.

Please feel free to contact Ellie Hanlon ( ), 212-998-5761 or Dana Lockwood (), 212-998-5627, if you have any questions or suggestions about the DRA administration.