Grade Equivalent
Assessments & EvaluationsDefinition
A score from a standardized assessment expressed as the grade level at which a student's performance is considered typical. For example, a grade equivalent of 3.5 means the student scored like a typical student in the fifth month of third grade. Like age equivalents, grade equivalents can be misleading and are not recommended as the sole basis for educational decisions.
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Related Terms
A score from a standardized assessment that describes a student's performance in terms of the age at which that performance is typical. For example, an age equivalent of 6 years 3 months means the student performed like a typical child of that age. Caution: age equivalents can be misleading and should not be the primary measure for IEP decisions.
A score that indicates how far above or below average a student performs compared to same-age peers. Most standard scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. A score of 85 is one standard deviation below average; a score of 70 is two standard deviations below average.
An assessment that compares a student's performance to a national sample of students of the same age or grade. Results are reported as standard scores, percentile ranks, or age/grade equivalents. These tests help identify whether a student is performing significantly below expectations.
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