Guides

Schools already collect more assessment data than anyone has time to read. These are plain-language explainers of what those numbers mean, written for the teacher or family member who has one in front of them right now. Every factual claim is sourced to the vendor's own documentation and cited on the page.

Each tool reports on its own scale. An IXL SmartScore is a 0 to 100 reading of one skill, an IXL Diagnostic level reads as a grade, a NWEA MAP RIT score means the same thing at every grade, and a Lexile measure puts a reader and a text on one scale. Reading them side by side starts with knowing which scale each number is on, and each guide below explains one of them. Lorsey combines learning signals from connected curriculum and assessment systems and helps decide what each student should work on next.

What an IXL SmartScore actually means

A SmartScore is IXL's 0-100 reading of one skill, not the percentage of questions answered correctly. IXL calls 80 proficiency, 90 excellence and 100 mastery.
What a NWEA MAP RIT score means

RIT is the scale NWEA MAP Growth reports on, and it means the same thing at every grade. That is why the percentile, not the RIT, says whether a score is on track.
What the IXL Diagnostic measures

IXL sells two diagnostics, and the one your school runs changes the scale. The score is a grade-level placement, not a SmartScore, and a benchmark IS a diagnostic.
What a Lexile measure means

A Lexile puts a reader and a text on one scale, so the two can be matched. It is not a grade level, and the usable figure is the band around it, not the number.
What IXL levels mean

K is IXL's label for kindergarten skills, while a diagnostic level such as 450 is a working grade level: 400 means ready for 4th grade and 450 means halfway through it.
What MTSS data to collect, and how to read it

MTSS runs on screening data for every student, generally collected three times a year, plus progress monitoring for students in intervention and data on whether supports were delivered as intended. Teams read it against written decision rules, such as the four-point rule, to decide when to change support.
What universal screening is, and how to read the results

Universal screening gives brief, validated assessments to every student, ideally two or three times a year, to find those who may be at risk. A screener predicts rather than diagnoses, so teams judge it by classification accuracy and confirm each student's risk with additional information.
What data-based decision making in education looks like

Data-based decision making uses screening, progress monitoring, classroom and other data to decide on instruction, support and resources. The WWC practice guide frames it as a cycle: collect data, form a testable hypothesis, change instruction, then check the new data.