Why does the Target Word quartile jump from 2 to 4 with just a 1-point difference in raw score?
If you examine the conversion table for Target Words in Appendix B or E of the scoring supplements, you'll notice there is a ceiling effect. The Reading Comprehension subtest is ecologically valid, assessing reading skills using words that are typically found in students' everyday reading material. Thus, for students who are of average ability, performance on Target Words is high.