Can I discontinue testing if the student fails an entire reading passage?

Frequently Asked Question:

Can I discontinue testing if the student fails an entire reading passage?

Answer:

If the student scores 0 points on the first reading passage for the grade-appropriate item set, apply the reverse rule and administer the appropriate item set in its entirety. If the failure occurs in a passage later in the item set, encourage the student to continue. Because the difficulty level of items within a passage will vary, continuing administration of the item set may produce some successful responses.

The mixed level of difficulty within a single passage was designed to keep the student engaged in the activity. In addition, the items/questions following the Reading Sentences Aloud items might be easier than those following the passages for some students. For example, students who comprehend better when reading materials that are especially brief, or when they are read aloud, may perform significantly better on the Reading Sentences Aloud items.