Scholastic Reading Inventory: Instructions for Use

Motivating students to do their best

  • Inform parents about the importance of the SRI assessment.
  • Knowledge is power: Knowing where students are can take them where they need to be.
    • Through students' best efforts, SRI can provide accurate reading comprehension levels.
    • Teachers want to help, and they can better give the kind of support needed if accurate reading comprehension levels are available.
  • Students have more control over their own learning
    • They can monitor their progress as the school year progresses.
    • An improved Lexile score of 75-100 points equals one grade level!
  • Careers demand strong reading skills. (Click to see examples!)
  • Real world reading materials demand strong reading skills. (Click and scroll down to see examples!)
  • Prepare your students.
    • Share the test format before they take the SRI. (See p. 14 of the Scholastic Reading Inventory Implementation Guide.)
      • This test uses a CLOZE format because the question ends with a blank that needs to be filled by one of the options.
      • All questions require that students make an inference about the passage they read.
        • Making inferences is a reading comprehension strategy that may need to be reviewed.
        • The ability to make inferences is an indicator of a reader's ability to comprehend text.
        • Questions increase or decrease in difficulty depending upon how they are answered.
    • Review test-taking strategies. (See p. 15 of the Scholastic Reading Inventory Implementation Guide.)

Logging students onto test

  • Instruct students to double-click on the SRI icon where they will be guided to enter their username (student ID #) and password (read).
    • The district enrolled your students, their usernames and password.
  • Next a window entitled "What kinds of books do you like to read?" appears.
    • You may want to preview these categories with your students before they take the SRI.
    • Instruct students to choose up to 3 book interests on this page.
    • These selections have nothing to do with the assessment, but they do influence the personal reading list that appears at the end of the test.
  • If this is the first time students have taken the SRI test, a practice test follows the book interest window.
    • Students should read the directions and then click Next to begin.
      • If students do not have headphones, use the mute button on the computer to turn off sound.
    • Students need to click OK to answer the 3 practice questions.
      • Three "skips" are allowed on the practice test.
      • Students receive another 3 "skips" when they start the actual test.
        • Tell students that these are their "life-lines."
        • The "skips/life-lines" do NOT affect their test results.
      • If students incorrectly answer all the questions on the practice test, a pop-up message directs them to see their teacher.
        • This can alert teachers to students who may be checking answers randomly or to students who need to start the test at a lower level.
    • Test directions include ~
      • Read the passage.
      • Read each question and select an answer by clicking on a circle.
      • Click Next to submit the answer and continue

Adding and removing students

  • Log onto the Scholastic Achievement Manager (SAM) icon by using your username and password. (See your school's tech specialist for that information.)
  • The SmartBar on the left-hand column of the SAM screen displays information about classes and students using SRI in the school.
  • The icons on the home page or the file tabs at the top of each page list the management options: Rosters, Reports, Resources and Books.
  • Click onto Roster icon or tab on the home screen.
  • Choose Add a student under the options listed uner Manage Roster.
  • First, complete the starred items listed on the left-hand column under "Identify Student."
  • Second, choose the class that you want the student added to that is found in the right-hand column under Add to classes/groups.
  • Click Save and you will find student's name alphabetically listed in the assigned class found on the SmartBar.
  • The final step requires teachers to click onto Manage Enrollment also listed under Manage Roster.
    • All the teacher's participating students are listed here, including the recently added student.
    • Check the box next to the student's name and the Scholastic Reading Inventory box located at the top of the page.
    • Click SAVE to complete the added student's enrollment into SRI.
  • To remove a student, "uncheck" the box of the student being unenrolled and save.

Creating reports

  • Follow the "log on" instructions for SAM found under "Adding students."
  • Choose the Reports icon
  • Select the target group for which reports are needed from the "drop-down" button on the upper left-hand side of the screen.
    • Choices include All classes; multiclassrooms; classroom; or student.
    • Depending upon the above choices, different reports will appear under the SRI bar.
    • To know what the report includes, check out Report Description, found in the lower, left-hand column.
    • The report can be run or the contents reviewed by clicking onto the Print Preview option offered after pressing Run.
    • Reports include progress, suggested book lists, letters to parents, instructional level reading for each student and more.
  • After students take SRI tests, these reports can be run and saved.
    • Note: If a student fails to run the suggested reading list after taking the SRI test, teachers can find that list on SAM and run it for him or her.
    • Most reports can also be customized, if needed.

Adding a new test score

Note: This option can be used to record a paper and pencil test taken by an ELL student or to record the latest score of a new student who transferred from another school within the district.

  • Sign into SAM as described.
  • Click the Grading Tools link next to the SRI icon in the Programs menu at the bottom of the screen to access the SRI Grading Tool.
  • Click the Add New Test Score link to open the Add New Print Test Score window.
  • Enter the Lexile score and use the Calendar Tool to select the date the student took the test.

Obtain CACTUS identification number

  • Must be registered with the Utah Education Network to access CACTUS
    • To register, visit http://my.uen.org
  • Create an account with UEN by clicking Create an Account and follow instructions
    • The log-in and password you create on the UEN site will also be used for CACTUS access
  • Go to https://www.uen.org/cactus
    • Enter UEN log-in name and password.
    • Click onto Enter CACTUS where you will find your number.
  • If you have forgotten your log-in number, return to myuen.org, click the appropriate tab, and it will be emailed to you.