Reading Assessment · Grades 6–8

DRP (Degrees of Reading Power)

Standardized reading comprehension assessment measuring readability level and text complexity match

Owned by: Educational Vistas Inc. (Independent)

Cloze format
Assessment methodology
6–8
Grade range at LMSD
Independent
Educational Vistas — no firm/VC
Since 1970s
DRP assessment history

The Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) is a standardized reading comprehension assessment published by Educational Vistas Inc. It measures reading comprehension by having students complete passages with missing words (cloze format), generating a DRP score that indicates the level of text complexity a student can read with comprehension. DRP scores are used by teachers and librarians to match students to appropriately leveled texts. Educational Vistas is an independent company — not an outside firm or venture capital owned — which is a relative positive in the EdTech landscape.

The Full Picture

The Good

  • One of the most rigorously validated reading comprehension assessments available — decades of research support
  • Cloze format is resistant to test-prep gaming — measures genuine comprehension, not skill drilling
  • DRP scores are genuinely useful for text-to-reader matching in the library and classroom
  • Independent publisher with no firm pressure
  • Assessment-only tool with a narrow and specific purpose — not a broad platform collecting extensive behavioral data

The Bad

  • Standardized reading score creates a label that can limit teacher expectations and student self-perception
  • Computer-administered version still puts a student in front of a screen for assessment purposes
  • DRP score without context can be misused — a student's reading level is not a fixed characteristic
  • No parent-facing portal — families typically only see DRP results if a teacher or counselor shares them

The Worse

  • A reading comprehension score assigned in middle school can follow a student and influence course placement and teacher expectations for years
  • If DRP scores are entered into PowerSchool (a Bain Capital company), they become part of the student record accessible to the broader Veritas data ecosystem
  • Standardized reading assessments administered too frequently create a testing culture that displaces actual reading time

Privacy Deep-Dive

Assessment Type

Standardized cloze-format reading comprehension test — computer or paper administered

Data Generated

Individual DRP score (comprehension level) and text complexity matching information

Independent Owner

Educational Vistas Inc. — no firm or VC ownership; traditional assessment publisher

Data Storage

Results stored in district SIS (PowerSchool) per district practice; Educational Vistas does not maintain individual student records long-term

FERPA

Assessment results are student educational records under FERPA; district controls access

Parent Access

Parents can request DRP score as part of student educational record through district

Relatively low risk: DRP is an independently owned, narrowly scoped reading assessment. The main concern is how scores are stored (likely in PowerSchool, a firm-owned SIS) and whether they inappropriately influence educational decisions. Overall, this is one of LMSD's lower-risk EdTech uses.

What It Replaces in the Classroom

Digital reading assessment
↓ on a screen
Teacher-conducted reading conference — direct observation of student reading with running record
Standardized comprehension test
↓ on a screen
Ongoing formative assessment embedded in daily reading instruction
DRP score for text selection
↓ on a screen
Librarian consultation and student self-selection with guidance

Questions for the District

Where are DRP scores stored — in PowerSchool or in Educational Vistas's own system — and for how long?
How does LMSD use DRP scores — for text selection only, or also for course placement or reading group assignment?
How often is the DRP administered, and does testing frequency replace time that could be spent on actual reading?
Can families request their child's DRP score history as part of the student educational record?

Sources

  • Educational Vistas — Degrees of Reading Power — educationalvistas.com
  • DRP technical manual — Educational Vistas Inc.
  • LMSD COPPA Vendor List — lmsd.org

Ready-to-Send Templates

Request your child's LMSD data with one email

Get the FERPA Templates →