What is a Lexile measure?
There are two kinds of Lexile measures: the Lexile reader measure and the Lexile text measure. Students
receive a Lexile reader measure as a score from a reading test like the MAP test. This lexile score describes his or
her reading ability.
The Lexile level will always be shown as a number with an “L” after it – for example 770L = 770 Lexile. The
higher the Lexile measure, the higher the student’s reading level.
Books and other texts receive a Lexile text measure from a software tool called the Lexile Analyzer - it
describes the book's reading demand or difficulty.
When used together, these measures can help match a reader with reading material that is at an
appropriate difficulty, or help give an idea of how well a reader will comprehend a text. Research indicates that
students who read more, understand more, and are more likely to continue reading.
The Lexile reader measure (or Lexile score) can also be used to monitor a reader's growth in reading
ability over time.
Parents can use the Lexile grade-level chart to determine if their child or children are reading at grade
level. In addition, parents can use Lexile measures to select appropriate texts for their child to read.
When a Lexile text measure matches or is in the range of a Lexile reader measure, this is called a targeted
reading experience. The reader will encounter some level of difficulty with the text, but not enough to get
frustrated. This is the best way to grow as a reader - reading text that's not too hard but not too easy.
Lexile Codes:
Sometimes a Lexile measure by itself is not enough information to choose a particular book for a particular reader.
This is why some books get Lexile codes—two-letter designations that appear before the Lexile measure (for
example, AD580L).
The Lexile code gives you more information about a book that relates to its developmental appropriateness,
reading difficulty, and common or intended usage. The Lexile codes can be found at the following
website. https://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-codes/
Typical Text Measures, by Grade
Grade
Text Demand Study 2009
2012 CCSS Text Measures*
25th percentile to 75th percentile (IQR)
1
230L to 420L
190L to 530L
2
450L to 570L
420L to 650L
3
600L to 730L
520L to 820L
4
640L to780L
740L to 940L
5
730L to 850L
830L to 1010L
6
860L to 920L
925L to 1070L
7
880L to 960L
970L to 1120L
8
900L to 1010L
1010L to 1185L
9
960L to 1110L
1050L to 1260L
10
920L to 1120L
1080L to 1335L
11 and 12
1070L to 1220L
1185L to 1385L
Lexile.com
Lexile Measures at Home
Obtaining your child’s Lexile measure:
Lexile measures are used at the school-level in all 50 states to improve student achievement across the
curriculum. More than 28 million Lexile measures are reported annually from national and state
assessments, reading programs, and district assessments such as the MAP test (Measures of Adequate
Progress Test).
Grand Rapids Public School parents can obtain their child’s Lexile measure from the Fall, Winter, and
Spring MAP test results.
Managing your child’s reading comprehension:
Lexile measures allow you to manage your child’s reading comprehension by matching him or her to
appropriately challenging text. Matching your child’s Lexile measure to a text with the same Lexile
measure leads to an expected 75-percent comprehension rate—not to be frustrating, enough to
encourage reading progress. You can further help your child by knowing his or her Lexile range. A
reader’s recommended Lexile range is 50L above and 100L below his or her Lexile measure. These are
the boundaries between the easiest kind of reading materials for your child and the hardest level at
which he or she should be able to read successfully.
Using Lexile measures at home
• Ensure that your child gets plenty of reading practice, concentrating on material within his or
her Lexile range (50L above and 100L below his or her Lexile measure). Ask your child’s teacher
or school librarian to print a list of books in your child’s range, or search the Lexile Book
Database or “Find a Book” Web site.
• Communicate with your child’s teacher and school librarian about his or her reading needs and
accomplishments. They can use the Lexile Framework to let you know their assessment of your
child’s reading ability.
• When a reading assignment proves too challenging for your child, use activities to help. For
example, review the words and from the glossary, and the review questions at the end of a
chapter before your child reads the text. Afterwards, be sure to return to the glossary and
review the questions to make certain your child understood the material.
• Celebrate your child’s reading accomplishments. One of the great things about the Lexile
Framework is that it provides an easy way for readers to keep track of their own growth and
progress. You and your child can set goals for reading—sticking to a reading schedule, reading a
book at a higher Lexile measure, trying new kinds of books and articles, or reading a certain
number of pages per week. When your child hits the goal, make an occasion out of it!
Find a book that is right for your child at https://www.lexile.com/findabook/