Reading Lexile Scales –
Scholastic Reading
Inventory
Grade
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Below Basic
BR
BR - 99
BR - 249
BR - 349
BR - 449
BR - 499
BR – 549
BR - 599
BR - 649
BR - 699
BR – 799
BR - 799
Basic
BR - 99
100 - 299
250 - 499
350 - 599
450 - 699
500 - 799
550 - 849
600 - 899
650 - 999
700 - 1024
800 - 1049
800 - 1049
Proficient
100 - 400
300 - 600
500 - 800
600 - 900
700 - 1000
800 - 1050
850 – 1100
900 - 1150
1000 - 1200
1025 – 1250
1050 - 1300
1050 - 1300
1500 – College Textbooks
1410 – Job Application
1380 – The New York Times
1370 – Lemony Snicket’s The End
1350 – Standard Lease Agreement
1270 – Federal Student Aid Application
1130 – I-Pod Installation manual
1100 – 11th grade chemistry textbook
1020 – Drivers’ License Manual
830 - Playstation Install Instructions
810 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
750 – toy Assembly Instructions
2180 –US Bill of Rights
1510 – The Prince - Machiavelli
1340 - Metamorphosis – Kafka
1340 – Scarlet Letter – Hawthorne
1200 – Great Expectations - Dickins
1160 – Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Hardy
1090 – 1984 – Orwell
1080 – Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
1070 – The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald
1020 – Hatchet – Paulson
960 – The Three Musketeers - Dumas
870 – To Kill a Mockingbird - Lee
810 – Frankenstein - Shelly
810 – Hunger Games – Collins
770 – Wuthering Heights - Bronte
660 - Holes - Sacher
630 – Of Mice and Men – Steinbeck
Advanced
401 - 1700+
601 - 1700+
801 - 1700+
901 - 1700+
1001 - 1700+
1051 - 1700+
1101 - 1700+
1151 - 1700+
1201 - 1700+
1251 - 1700+
1301 - 1700+
1301 - 1700+
Common Core Curriculum Text Complexity Bands
Grade Band
Current Lexile Band "Stretch" Lexile Band*
K–1
N/A
N/A
2–3
450L–725L
420L–820L
4–5
645L–845L
740L–1010L
6–8
860L–1010L
925L–1185L
9-10
960L–1115L
1050L–1335L
11–CCR
1070L–1220L
1185L–1385L
Is the Lexile score the only thing to consider when evaluating a text?
No, an evaluation of a text should be completed by three measures. One
measure is the technical aspect (Lexile) of the text (word length, word
frequency, sentence length). Another measure is to analyze the meaning,
author’s purpose and structure of the text. The last measure is the
reader’s knowledge and experience with the text and his engagement or
interest with that text. This last measure also considers what the student
will be expected to do with the text once it is completed.
As a student, what do I need to consider?
Are you reading a text at or above grade level?
Does the chosen text have substance and embedded meaning?
What will you be doing with the text?
These considerations are important because texts with Lexiles
below your reading level will not stretch you as a reader
(vocabulary, sentence length and variety). Texts with Lexiles far
above your level may be difficult to comprehend and in turn not
help you grow as a reader.
Resources for determining Lexile scores:
www.lexile.com
www.scholastic.com/bookwizard