Level 1, the lowest level of proficiency contains scores in the range from 335 to 407. The lowest level of literacy requires that students locate one or more independent pieces of explicitly stated information, with little or no competing information in the text; recognize the main theme or author’s purpose in a text about a familiar topic; make a simple connection between information in the text and common, everyday knowledge.
Level 2 contains scores in the range from 408 to 480. This level requires that students locate one or more pieces of information; with some competing information present in the text; recognize the main idea in a text when the information is not prominent; make a comparison or several connections between the text and outside knowledge.
Level 3 contains scores in the range from 481 to 552. This level requires that students locate the relationship between several pieces of information that must meet multiple conditions set by the question, with prominent competing information; integrate several parts of a text in order to identify a main idea, understand a relationship, or construe the meaning of a word or phrase; make connections, comparisons, and explanations, or evaluate a feature of the text.
Level 4 contains scores in the range from 553 to 625. This level requires that students locate and organize several pieces of embedded information, typically in a text whose content and form are unfamiliar; construe the meaning of nuances of language in a section of text by taking into account the text as a whole; critically evaluate a text or hypothesize about information in the text, using formal or public knowledge.
Level 5, the highest level of proficiency, contains scores of 626 and above. This level requires that students locate and organize several pieces of information in unfamiliar contexts; demonstrate a full and detailed understanding of a text whose content or form is unfamiliar; critically evaluate or hypothesize about the content of texts, drawing on specialized knowledge.