Fluency Standards Table

Recommended reading rates, or words read per minute, for grades one through six were examined from three separate research studies. The findings of these studies were used by Reading A-Z to establish an average early and end reading rate per grade level. Your student's reading rates can be compared to these average rates as a way to determine whether they are making progress in their ability to recognize words automatically. The comparison can also be used to determine whether a student's reading rate is near the grade level standard. For example, a beginning third grade student with a reading rate of 110 WPM can be considered on level. However, a third grade student with a reading rate of 60 WPM is recognizing words at a rate similar to a first grader and will likely need additional instructional support to increase his or her reading rate.