Understanding the FastBridge Family Report
The FastBridge system is a set of assessments that teachers use to measure student learning. FastBridge scores help teachers to know what kind of teaching each student needs.
Understanding the FastBridge Family Report
With the FastBridge Family Report, you can see your student’s performance compared to other students in their district — and across the country. The report also shows how your child’s FastBridge scores have changed over time.
Glossary of Important Terms
Assessment
A reading or math test used to determine if a student needs help to improve their learning.
Benchmark
A score level on a test that is used to determine if a student needs additional help to improve their learning.
Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
A test taken on a computer with questions that get easier or harder, depending on a student’s answers.
Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM)
Short tests of reading and math used to show a student’s current skills.
Formative Assessment
Any type of test that helps educators improve instruction and shows student progress.
Intervention
Extra teaching provided for students who need help in order to reach the learning goals.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
The name for a method used in schools to give extra help to all students who need it.
Norms
Scores that show typical student performance at low, medium, and high levels.
Percentile
A type of norm score that shows the percentage of students in a group who scored at or below your child’s score. The lowest value is 1 and the highest is 99.
Progress Monitoring
Short weekly tests that a student takes to see progress. This is used when a student participates in an intervention.
Universal Screening
Short tests that all students take three times a year. Teachers use screening scores to learn which students need extra help. Also called Screening.
Due to COVID-19, many schools continue to use online and hybrid instruction models. These involve students completing many learning activities from home. Students’ family members often wonder what to expect when students are asked to complete FastBridge assessments from home. Below are two tutorials to help families better understand their role and what to expect during remote learning.
Computer-Administered Assessments
Teacher-Administered Assessments
The FastBridge assessment system includes reading, math and social-emotional behavior (SEB) tests that help teachers learn which students need extra help. Some of these FastBridge tests are used with all students for Universal Screening. Other FastBridge tests are used with students who participate in extra help so the teacher can see the student’s progress.
FastBridge measures a student’s current skills in reading and math.
While we do not have sample tests, we’re happy to share the concepts and topics that FastBridge assessments cover:
Concepts of Print
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Number Sense
Whole Number Operations
Algebra
Statistics and Probability
Measurement
Rational Numbers
Geometry
Visit our main site to learn more about how FastBridge supports teachers, schools, and students.
Grade level doesn’t mean the same thing in every state, or even every district. The specific skills taught at each grade level can be different across districts and states. The FastBridge Family Report shows how your child’s score compares with students in the same school district as well as the nation.
FastBridge includes both district and national comparisons so that teachers and parents can compare a student’s score with other students who receive the same instruction as well as with those who might receive different instruction in the same grade level.
See our Family Report Companion Guide to learn how to understand this report. If you have further questions, please contact your student’s teacher.
FastBridge uses the best available internet security so that your child’s information will be private. Your child’s information can be seen only by the current teacher and those school officials with a legal right to see it. Your child’s scores are never shared with other teachers, parents, or students. Read the Student Assessment Data, and Student Privacy Pledge sections of our Privacy Policy to learn more.
Your child’s teacher is the best source of information on how to help at home.
FastBridge Assessment Overview
Reading
AUTOreading
A computer-based assessment of phonics, fluency, and vocabulary. There are a total of 8 AUTOreading subtests. When used for screening, students complete 2 to 4 subtests. Available for grades K through 12.
earlyReading
A set of 14 subtests that measure early reading skills. When used for screening, 4 subtests are administered at a time. Available for grades K and 1. Also available: CBMreading Spanish
CBMcomp
CBMcomprehension (CBMcomp) offers additional questions related to a student’s understanding of a reading passage. Available for grades 1 through 8. (Requires CBMreading be administered first)
COMPefficiency
Assessment of a student’s understanding of a short passage through responses from questions asked during and after reading the passage.
CBMreading
A timed measure of oral reading. The student reads out loud for 1 minute while the teacher records any errors. The score shows how many words were read correctly and is a widely-used indicator of reading performance.
Math
CBMmath - Automaticity
Timed, computer-based assessment of math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Available for grades 1 through 3.
CBMmath - (CAP)
CBMmath – Concepts and Applications (CAP) is a timed, computer-based assessment of applied math skills. Available for grades K through 8.
CBMmath - Process
Timed, paper and pencil assessment of the steps necessary to solve multi-digit computation problems using whole numbers and decimals. Available for grades 2 through 6.
earlyMath
A set of 17 subtests that measure early math skills. When used for screening, 3 subtests are administered at a time. Available for grades K and 1.