Accelerated Reader Resources and Frequently asked Questions
Here are some resources to help families help support their children in using the Accelerated Reader program.

1. A student is given a range / level of books he or she should read based on teacher input. This range—or ZPD (zone of proximal development)—is a starting point, allowing the teacher and student to narrow the search for an independent reading book. Next year, teachers will adjust a student ZPD based on the scores they receive on the AR quizzes.
3. After that, the student selects a book that is appealing/interesting, within his/her reading range.
4. He or she should read the book in its entirety, allotting at least 30 minutes per day to independent reading.
5. Finally, the student takes a computerized reading practice quiz on that book to assess his/her reading comprehension. The quizzes are multiple-choice and feature 5 to 25 questions. Each question offers four choices. The computer shows how many questions are answered correctly, shows the questions missed along with the correct answer(s), and awards the student points. Students should aim to score between 85%-90% on AR Quizzes.

The "book level" is the approximate grade level of the book’s reading vocabulary and narrative or expository complexity. For instance, a book level of 3.2 is roughly the equivalent of the second month of the third grade. Please bear in mind that there are many methods for determining book level, all of which give slightly different answers. Therefore, this number is approximate and should be used as a general guide for book selection only. AR book levels do not correspond with any other leveling scale.

Two things determine a book’s AR point value: the book level and the length of the book. The point value of the book increases when the book level increases or the text is longer.

Students may check books out of the media center, the classroom library or the public library. Some students prefer to purchase books or borrow books from their friend’s personal collections.

A student can take the quiz only once! He/she is advised to take the quiz as soon as he/she finishes a book in order to accurately recall the important details from the book. If a book is completed on the weekend, it is acceptable to wait until the beginning of the school week to take the test.

During the school year a student can take the quiz in his/her classroom at school.  During the COVID-19 Pandemic Students can now test at home.   

Quizzes take about ten minutes. Once a student begins a quiz, he/she cannot pause, change answers on previously answered question, or skip a question. Therefore, a student should not start a test unless he/she has enough time to complete it in one sitting.