How do we measure success in reading? Icelandic tests

According to the national curriculum for primary schools, schools should regularly monitor students' progress in reading, especially in the early years of schooling. Therefore, various achievement tests and assessments in reading are administered at different stages of primary education. Such tests provide teachers with important information about where a student stands (whether they read at an appropriate pace and whether they understand the text) and what support they need. 

The Center for Education and School Services (MMS) is responsible for measuring achievements through the administration of standardized tests nationwide. It's worth mentioning that a new assessment system, the Evaluation Trail, was recently approved and will be implemented in every primary school in the country during the 2025-2026 school year, but that's a story for another day!

In the first article (Measuring Reading Achievements), words and concepts used in measurement were discussed and explained. Here's a quick overview of achievement tests across the country:

• Reading Tests (letters/sounds and the first steps of reading) In-house assessments start right away in 1st grade. For example, Fluency Tests or similar tests that municipalities and schools have developed are used.

• Reading Speed and Comprehension Tests - In-house tests are administered regularly in 2nd–3rd grade.

• MMS Standardized Test (reading skills and comprehension) in Icelandic in 4th grade. 

• Reading Skills (fluency and comprehension) In-house tests are administered for 5th–7th grade.

• MMS Standardized Test (fluency and comprehension) in 7th Grade. The test provides a comparable benchmark between schools and municipalities. 

• MMS Standardized Test in Icelandic with a reading component (reading skills and comprehension) is in 9th Grade.

• Final Exam in Icelandic (comprehension and writing) In-house test is in 10th Grade. It is part of the final assessment in primary school and affects admission to secondary school.

International achievement tests that Iceland has participated in include both PISA and PIRLS:

• PISA  (Programme for International Student Assessment) participation since 2000

• PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) in the years 2001 and 2006

These two tests are discussed in a special article: Measuring Reading Achievements - 3. PISA. 

Standardized Tests

One of the main forms of achievement measurement in Icelandic primary schools is the standardized tests administered in 4th, 7th, and 9th grades. They cover key areas, especially Icelandic and mathematics, plus English in 9th grade. The goal is to provide an overview of students' status at certain stages of their education and ensure comparability between schools and municipalities. Results are published for each student and for the school level as a whole and are used to plan support and develop teaching methods. 

In the last school year of primary education, students do not take standardized tests, but in-house tests that are used for students' entry into secondary education. Secondary schools also consider the standardized tests administered in the ninth grade, giving them direct impact on students' educational progression.

Advantages and Limitations of Tests

It's interesting how opaque and subjective many of these tests have been. It's complicated to find measurable objectives with the tests and it also causes issues to interpret the benchmark, i.e., the grade point average. This makes longitudinal comparison nearly impossible. Data collection in recent years -  while waiting for the Evaluation Trail, has been minimal, making it difficult to easily see the status and whether things were/are going better or worse. 

Achievement measurements provide students and their parents with important information about their status compared to other students, but they are also crucial details that both teachers can use to intervene and authorities can use. They can reveal weaknesses in the educational environment and help shape strategies for improvement. However, there is a risk that too much focus on tests and measurements could narrow the objectives of school operations and promote teaching aimed solely at preparing for tests. Additionally, it should be remembered that test results do not reflect all aspects of learning.

Additional Material on Achievement Measurements

Measuring Reading Achievements - What is Measured?

The Reading Tower in PISA