ETS(R)'s TOEFL(R) Primary(TM) Tests Now Reporting Lexile Reader Measures

DURHAM, NC--(Marketwired - Dec 3, 2013) - MetaMetrics^®, developer of The Lexile^® Framework for Reading, and ETS, the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization, recently announced that ETS^®'s TOEFL^® Primary™ test takers will now receive Lexile® reader measures. This is the fourth international assessment ETS has linked with the Lexile scale. Other ETS tests using Lexile measures include the TOEFL iBT^® test, TOEFL Junior^® tests and TOEIC^® Listening & Reading test. The linking of TOEFL Primary scores with Lexile measures helps English language students worldwide practice reading more effectively. 

The TOEFL Primary tests are the newest addition to the TOEFL^® Family of Assessments. Designed for students ages 8+, the TOEFL Primary tests help shape English-language instruction and measure the English skills that provide a foundation for students' future success. By providing Lexile measures for TOEFL Primary test takers, students and parents are able to find books at the right level of challenge and monitor their progress towards university and career readiness.

"Lexile measures are an important component in helping English language students grow their reading abilities," stated Jennifer Brown, Executive Director of the TOEFL Program. "By connecting the TOEFL Primary tests with the Lexile scale, a test score becomes actionable by providing students, parents and teachers with a wealth of resources to help improve a test taker's English reading ability."

After receiving a Lexile measure on a TOEFL Primary test, students can visit www.Lexile.com/toefl-primary to find full-text articles at their Lexile level for instant, online reading practice. Test takers can also create and manage book reading lists based on their Lexile range and interests. To date, more than 150,000 books from hundreds of publishers worldwide have received a Lexile measure, and measures for new books are being added daily.

"We are thrilled to expand our partnership with a premier testing leader like ETS," stated Malbert Smith III, Ph.D., president and co-founder of MetaMetrics. "ETS continues to elevate student learning and, with the addition of Lexile measures, provide a tool to differentiate reading instruction and monitor progress for a new generation of learners."

The Lexile Framework is a unique tool for accurately matching readers with text. Unlike other measurement systems, the Lexile Framework evaluates reading ability and growth based on actual assessment results, rather than generalized age or grade levels. Lexile measures help librarians, teachers and parents find books, articles and other resources within a reader's recommended Lexile range: 100L below to 50L above his or her Lexile measure. Reading materials within this optimal Lexile range will challenge the individual's reading ability, while still maintaining interest and learning.

About ETS

At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually -- including the TOEFL^® and TOEIC^® tests, the GRE^® test and The Praxis Series™ assessments -- in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

About MetaMetrics

MetaMetrics is focused on improving education for learners of all ages and ability levels. The organization develops scientific measures of academic achievement and complementary technologies that link assessment results with real-world instruction. MetaMetrics' products and services for reading (The Lexile^® Framework for Reading, El Sistema Lexile® para Leer), mathematics (The Quantile^® Framework for Mathematics) and writing (The Lexile^® Framework for Writing) provide unique insights about academic ability and the potential for growth, enabling individuals to achieve their goals at every stage of development. Connect with the organization at: http://blog.lexile.com.