What is the Woodcock Johnson Achievement Test?
The Woodcock Johnson Achievement Test is a nationally-normed, untimed, non-bracketed test that is administered to students one-on-one. “Non-bracketed” means that the test is not just testing a student’s knowledge in one grade level; instead, all students answer questions of increasing difficulty until they get a certain number of consecutive questions incorrect. The scores you receive will show the student’s grade level equivalency in each subject, and percentile rank (which is the relative standing in the population of the student’s grade).
The most current version of the test is the Woodcock Johnson IV Achievement Test. It was last normed in 2014. The normative data for the WJ-IV was based on 7000+ individuals, with demographic and community characteristics closely matching those of the general U. S. population.
I administer testing in-person in my home in St. Paul, MN, or online via Zoom. For in-person testing, I have a waiting room for parents and siblings, and I also live in a safe neighborhood with a library, sledding hill, park, and various shops within walking distance. Parents are welcome to drop off their child as long as they leave a phone number and stay in the neighborhood. I strive to keep the testing light and non-stressful, and I truly love connecting with the students during the testing process.
For homeschooling families looking to fulfill the annual testing requirement, I offer a basic version of the Woodcock Johnson Achievement Test that includes 7 subtests:
- Letter-Word Identification
- Applied Problems (math word problems)
- Spelling
- Passage Comprehension (reading comprehension)
- Science
- Social Studies
- Humanities
Scores from the Woodcock Johnson Achievement Test can be used to attain entrance to some programs for gifted learners. The programs often request/require scores in Broad Reading, Broad Mathematics, Broad Written Language, and Broad Achievement. The following 9 subtests together generate the Broad Scores:
- Letter – Word Identification
- Applied Problems
- Spelling
- Passage Comprehension
- Calculation
- Writing Samples
- Sentence Reading Fluency
- Math Facts Fluency
- Sentence Writing Fluency
The General Knowledge subtests should be added if you are using the test to meet the MN homeschool testing requirement:
- Science
- Social Studies
- Humanities
The 9 Broad Scores subtests usually take between 2-3 hours to administer (occasionally longer). The 3 General Knowledge subtests add another 15-30 minutes to the test.
Broad Scores Test
Broad Reading
Broad Mathematics
Broad Written Language
Broad Achievement
$195
Plus General Knowledge subtests
$220
I administer Broad Scores Tests in-person.
I am also currently offering Broad Scores testing via Zoom on a case-by-case basis. Please contact me for more information.
There is a $30 additional fee for Zoom administration of the Broad Scores Test.
Phone/Text
651-395-8657
Email (preferred)
Descriptions of Each Subtest
- Letter-Word Identification measures the student’s word identification and pronunciation skills. This test requires students to either identify letters (young students) or to read aloud individual words.
- Applied Problems measures the student’s ability to solve math problems. Each problem is printed, and will also be read aloud by the test administrator. The focus is on problem-solving, so the student must recognize the procedure to be followed, and then perform relatively simple calculations to solve the problem. Scratch paper is allowed on this subtest.
- Spelling measures the student’s ability to spell words. Students can spell orally or write down their answers.
- Passage Comprehension measures the student’s ability to identify a missing word in a sentence. Students will either look at a rebus (young students) or read a passage to themselves, and then provide a word to fill in the blank.
- Calculation measures the student’s ability to perform mathematical computations. This is your typical “pencil and paper” math. The test administrator will show the student a flash card with a problem printed on it, and the student can use paper and pencil (and fingers!) to solve the problem. Calculators are not allowed.
- Writing Samples measures the student’s skill in writing responses to a variety of demands, which are evaluated for their quality of expression.
- Sentence Reading Fluency measures vocabulary knowledge and semantic fluency. This is a timed subtest.
- Math Facts Fluency measures how quickly and accurately the student can solve simple math problems. This is a timed subtest.
- Sentence Writing Fluency measures the student’s ability to write simple sentences quickly. This is a timed subtest.
- Science, Social Studies, and Humanities measure a student’s knowledge in each of those subjects. Students are asked questions and respond orally.