DAR is presented in two forms to serve as pre- and post-assessments. What is the primary purpose of having two forms?

• A. To measure reading speed and comprehension separately
• B. To identify and measure initial skills and track progress over time
• C. To test both reading and math
• D. To provide different languages

Answer: (B)

Using two forms of an assessment is about establishing a baseline and tracking growth over time. A pre-assessment gives a snapshot of a student’s current reading skills before instruction begins, and a post-assessment after instruction shows how much those skills have improved. Having two forms helps ensure fair comparison—often the forms are designed to be similar in difficulty while reducing practice effects from taking the same test again. This setup lets you identify where the student started and precisely how much they progressed, which informs targeted instruction and demonstrates growth. The other options don’t fit the purpose: measuring speed and comprehension separately isn’t the main goal of pre/post forms; testing reading and math or providing different languages are not the focus of this two-form approach.