GORT-5: NU: Gray Oral Reading Tests–Fifth Edition: Normative Update, Complete Kit

Ages: 6-0 through 23-11
Testing Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Administration: Individual

Scoring: Online only

The Gray Oral Reading Tests, now in the normative update to its fifth edition, is one of the most widely used measures of oral reading fluency and comprehension in the United States. The GORT-5: NU has two equivalent forms, Form A and Form B. Each form contains 16 developmentally sequenced reading passages with five comprehension questions each.  An optional miscue analysis system allows reading specialists to analyze reading errors and tailor interventions to specific students’ needs.

Available Scores for the GORT-5: NU

Rate—The Rate Score is derived from the amount of time in seconds taken by a student to read a story aloud.

Accuracy—The Accuracy Score is derived from the number of words the student pronounces correctly when reading the passage.

Fluency—The Fluency Score is a combination of the student’s Rate and Accuracy Scores.

Comprehension—The Comprehension Score is the number of questions about the stories that the student answers correctly. The open-ended format ensures that the items are passage dependent.

Oral Reading Index—The Oral Reading Index is a composite score derived from students’ Fluency and Comprehension scaled scores.

New Features of the GORT-5: NU

Additional data were collected to update the original normative data from 2008–2010 to align with those of the U.S. population.

Reinstated separate basal and ceiling rules for Fluency and Comprehension

Extensive studies of the test’s floors ceilings, and item gradients were conducted.

Extensive studies of test bias (both differential item functioning and subgroup comparison studies) were conducted, indicating that the GORT-5: NU possesses little or no bias regarding gender, race, or ethnicity.

All new criterion-prediction validity studies were added to demonstrate the GORT-5: NU’s validity, including diagnostic accuracy and receiver operating characteristic/area under the curve (ROC/AUC) analyses. These studies indicated that the GORT-5: NU is a highly valid measure of reading ability.

All new studies of construct-identification validity, including studies of age differences and subgroup performance, were conducted. These studies indicated that the GORT-5: NU’s results are valid for a wide range of subgroups, as well as for the general population.

Access to the new GORT-5: NU Online Scoring and Report System is now included and provides an efficient and easy way to obtain GORT-5: NU scores and an optional narrative report.

Rate, Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension are reported as raw scores, grade and age equivalents, percentile ranks, and scaled scores having a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3. The Oral Reading Index is reported as a standard score based on a distribution having a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Percentile ranks are also provided.

The GORT-5: NU can be used for:

Identifying students with reading difficulties. The GORT-5: NU can be used in identifying students who may need more intensive or explicit instruction in reading in order to make adequate progress in reading facility and/or comprehension.

Diagnosing reading disabilities. The test can be used as part of a battery of tests for diagnosis of specific reading disabilities in children through young adults.

Determining strengths and weaknesses. The GORT-5: NU can be used to compare intra-individual reading skills (e.g., reading rate vs. comprehension) and to help tailor interventions to the student’s specific needs.

Evaluating students’ progress in reading. Having two equivalent forms enables examiners to conduct pre-and post-intervention testing to measure progress.

Conducting research. The GORT-5: NU is a standardized, norm-referenced test, making it suitable for use in reading research.

Please note: scoring is only available online through the GORT-5: NU Online Scoring and Report System, which is included in the GORT-5: NU Complete Kit.

COMPLETE GORT-5: NU KIT INCLUDES: Examiner’s Manual, Student Book, 25 Examiner Record Booklets each for Forms A and B, and access to the Online Scoring and Report System, all in a sturdy storage box. (©2026)