What are the differences between Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) assessments in FastBridge and Star? – FastBridge

To serve districts' growing needs for better dyslexia screening, FastBridge has adopted the Renaissance Star Assessments measure, Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN). RAN assessments are screening assessments intended to identify characteristics of reading disorders, such as dyslexia, in young elementary students, which may indicate a risk of being diagnosed with a reading disorder in the future. In order to preserve the integrity of the assessment design and associated validity and reliability evidence, FastBridge has maintained the same Star functionality to the greatest degree possible; however, some aspects of the RAN assessments vary slightly. This lesson outlines the differences and similarities between the Star and FastBridge RAN assessments.

Differences

Star	FastBridge
RAN stands for Rapid Automatic Naming.	RAN stands for Rapid Automatized Naming.
RAN assessments are included under Star CBM assessments.	RAN assessments are categorized as separate from FastBridge CBM assessments.
RAN assessments are available for grades K-3.	RAN assessments are available for grades PK-3.
RAN administration can be completed fully online, where student and instructor both use online devices; fully paper-pencil, where student and instructor both use paper forms, and scores are manually entered later; or hybrid, where the instructor uses a device, and the student uses a paper-pencil form.	RAN administration can be completed fully paper-pencil, where student and instructor both use paper forms, and scores are manually entered later; or hybrid, where the instructor uses a device, and the student uses a paper-pencil form. Fully online administration is not available on the FastBridge platform at this time.

Similarities

RAN assessments in both Star and FastBridge are meant to assess potential future risk for reading problems, especially dyslexia.
Both utilize the same four subtests: Rapid Letter Naming (RLN), Rapid Picture Naming (RPN), Rapid Color Naming (RCN), and Rapid Number Naming (RNN).
The same sets of letters, pictures, colors, and numbers are used in the associated subtests, with the same reasoning for those objects having been selected.
Both are accessible to both native English and native Spanish speaking students.
Both offer braille accommodations.
Goals are not available for RAN assessments in Star; similarly, progress monitoring is not available for RAN assessments in FastBridge, as the RAN assessments are meant to be a tool to indicate potential diagnostic risk.
RAN assessments in both platforms utilize only two benchmark categories: At/Above Benchmark or Not At Risk, and Below Benchmark or At Risk. The benchmark cutoff for Below Benchmark/At Risk is the 20th percentile.
RAN benchmarks and norms are the same in both Star and FastBridge.

While Star and FastBridge RAN assessments utilize the same benchmark, this benchmark and the associated categories are different from those used for most other FastBridge assessments. For this reason, RAN reports will look slightly different from other FastBridge assessment reports.

Next Steps

To learn more about FastBridge RAN assessments, take a look at Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) Overview. To learn more about Star RAN assessments, take a look at Star CBM English Assessments (Star Record Book).