Reading level converter
Enter a level in PM Benchmark, Fountas and Pinnell, Reading Recovery, Lexile or DRA and read it off in the others, with the year it is typical of and the end of year target.
The level in every other system.
PM Benchmark 1
Foundation (early)
- Fountas & Pinnell
- A
- Reading Recovery
- 1 to 2
- Lexile
- BR to 0L
- DRA
- A to 1
Typical of Foundation. End of Foundation target: PM 5 to 8, F&P C to D. Equivalences are approximate: confirm with a running record before you move a student.
The whole chart
| Year | PM Benchmark | Fountas & Pinnell | Reading Recovery | Lexile | DRA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation (early) | 1 to 2 | A | 1 to 2 | BR to 0L | A to 1 |
| Foundation (mid) | 3 to 5 | B to C | 3 to 5 | 0L to 100L | 2 to 3 |
| Foundation (end) | 5 to 8 | C to D | 5 to 8 | 50L to 150L | 3 to 6 |
| Year 1 (early) | 9 to 11 | E to F | 9 to 11 | 100L to 200L | 8 to 10 |
| Year 1 (mid) | 12 to 14 | G to H | 12 to 14 | 150L to 300L | 12 to 14 |
| Year 1 (end) | 15 to 17 | I to J | 15 to 17 | 200L to 350L | 16 to 18 |
| Year 2 (early) | 18 to 19 | J to K | 18 to 19 | 300L to 400L | 18 to 20 |
| Year 2 (mid) | 20 to 22 | K to L | 20 | 350L to 450L | 20 to 24 |
| Year 2 (end) | 23 to 25 | L to M | – | 400L to 500L | 28 to 30 |
| Year 3 | 26 to 28 | M to P | – | 450L to 600L | 30 to 38 |
| Year 4 | 28 to 30 | P to S | – | 550L to 750L | 38 to 44 |
| Year 5 | 30+ | S to V | – | 700L to 900L | 44 to 50 |
| Year 6 | 30+ | V to X | – | 850L to 1050L | 50 to 60 |
The same table as the reading levels chart guide, which explains each system and what to expect at each year level.
Guided reading at this level: texts, comprehension tasks and running record sheets by Australian teachers for Foundation.
Reading resources for Foundation
One level, every system
Australian primary schools meet five reading level systems: PM Benchmark in most government schools, Fountas and Pinnell where guided reading follows their approach, Reading Recovery in Year 1 intervention, Lexile on digital platforms such as Reading Eggs and Epic, and DRA in some independent schools. A student arrives with a level in one and you need it in another. Pick the system you have, enter the level, and read the rest off.
When you would use it
- A new student comes with a Fountas and Pinnell letter on their file and your groups run on PM levels.
- A reading platform reports a Lexile score and you want a guided reading level to start from, before a running record confirms it.
- A Reading Recovery teacher hands a student back at level 16 and the classroom teacher needs the PM group for them.
- Reports and parent meetings: the chart shows where a level sits against the end of year target, in whichever system the parent has heard of.
Read more
The reading levels chart guide explains each system, the end of year expectations and what to do when a student is below them. For early readers, see decodable readers and the sight words list; for older ones, reading comprehension activities.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PM Benchmark level to Fountas and Pinnell?
Choose PM Benchmark, pick the level, and the Fountas and Pinnell letter appears beside it. PM 18 to 19 sits with F&P J to K, PM 20 to 22 with K to L, and PM 23 to 25 with L to M. The two systems level texts on different criteria, so the match is a band, not a single letter.
How do I convert a Lexile score to a guided reading level?
Choose Lexile and type the score from the reading platform, for example 380L. The converter finds the band that score sits in and gives the PM Benchmark and F&P levels for it: 380L is Year 2 (mid), PM 20 to 22, F&P K to L. A score on the edge of two bands, such as 420L, shows the span of both. Confirm with a running record using your school’s assessment texts before placing the student.
Why does one level sometimes give a range of two year levels?
The systems overlap at their edges. PM 5 is the top of Foundation (mid) and the bottom of Foundation (end), and 450L is in both the Year 2 and Year 3 bands, so the converter shows the whole span rather than picking one. Where a level is typical of two years, the student is around the boundary between them.
What does BR mean in a Lexile score?
BR stands for Beginning Reader: a measure below 0L. Type BR, or a figure such as BR50L, and the converter treats it as the earliest Foundation band, PM 1 to 2 and F&P A.
Why is there no Reading Recovery level for Year 3 and up?
Reading Recovery is a Year 1 intervention that levels texts from 1 to 20, close to PM 1 to 20. Students leave the program at level 20, which is mid Year 2, so there is nothing to convert to beyond that.
Are the expected levels the same in every state?
The end of year targets here (PM 5 to 8 for Foundation, 15 to 17 for Year 1, 23 to 25 for Year 2) are the benchmarks most Australian schools use, drawn from state education department guidance. Your school may set its own, so check its reading policy.