Why would student diagnostic scores go down?

Question

I teach sixth grade and give a reading diagnostic at the beginning and end of the year. A few of my students' scores went DOWN... how is that possible?

Answer 1

They either guessed or cheated on the first test or they just did not try their best on the second one.

Answer 2

Sure, it's possible. It may have to do with focus, attention to the test, etc., rather than a true reflection of what they actually know. View it in conjunction with what you are observing in the classroom, informal assessments, etc. As a special educator, I see this all the time.

Answer 3

Most likely your students are tired and burned out from nine months of tests.