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Free placement tests, readiness checks and starting-point guides for every reading and phonics program we cover, in one place. Starting at the right level matters as much as picking the right program.
Links checked September 2026
| Program | Type | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| ABCmouseSupplement | Built into the program | Adaptive learning path once your child starts Reading is one of several subjects on an adaptive path; the app adjusts automatically as your child progresses, with no separate test. |
| Abeka Reading/Phonics | No test | No placement test: use age/grade guidelines Abeka doesn't offer a reading placement test; compare its Scope & Sequence to what your child already knows. |
| All About Reading | Free placement test | Free placement tests Free reading readiness and level-specific placement tests (Levels 1-4); a parent gives the test with the student, not independently. |
| Alpha Omega LIFEPAC/Monarch Language Arts | Free placement test | Free placement tests Free, parent-administered LIFEPAC Language Arts tests for grades 1-8, not timed. |
| Barton Reading & Spelling System | Free placement test | Free student screening (10 min) Checks the phonemic-awareness and auditory skills the program needs before starting; a short screening for the parent-tutor is required too. |
| BJU Press Reading | Free placement test | Free reading skill assessments Includes informal reading assessments and a Phonics Progress Monitoring Tool; most useful when switching from another program. |
| Bob BooksSupplement | No test | No placement test: start with Set 1 Five sets run in order from first sounds to short chapter books; start with Set 1 unless your child is already blending simple words. |
| Christian Light Reading and Language Arts | Free placement test | Free diagnostic tests Free printable Language Arts diagnostic tests; start testing at least one grade below your child's grade. |
| Explode the CodeSupplement | Placement guide | Placement test book (sold separately) Six short tests recommend a starting book (A-C and 1-8); the test book is a separate purchase, not a free online tool. |
| Hooked on Phonics | Placement guide | Level Selection Guide Picks a starting level (1-8) from age and what sounds or words your child already knows; no formal test. |
| Logic of English Foundations | Free placement test | Free placement test & recommendation guide A scripted, printable test plus an online recommendation tool to choose between Foundations A and B. |
| Master Books Language Arts | Free placement test | Free placement guide A free guide assesses reading, comprehension and writing skills; levels are based on writing skill and stamina, not age or grade, so it's fine to start below grade level. |
| Nessy Reading and Spelling | Built into the program | Built-in placement test (the Nessy Challenge) Runs automatically when your child starts the program to set their starting point. |
| PRIDE Reading Program | Free placement test | Free online placement assessment Assesses decoding, spelling and reading skills to recommend a starting level; a more detailed Comprehensive Reading Assessment is also available. |
| Primary Arts of Language (IEW) | No test | No placement test: single K-2 program Designed as one integrated program for grades K-2; start with the reading half and add writing when ready, per the manual. |
| Reading EggsSupplement | Built into the program | Placement test when your child starts Works for complete beginners and children who already read some; can be re-taken, or skipped to Lesson 1 if you prefer. |
| Reading Horizons Discovery | Built into the program | Adaptive skill checks once you start A Readiness Check plus ongoing skill checks place and regroup your child automatically; no separate pre-purchase test. |
| Rod & Staff (reading/English) | Free placement test | Free placement test 15 questions per grade; start a grade or two below and stop once your child falls below 80%. |
| Schoolhouse Teachers (reading courses) | Placement guide | Focus on Reading center: pick by stage Courses are grouped by reading stage (Pre-Reader through Fluent Reader) rather than a formal test. |
| Sonlight Phonics K | No test | No placement test: one kindergarten-level program Designed as a single kindergarten-level phonics program; if your child is past this stage, look at Sonlight's other language arts levels instead. |
| Spell to Write and Read | Placement guide | Placement guidance in the teacher's manual No standalone test; the Wise Guide manual walks you through placing a student, including older students new to the program, by working through the phonogram list together. |
| SPIRE | Placement guide | Included placement assessment The Initial Placement Assessment, sold as part of program materials, places students at the right level; not a free online test. |
| StarfallSupplement | No test | No placement test: browse by category Free activities are organized by skill level (ABCs, phonics, early reading) rather than a placement test; browse and pick what matches your child. |
| Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons | No test | No placement test: start at Lesson 1 A single scripted book meant to be worked straight through from Lesson 1; if your child already reads simple words, skip ahead and adjust based on how easily they follow along. |
| Teach Your Monster to ReadSupplement | No test | No placement test: free game, starts at the beginning A single linear game that starts with letter sounds and builds up; there's no separate level to place into. |
| The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts | Free placement test | Free placement test One reading-passage test recommends a Language Arts course level; parent-led through Level 3, student-directed from Level 4 up. |
| The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading | No test | No formal placement test: start by age Levels are sequential starting around age 5-7; older students new to the program typically still start at Level One since letters and concepts build in order. |
| Time4Learning Reading | No test | No placement test: sign-up questionnaire A short questionnaire at sign-up suggests a level; many parents then use the built-in quizzes to find where their child starts to struggle. |
| UFLI Foundations | Free placement test | Free placement test (PDF) Built as an intervention starting-point tool, not a universal readiness screener; check this page for the current placement test download. |
Kids who've had some phonics instruction before, or who are switching programs, may not fit neatly into a level based on grade or age alone. A placement test or reading stage shows where to actually start.
That's common when switching programs, and it isn't a sign of a problem. Starting where your child is genuinely secure in their phonics skills builds confidence and usually means moving through the first levels quickly.
Many phonics and reading programs are sequential and simply start at the beginning (or at the level matching your child's age), rather than using a diagnostic test; check the notes above for how each program recommends starting.