What type of validity refers to how well a reading test correlates with a student’s actual reading level?

The type of validity that focuses on how well a reading test correlates with a student's actual reading level is known as criterion-related validity. This form of validity assesses how well one measure predicts or correlates with an outcome based on another, established measure. In this case, the reading test serves as the measure being evaluated against the criterion of a student’s actual reading level, which could be determined through other standardized assessments or evaluations of reading ability.

Criterion-related validity can be further subdivided into two categories: concurrent validity, which examines the correlation at the same point in time, and predictive validity, which evaluates how well the test can predict future performance or outcomes. In education, demonstrating criterion-related validity ensures that the test is effectively measuring what it is supposed to measure and can be relied upon for making educational decisions regarding students’ reading capabilities.