| name | reading-level |
| description | Estimate the reading level of a text snippet and return a grade-band label + Lexile estimate. Use this atom when a workflow needs to check whether a passage, question, or artifact draft is appropriate for the target students BEFORE generating differentiated versions. Do NOT use for full document analysis — this atom takes a single passage (( 500 words). Do NOT use for student data analysis or grading. |
reading-level
Estimates reading level of a text passage and returns a grade-band label, approximate Lexile range, and a brief rationale. Zero-token path when the readability library is installed (Flesch-Kincaid); model-based estimate otherwise. Used by lesson-planner, assessment-item, and differentiate atoms to verify appropriateness before passing content downstream.
Input
{
"text": "The water cycle describes how water moves...",
"target_grade": "5",
"context": "science passage for a quiz"
}
target_grade: the intended audience grade. context (optional): helps calibrate the estimate.
Output
{
"tool": "reading-level",
"estimated_grade_band": "4-5",
"lexile_estimate": "700-750L",
"match_for_target": true,
"rationale": "Sentence length averages 14 words; academic vocabulary present but not dense; Flesch-Kincaid grade ~4.8.",
"method": "flesch_kincaid | model_estimate",
"recommendation": "Appropriate for grade 5. For ELL/below-grade readers, simplify vocabulary in sentences 2 and 4.",
"human_review_required": true
}
match_for_target: true if the estimated band includes the target grade. method is flesch_kincaid when the readability or textstat library is installed, model_estimate otherwise (less precise).
Do NOT use this atom for
- Full document readability audits (call this atom once per passage)
- Student performance data or reading assessment scores
- Assigning a Lexile as a guaranteed authoritative measure — it's an estimate
Pipeline note
Follows references/method.md at the Analysis step (reading-level estimation). Output conforms to references/metadata-schema.md. Standards and Differentiation steps are skipped. This atom is a quality pre-check only. human_review_required: true — Lexile estimates are directional, not certified.
