Normed for ages 6:0 to 17:11. Percentile ranks are also provided for each half of each grade from the second half of kindergarten through the second half of grade 12.

The Spelling subtest is described on pages 267 to 27 in the DAS Administration and Scoring Manual and discussed on pages 77-78 in the DAS Introductory and Technical Handbook. Spelling requires the child to write words that are dictated by the examiner. The 70-item test is divided into ten 7-item blocks. Like the Basic Number Skills subtest, Spelling utilizes a Basal and Ceiling format for testing (Basal: 5 or fewer passes within a 7-item set; Ceiling: 2 or fewer passes within the 7-item set). To establish the basal and ceiling, examiners administer the first two words in the specified starting block (determined by the child's age). If the child passes both items, the examiner skips to the next block and continues administering the first two items until the child fails one or both items. At that point, the examiner would administer all the items in the previous block. If the child fails both items on the first attempted block, move back to the preceding block and administer the first two items. Continue to move back until the child passes the first two items in the block and then administer all the remaining items in that block.

Even though Basal and Ceiling rules are used to select items, ability scores are based only on the number of correct responses within a continuous set of completed blocks. The examiner does not give credit for items below the basal. When calculating raw score, ignore all scored items below the basal or above the ceiling. The DAS Administration and Scoring Manual provides excellent descriptions of performance analysis for this test. Again, the examiner must seek another test to measure aspects of written expression other than spelling.