A percentile score of 65% indicates what about the student's performance?

A percentile score of 65% signifies that the student performed better than 65% of their peers who took the same assessment. This means that only 35% of the students scored higher than this individual. In educational assessments, percentile rankings are a way of interpreting how a student’s score compares to others in the same population, illustrating relative performance rather than just the raw score itself.

This understanding is crucial in special education as it helps educators gauge a student's level of achievement in relation to their peers, allowing for targeted interventions and tailored instructional strategies. While options that suggest scoring lower or being in the top percentage might seem related to performance, they do not accurately reflect the interpretation of a 65th percentile score. Similarly, a perfect score would not correspond with being placed at the 65th percentile, as that would indicate issues functioning fully at a high level compared to others.