The Peabody is a standardized, nationally Norm-referenced test that measures academic achievement across several sub-tests. It must be individually administered by a trained examiner. You will get scores in Reading Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Spelling, Math and General Information (which includes Science, Social Studies and the Arts). And these scores are ready for you at the conclusion of your testing session.  This test is not timed and it's shorter in format than the pencil tests you are probably familiar with. Testing typically takes 35-45 min per student. That means less stress for the test taker and less mental fatigue. It's set up almost like a game and very conversational in tone, also keeping stress low. We all know that stress is counter-productive to doing well on a test and can also spawn test anxiety which can plague a person their entire life. This format only requires reading in the reading assessment subtests, so a delayed reader isn't disadvantaged in the other skill areas. The test makes no assumptions about your child's skill levels, so each child is allowed to rise to their level of true ability as we map their strengths and weaknesses. The Peabody assesses K-12 grade levels. All of this means that  each student is allowed to put their best foot forward during testing. When testing the next year, the child will begin where the previous testing left off and attempt new material in each subtest. 

For more specific information on testing and testing options, see the articles listed below. Just tap to read.