Curriculum-based Assessment Research Articles

The Luke S. class action suit: a lesson in system change.

As a result of the powerful sanctions built into the Luke S. consent decree, the State of Louisiana successfully implemented radically different assessment practices which mandated prereferral intervention, curriculum-based assessment, state-wide in-service training for assessment personnel, and direct classroom intervention on the part of assessment personnel. With these new practices in effect, long “waiting lists” for evaluation were eliminated, assessment personnel are able to more accurately and efficiently evaluate suspected handicapped children, and pupil appraisal “support services” are offered to nonhandicapped children experiencing learning or behavior problems in the classroom.

Curriculum-Based Assessment: An Introduction

Curriculum-based assessment (CBA) is a new term for a teaching practice that is as old as education itself: using the material to be learned as the basis for assessing the degree to which it has been learned. In this article, the concept of curriculum-based assessment is introduced, and the stage is set for the articles which follow to present the details of its theory and practice. Curriculum-based assessment is compared to traditional forms of assessment, and the practical application of CBA to special education is briefly discussed.

Implementing Curriculum-Based Assessment: Considerations for Pupil Appraisal Professionals

New concepts in the field of pupil appraisal, such as curriculum-based assessment (CBA), emerge and become integrated into everyday practices, although no model or specific theory exists to systematically guide their integration. This article describes the efforts of the New Orleans public schools to incorporate CBA into their assessment practices in accordance with Louisiana rules and regulations. A training model that varied somewhat from the traditional in-service routine was instituted that dealt with the knowledge base, skills, and attitudes of pupil appraisal professionals. Training included shadowing, a process whereby the trainee practices a new skill in a work setting and receives immediate feedback. More research is needed to develop and/or evaluate any in-service model, including the CBA one.

A personal view of curriculum-based assessment.

Curriculum-based assessment (CBA), an alternative to traditional assessment practices, offers a system for using curriculum as a diagnostic tool and provides a format for management of instruction. It is based on three central themes: (a) curriculum provides the most basic and meaningful avenue for classroom assessment; (b) curriculum places explicit demands upon the learner; and (c) curriculum must be controlled if academic success is to be achieved. Research on CBA has shown it effective in promoting good classroom performance, especially with mainstreamed, low-achieving children and those with attention deficit disorder.

Introducing curriculum-based assessment through consultation.

The consultant who is interested in helping teachers adopt curriculum-based assessment (CBA) techniques should consider the process of innovation in schools for guidance. Since some of the basic assumptions of CBA run counter to school culture, it is important for the consultant to consider various aspects of school culture and its regularities. Finally, the consultant should examine four stages in developing a model program: creating a need, supporting change, implementing a guided practice sequence, and allowing for adaptation.

Using curriculum-based assessment data to make instructional decisions.

This article describes the essential features of curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and provides suggestions for developing them. Special emphasis is placed on describing how teachers can use CBA results to place students into curriculum materials, adjust instruction based on their performance, and evaluate and communicate pupil progress.

An Application of Curriculum-Based Assessment: The Use of Direct and Repeated Measurement

A model of special education is presented in this article based on the use of a direct and repeated measurement and evaluation system for developing effective educational programs. The major premise in applying this system is the development of a continuous data base across all educational decisions, including initial problem selection, program planning, program implementation and evaluation, and program certification. To highlight the issues, two separate studies are included, presenting student outcome data at both the individual and system level, for academic and social behaviors.

Methodological Issues in Curriculum-Based Reading Assessment

A series of three studies examined methodological issues in curriculum-based reading assessment. First, 30- and 60-second word reading measures and reading comprehension tests were administered to 45 elemeentary grade students to explore the influence of sample duration on the measures' concurrent validity. Second, a multiple baseline/reversal design was employed with two second-graders to access the effect of sample duration on the level, slope, and instability of performance. Finally, 20 elementary grade pupils were measured repeatedly from domains of three sizes to explore the effect of domain size on characteristics of measurement. Results indicated that (a) whereas sample duration did not affect concurrent validity, increasing duration reduced performance instability and increased performance slopes and (b) domain size was related inversely to performance slope but did not affect performance stability. Implications for accessing student progress in special education are discussed