This collaborative practitioner research study investigated the efficacy of using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) to improve reading fluency for elementary students receiving special education support. The study was conducted simultaneously in two distinct educational settings: a public school in the United States and a private English-medium school in a multilingual, densely populated Asian country. Over one academic semester, educators in both settings implemented a data-based individualization model where DIBELS 8th Edition data directly informed targeted interventions such as repeated readings and systematic phonics. Despite vast differences in cultural and linguistic contexts, class sizes, and resource availability, results indicated statistically significant growth in Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) scores for students in both locations. This study demonstrates the transposable power of curriculum-based measurement to guide effective instruction and bridge literacy gaps for diverse learners across the globe.

ABSTRACT Purpose We examined approaches to determining students’ responsiveness to data-based instruction (DBI) in early writing across methods (final status and growth) and measures (proximal writing curriculum-based measures and a distal standardized writing measure), as well as student- and teacher-level predictors of responsiveness. Method The analytic sample included 57 teachers and their 131 students (2.5 mean grade-level, 33.6% female, 61.0% White) who (a) were identified as having intensive early writing needs, (b) were enrolled in the treatment condition of a larger randomized control trial and thus participated in early writing DBI, and (c) had available screening, pre- and post-test, and progress monitoring data. We compared the number and percentage of students identified as more or less responsive to 20 weeks of DBI across methods and measures. Then, we examined whether students’ responsiveness could be predicted by different student- or teacher-level factors using hierarchical logistic regression. Results Findings suggested that initial performance was the most consistently significant predictor of students’ responsiveness to DBI across the models, and that student factors (special education/English language learner eligibility) and one teacher factor (self-efficacy) sometimes appeared to play a role. Conclusion Overall, the proportion of more versus less responsive students varied depending on the methods and measures used to determine responsiveness, as did predictors of responsiveness. Implications for selecting measures and methods to identify students’ responsiveness to DBI in early writing for further research and practice are discussed.

Technical quality of language sample analysis (LSA) metrics using sentence-level writing curriculum-based measures was examined with 73 emergent bilinguals (English learners) in Grades 1–3. Alternate-form reliability, criterion-related validity between LSA metrics with writing curriculum-based measure metrics, predictive validity between fall LSA scores and winter scores on a standardized English proficiency measure, discrimination among grades, and sensitivity to growth were evaluated. The LSA metric mean length of T-Unit in words showed technical quality using the mean of two forms in the fall for Grades 2 and 3, while a number of different words maintained technical quality in Grades 2 and 3 across seasons using individual and the mean of two forms. Discrimination among grades and sensitivity to growth evidence were weaker.

In this study we investigate the development and instructional application of a curriculum-based English vocabulary list tailored for marketing majors at a technological university in Taiwan. Combining corpus linguistics and curriculum-based measurement (CBM), we aimed to address the lexical challenges that low-proficiency learners in English for Specific Purposes contexts (ESP) face. We constructed a specialised corpus from open-access marketing textbooks and web-based content. We selected the Marketing Word List (MWL), comprising 208 high-frequency domain-specific terms, through frequency analysis and expert validation using the Delphi method. We subsequently integrated these terms into an online learning platform that delivered bilingual instructional materials, self-paced quizzes and weekly formative assessments. A two-month intervention showed a statistically significant improvement in students’ vocabulary performance. Preliminary evidence suggested that the MWL enhanced domain-specific vocabulary acquisition, and learners reported increased confidence and perceived relevance of the word list to their studies. The findings highlight CBM-aligned vocabulary instruction’s pedagogical potential, supported by technology-enhanced delivery systems, in tertiary education. This approach offers a replicable model for aligning assessment, instruction and content in ESP instruction for low-proficiency English learners.

Examining Reliability and Growth Rates of Spanish Language Written Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement (SWE-CBM) with Emergent Bilingual Students (EBs): An Exploratory Study

Criterion validity evidence and alternate form reliability of curriculum-based measures of written expression for eighth grade students

Given oral language's role in writing proficiency and to address measurement issues in oral and written language, we trialed complementary scoring metrics in language sample analysis (LSA) with the sentence-level Picture Word Writing Curriculum-Based Measure (CBM-W). Using the Picture Word CBM-W samples of 123 students with writing difficulties, we investigated (1a) alternate form reliability, (1b) criterion-related validity with existing Picture Word CBM-W metrics, (2) criterion-related validity with a standardized written expression measure, and (3) sensitivity to growth from fall to spring for LSA and Picture Word CBM-W scoring mechanisms. Pearson product-moment correlations, Spearman's correlations, and Bonferroni-corrected paired-samples t-tests revealed two promising LSA metrics with evidence of technical quality and sensitivity to growth as a complementary scoring mechanism for Picture Word CBM-W: mean length of T-Unit in morphemes (MLTU-M) using the mean of two forms in the fall, and number of different words (NDW) using the mean of two forms in fall and spring. Results support the role of oral language in sentence-level writing proficiency, as well as MLTU-M and NDW as complementary scoring mechanisms to provide more specific estimates of oral language skills in grammar/morphosyntax and semantics/lexical diversity not possible with current Picture Word CBM-W scoring mechanisms.

From 2011 to 2014, multiple special series were published in Assessment for Effective Intervention . As with any publications, there is great variation in their use, citation rate, and impact on the field. This article briefly summarizes two special series, Innovations in Early Numeracy Assessment and Content Area Measurement Using Curriculum-Based Measurement and discusses how the field has changed, or not, since their publication.

ABSTRACT Over the course of two decades of research, 1774 students were assessed using a curriculum-based measure of oral reading fluency (the Wheldall Assessment of Reading Passages, or WARP) and on several other established measures of reading and reading-related skills. The full sample comprised 501 typical readers from Years 2 to 6 and 1273 low-progress readers in Years 2 to 6 attending intensive literacy intervention programs. Data presented here show that WARP scores were strongly correlated with text reading accuracy, word reading accuracy and spelling, while they were moderately correlated with nonword reading accuracy and reading comprehension, and less strongly correlated with receptive vocabulary. WARP scores were also strongly correlated with scores from the same students who were assessed three, six and/or nine months after the original testing time point. These results indicate that the WARP has excellent criterion validity and test-retest reliability.

Toward the fair and valid use of curriculum-based measurement for students with intensive writing needs and linguistically diverse backgrounds

There is growing interest in statistical modeling of data from single-case design (SCD) research. However, currently available methods such as hierarchical linear models and generalized linear mixed models have assumptions that may limit their utility for applied SCDs, such as those that use curriculum-based measures of academic performance as outcomes. In the present paper, we demonstrate use of a flexible class of distributional models, known as generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS), to evaluate different distributional families and modeling specifications for reading curriculum-based measures of reading fluency data drawn from SCD studies of academic interventions. Using Bayesian methods and graphical posterior predictive checks, we evaluated GAMLSS based on normal (Gaussian), Poisson, and negative binomial distributional families. We also evaluated the extent to which the dispersion, or variability of outcomes, itself varied across studies and across participants within studies. We found that negative binomial models with heterogeneous dispersions fit better than other distributional families and closely reproduced features of the observed data. Findings highlight the need to consider a broader set of distributional families when developing meta-analytic models of SCD data as well as the need to consider how the degree of dispersion may vary from study to study. We discuss implications for future methodological research and for meta-analysis of SCDs.

Purpose: This study aimed to improve the writing competency of third-grade elementary school students with classroom instruction by integrating multiple subjects through paragraph writing using Fogarty’s Threaded Model. The Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) was employed to repeatedly assess students’ writing performance, providing data for improving teaching and learning practices. The purpose of this research was to examine whether students’ writing competency improved quantitatively and qualitatively through the teacher’s reflective practice. Methods: This study applied an action research method, in which a teacher facing a problem in the field takes the initiative to explore and reflect on their own practices to solve the issue. The first cycle of implementation involved eighteen third-grade students in the researcher’s class during the 2023 academic year. The second and third cycles involved nineteen third-grade students in the 2024 academic year. As part of the subject lessons, students practiced “one-paragraph writing per day” in a paragraph writing notebook for content summarization. To assess students’ current writing levels and track progress through teacher interventions, a “Paragraph Writing Competency Assessment Tool” was developed and used for repeated measurement. Results: In the first implementation, fourteen out of eighteen students (77.7%) showed improvement in writing fluency (quantitative change), and their ability to include paragraph elements in their writing improved from the baseline to the maintenance phase (qualitative change). In the second and third implementations, seventeen out of nineteen students (89%) showed improved writing fluency, with continued progress in incorporating paragraph elements, increased use of transitional expressions, and the use of various content development strategies. Conclusion: This study provides empirical evidence for enhancing the writing competency of third-grade students both quantitatively and qualitatively. It explores applicable classroom strategies in public education that offer high-quality writing experiences and promote students’ writing development.

This research explored reading comprehension complexities among Filipino Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs) in inclusive education settings. It analyzed factors influencing their comprehension and educators' use of standard assessments to inform a targeted action plan. A descriptive-correlational study was conducted in two DepEd Cebu Province public schools with 90 Special Education (SpEd) and General Education (Gen. Ed.) teachers selected via convenience and purposive sampling. Data, collected through a three-part survey on LSEN reading proficiency, assessment tool utilization, and influencing factors, were analyzed using frequency count, weighted mean, and Spearman rho correlation. Findings revealed varied LSEN reading comprehension levels, with stronger foundational skills but challenges in vocabulary, syntax, and higher-order comprehension. Educators showed limited use of diverse assessments, favoring Informal Reading Inventories over Curriculum-Based Measurement and customized methods. Educators perceived individual, instructional, and environmental factors as having limited influence, yet a strong positive correlation emerged between standard assessment tool utilization and LSEN reading proficiency. Therefore, addressing LSEN reading challenges necessitates varied, contextually relevant assessments, a deeper understanding of individual learner characteristics, effective instruction, and recognition of environmental influences for equitable literacy development.

Abstract This study examines the impact of curriculum‐based measurements (CBMs) on literacy assessment in Omani schools, with a focus on how these tools affect Emergent and Proficient Readers. Grounded in the concepts of graphocentrism and ableism, the research highlights the systemic biases embedded within standard literacy practices that favour written language and normative learning trajectories. Through the analysis of literacy outcomes among Grade 1 students aged between six and seven years, the study reveals significant performance disparities, indicating that current assessment practices disproportionately benefit Proficient Readers while marginalising those with diverse learning needs. The findings underscore the need for a decolonising approach to literacy that incorporates multi‐literacies and culturally relevant pedagogies, advocating for educational reforms that recognise and value the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of students. By shifting toward more inclusive assessment methods, Oman can better address educational inequities and foster an environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed. This research contributes to the global discourse on educational equity, suggesting that literacy assessments be restructured to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the evaluation of student competencies.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between near phoria and reading speed, comprehension and to assess the effectiveness of vision therapy. Method: A comprehensive review of research papers investigating the effects of near phoria on reading performance was conducted. The studies involved utilized various research designs, including randomized controlled trials, observational studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies. Consistently used Binocular Vision tests used in the studies included the cover test, near point of convergence, positive and negative fusional vergence, vergence facility, accommodative facility, and stereopsis assessment. Reading performance was assessed using tools such as the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III), Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test (GMRT), AIMSweb Reading Curriculum-Based Measure (R-CBM), and International Reading Speed Text (IReST). Selective Vision therapies included office-based vergence/accommodative therapy, home-based exercises, prism therapy, and computer-based visual training programs to improve convergence and accommodation. Results and Conclusion: The findings ruled-out a significant negative correlation between near phoria and reading performance. Individuals with binocular vision anomalies displayed slower reading speeds, increased fixation durations, and reduced comprehension compared to those with normal BV (p < 0.05). Studies indicate that convergence insufficiency and accommodative dysfunction contribute to ineffective reading, characterized by frequent reversions and loss of place while reading. Vision therapy such as vergence and accommodative exercises, prism therapy, and computer-based training, have shown improvements in reading fluency and eye coordination; however, their direct effect on comprehension is still inconclusive. Existing gaps in studies include insufficient studies on the sustained impact of therapy, the academic consequences of near phoria, and to standardize evaluation methodologies for reading and comprehension. Acknowledging these gaps will enhance understanding and optimizing vision therapy for improved reading outcomes

Reading outcomes at a national level have remained stagnant for more than two decades. One reason why is that the field has struggled with how to address poor reading comprehension when reading words is not the problem. Another is that limited insight into the causes of poor comprehension performance is offered by traditional reading comprehension measures. This article describes the Multiple-choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment (MOCCA), a measure of reading comprehension designed to assess the cognitive processes in which Grade 3 to 6 students engage when trying to comprehend as they read. In contrast to traditional reading comprehension assessments, MOCCA provides diagnostic information about how students who are struggling with reading comprehension cognitively approach the comprehension task. Multiple-choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment scores are directly aligned to instructional decisions and are most useful when triangulated with other reading curriculum-based measures, for which this article provides two examples and a decision-making heuristic.

Automated writing evaluation programs have emerged as alternative, feasible approaches for scoring student writing. This study evaluated accuracy, predictive validity, diagnostic accuracy, and bias of automated scores of Written-Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement (WE-CBM). A sample of 722 students in Grades 2-5 completed 3-min WE-CBM tasks during one school year. A subset of students also completed the state-mandated writing test the same year or 1 year later. Writing samples were hand-scored for four WE-CBM metrics. A computer-based approach generated automated scores for the same four metrics. Findings indicate simpler automated metrics such as total words written and words spelled correctly, closely matched hand-calculated scores, while small differences were observed for more complex metrics including correct word sequences and correct minus incorrect word sequences. Automated scores for simpler WE-CBM metrics also predicted performance on the state test similarly to hand-calculated scores. Finally, we failed to identify evidence of bias between African American and Hispanic students associated with automated scores. Implications of using automated scores for educational decision making are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Improving Written-Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement Feasibility With Automated Writing Evaluation Programs

Kindergarten writing involves acquiring fundamental skills, such as letter formation, phonemic awareness, and the gradual use of written language to express ideas. In this context, tablet-based curriculum assessments present new opportunities for teaching and evaluating these early writing abilities. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no tool with these features available for Spanish-speaking children. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to present a tablet-based protocol for screening at-risk young writers. This tablet-based protocol is specifically designed for kindergarten-level education and serves as a curriculum-based assessment tool that focuses on evaluating early writing skills in young learners. This user-friendly application incorporates interactive tasks and exercises, including assessments of phonological awareness, name writing, alphabet letter copying fluency, and oral narrative skills. These comprehensive evaluations cover various aspects of writing. This application is meticulously aligned with kindergarten curriculum objectives, ensuring that assessments adhere to educational standards. By providing educators with a digital platform to assess and enhance students' writing skills, this tool empowers them to make data-driven decisions for effective instruction during the early stages of writing development. Moreover, it functions as a curriculum-based measurement (CBM), offers valuable support for identifying potential writing challenges in young learners and continuously monitoring their progress. This feature enables early intervention and tailored instruction to optimize writing skill development.

Early screening for mathematically gifted students (MGSs) in Jordan and other Arab countries is limited, posing challenges in identifying and providing appropriate educational services. This study evaluates the validity and reliability of the Arabiya Calculation Test and Math Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) as tools for effectively screening and supporting MGSs in inclusive education settings. These tools were developed based on the Jordanian curriculum and international assessment tools and require further validation for use in other Arabic-speaking countries. A quantitative research design was employed, using the Arabiya Calculation Test and M-CBM to assess 78 MGSs in grades 3, 4, and 5 across three schools in Jordan. The tools' reliability and validity were evaluated, with findings specifically limited to these grades. Performance differences among students and correlations between the two measures were analyzed. The findings demonstrated that both the Arabiya Calculation Test and M-CBM are valid and reliable tools for identifying MGSs. These tools effectively differentiated performance across grades 3, 4, and 5. In addition, the significant correlation between these two measures supported their validity in identifying gifted students. The results have important implications for educational practice and policy in Jordan and similar Arab countries. Accurate identification of gifted students may facilitate tailored instruction and enrichment programs, improving the experience of inclusive education. These assessment tools offer the potential to identify gifted students early and meet their needs within an inclusive school environment.