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The purpose of this study was to analyze published decoding tests, at the item level, to determine what decoding skills and discrete letter-patterns are assessed, and identify potential instructional implications of these measures. Twenty published word list decoding tests, either used in research or within a Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) framework, were included for analysis. Test items were coded at the syllable level to identify discrete letter-patterns that represent common decoding skills. Frequency of these skills, along with administration features, were analyzed to identify commonalities and differences between published decoding tests. Results show the published decoding tests analyzed vary in the number of decoding skills they measure. All tests showed potential for providing some diagnostic information to inform instructional practices. Implications for practice, directions for future research, and limitations are discussed.

Universal screening practices play a critical role in preventing reading difficulties. Screening decisions typically rely on results from several curriculum-based measurement (CBM) tools. In this study, data from 236 first graders were pulled as a subsample from a statewide study. Participants completed multiple early literacy CBM tools and an outcome measure. Performance differences were compared across tools and publishers to examine classification accuracy. Results show no differences in performance between nonsense word fluency tools across publishers, yet differences were found examining classification accuracy. We also report results of an exploratory analysis examining whether improvements in testing efficiency in early literacy screening are possible via multiple-gating procedures. Improving the accuracy and efficiency of screening procedures are discussed as implications for practice.

The present study examined the technical adequacy of maze-selection tasks constructed in 2 different ways: typical versus novel. We selected distractors for each measure systematically based on rules related to the content of the passage and the part of speech of the correct choice. Participants included 262 middle school students who were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 maze formats. Scoring of the maze included both correct and correct-minus-incorrect scores. Students completed 3 criterion-reading tests: the Scholastic Reading Inventory, the AIMSweb R-Maze, and a high-stakes state assessment (the Missouri Assessment Program). Alternate-forms reliability was similar across maze formats; however, with regard to scoring procedure, reliability coefficients were consistently higher for correct than for correct-minus-incorrect scores. Validity coefficients were also similar across format with 1 exception: The coefficients for typical maze scores were stronger when compared with the Missouri Assessment Program scores than the coefficients for novel maze scores.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between word recognition errors made at a letter-sound pattern level on a word list and on a curriculum-based measurement oral reading fluency measure (CBM-ORF) for typical and struggling elementary readers. The participants were second, third, and fourth grade typical and struggling readers (n = 69) who were systematically sampled from a pool of 265 students participating in a larger study. Participants read a nonsense word list composed of 599 words across 89 letter-sound patterns and three CBM-ORF passages. Pearson product-moment (Pearson "r") correlation coefficients indicate students' recognition of letter-sound patterns on word list and CBM-ORF differs between patterns as well as between type of reader. Results are discussed in terms of usefulness for CBM-ORF to assess letter-sound pattern recognition skills of typical and struggling elementary readers. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)

This study examines the relation between decoding and spelling performance on tasks that represent identical specific grapho-phonemic patterns. Elementary students (N = 206) were administered a 597 pseudoword decoding inventory representing 12 specific grapho-phonemic patterns and a 104 real-word spelling inventory representing identical grapho-phonemic patterns presented on the decoding inventory. Correlational and quantile regression analyses revealed a moderate to strong correlation between student performance in decoding and spelling tasks, with stronger relations found among more complex grapho-phonemic patterns and weaker relations found among less complex grapho-phonemic patterns. The results of this study support the utility of a spelling assessment with items representing a wide range of grapho-phonemic patterns as a screener for specific areas of grapho-phonemic knowledge weakness and provide educators with an efficient method of collecting the data needed to develop targeted interventions. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

This article provides a summary of the five years of implementation of the first cohort of schools participating in Utah's Reading First Initiative. Fifteen schools across six districts comprised this cohort. Performance is compared to the performance of a cohort of matched comparison schools as well as the average state performance on the Utah Language Arts Criterion-referenced Tests (CRTs). Results indicate that Reading First schools appeared to have made greater gains than comparison schools or the state average in the percentage of students achieving proficiency on the CRTs. In addition, the achievement gap for most disaggregated groups was reduced, and greater performance was noted for students who spent three years in Reading First schools rather than one or two. These data are in contrast to the results of the Reading First Impact Study, but highlight the need to examine the contextual effects of systemic reform initiatives such as the Reading First Initiative. (Contains 3 tables, 6 figures, and 2 notes.)

The primary purpose of this study was to assess whether the relation between curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and specific reading skills changes as a function of grade. In addition, this study sought to identify cutscores that correspond with benchmark performance on a variety of reading subskills at Grades 1 through 4. Participants were 310 students, distributed approximately equally across grades, from four schools. Participants were administered CBM reading passages and the Word Attack, Word Identification, and Passage Comprehension subtests from the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test?Revised. Findings indicated that the relation between CBM with decoding, word reading, passage comprehension, basic skills, and total reading-short was strong at each grade level. Benchmarks could not be differentiated for individual reading subskills, but were identified for overall reading competence at each grade level. Implications are drawn for helping school psychologists and other practitioners determine which students need further instructional support in reading.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between different text-leveling systems and reading accuracy and fluency in second-grade students with and without decoding difficulties. Two-hundred-forty-eight second-grade students, 44 identified as low achieving (LA) and 204 identified as average achieving (AA) in decoding skill, participated in the 15-week study. During the study teachers collected data weekly on students' text-reading accuracy and fluency using curriculum-based measurement (CBM) techniques. Text attributes such as readability, decodability, percentage of high frequency words, average words per sentence, and percentage of multisyllabic words were estimated for each passage. Results using the entire sample of children indicated that accuracy of text reading was uniquely predicted by the percentage of high frequency words in the passages, whereas both the percentage of high frequency words and passage decodability made unique contributions to variance in passage-reading fluency. Moreover, results suggested that the relationship between text-leveling variables and reading performance was similar in the LA and AA groups, with only a slight trend favoring a stronger relationship between passage decodability and measures of text-reading performance in the AA group compared to the LA group.

The purpose of this article is to provide a rationale for collecting and using curriculum-based measurement (CB) data as well as providing specific guidelines for how to collect CBM data in reading, spelling, and math. Relying on the research conducted on CBM over the past 25 years, we define what CBM is and how it is different from curriculum-based assessment (CBA). We describe in detail how to monitor student growth within an instructional program using CBM data in reading, spelling, and math. Last, we discuss reasons teachers should collect and use CBM data. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)

Interviews with 29 incarcerated youth revealed significant differences in their knowledge of their Individualized Education Program transition plans. Those who took career classes had more knowledge about job searching, application, and interviewing. (Contains 19 references.) (SK)

Considers oral reading fluency as an indicator of overall reading competence. Summarizes several studies substantiating that oral reading fluency may reflect overall reading competence. Provides an historical analysis of the extent to which oral reading fluency has been incorporated into measurement approaches during the past century. Concludes with recommendations about the assessment of oral reading fluency for research and practice. (RS)

Abstract Schools across the United States are faced with increased student diversity and the challenge of providing a high-quality education for all students as mandated by the No Child Left [...]

The purpose of this study was to examine the vocabulary teaching of primary-grade teachers (K-3) in low-income schools. A total of 337 observations were conducted during language arts blocks over a three-year period. A coding scheme was developed to analyze teachers’ vocabulary instruction. Results indicated that teachers spent less than 5% of their language arts block on vocabulary instruction (7.55 minutes). Most of that time was spent on teaching individual word meanings with less time spent on word-learning strategies. As well, the majority of time was spent on teacher-student interactions using both oral and written forms of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]