The present study used generalizability theory to investigate the dependability of systematic observations of students' problem behavior and on-task behavior in classrooms. The Direct Observation Form (McConaughy & Achenbach, 2009) was used with a sample of 24, 6- to-11-year-old children attending 18 different elementary schools. The participants…

The purpose of this study was to develop short-duration assessment measures hypothesized to be valid samples of early mathematical behavior. The Early Numeracy Skill Indicators were designed using a curriculum-based assessment approach. Participants included 64 kindergarten children from a school district in the rural Northeast. Design components…

This study examined the relation between benchmark data and rate of growth across the year for reading, math computation, and math concepts and applications curriculum-based measures, and a statewide and large-scale achievement test. Results showed that reading and math benchmarks were significantly and moderately correlated with performance on…

The purpose of this study was to compare different statistical and methodological approaches to standard setting and determining cut scores using R-CBM and performance on high-stakes tests. One thousand seven hundred and sixty-six students were followed longitudinally from first through third grades using R-CBM benchmark assessment. In addition,…

Direct observation plays an important role in the assessment practices of school psychologists and in the development of evidence-based practices in general and special education. The defining psychometric features of direct observation are presented, the contributions to assessment practice reviewed, and a specific proposal is offered for…

A variety of coding schemes are available for direct observational assessment of student classroom behavior. These instruments have been used for a number of assessment tasks including screening children in need of further evaluation for emotional and behavior problems, diagnostic assessment of emotional and behavior problems, assessment of…

This study examined the effects of controlling the level of difficulty on the sensitivity of repeated curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Participants included 99 students in Grades 2 through 5 who were administered CBM reading passage probes twice weekly over an 11-week period. Two sets of CBM reading progress monitoring materials were compared:…

This study examined the generalizability of systematic direct observation across setting and time. Participants included 14 students from an intact inclusionary fifth grade classroom. On-task/off-task behavior was directly observed using momentary time-sampling recording, twice a day, for 10 school days. Using Generalizability (G) theory, results…

The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the concurrent validity of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) with the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP), and (b) explore the diagnostic accuracy of the DIBELS in predicting CTOPP performance using suggested and alternative cut-scores. Eighty-six students…

The purpose of this research was to implement and evaluate a classroom strategy to increase student engagement in sustained silent reading (SSR), a form of school-based recreational reading. Teacher modeling was selected as the primary intervention. A within-subjects ABAB withdrawal design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the…

Examines the extent to which curriculum-based measurement (CBM) survey-level mathematics assessment varies as a function of type of survey-level assessment used and the generalizability of results. Results of a generalizability analysis suggest that for single-skill survey-level CBM math assessments, the administration of one single-skill math…

Examines the differential predictive bias of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in reading across African American and Caucasian students. Results of this study suggest that CBM continues to appear to be a sensitive form of direct reading assessment in the local curriculum for both African American and Caucasian elementary-age students. (Contains…

Examines the use of grade versus goal level reading material on curriculum-based measurement (CBM) progress-monitoring procedures. Students were administered CBM reading passage probes from both grade and goal level material. Rate of progress was indexed in each level of materials. Results indicate that the amount of progress observed varied as a…

Assesses the effects of curriculum on technical features of survey-level curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in reading. Results indicate that correlation between survey-level CBM and reading comprehension is similar regardless of material used for assessment. Also, developmental fluency rates are similar. Results support the use of CBM…