1. The ABCs of CBM for Math, Spelling, & Writing
Michelle Hosp, Ph.D.
(Introduction of Presenters….)
Today we will be talking about one form of Progress Monitoring: Curriculum-Based Measurement, or CBM.

2. Objectives Overview of Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM)
Review CBM measures in: math, spelling, and writing (including writing IEP goals and objectives)
Cover criteria for progress monitoring in math and spelling
Provide information on where to obtain measures for math, spelling, and writing

3. CBM Research CBM research has been conducted over the past 25+ years
Research has demonstrated that when teachers use CBM for instructional decision making:
Students learn more
Teacher decision making improves
Students are more aware of their performance
Research has demonstrated that when teachers use CBM to inform their instructional decision making, students learn more, teacher decision making improves, and students are more aware of their own performance (e.g., Fuchs, Deno, & Mirkin, 1984). CBM research, conducted over the past 30 years, has also shown CBM to be reliable and valid (e.g., Deno, 1985; Germann & Tindal, 1985; Marston, 1988; Shinn, 1989).
A more in-depth bibliography of CBM research is available in the CBM manual.
Resources:
Deno, S.L. (1985). Curriculum-based measurement: The emerging alternative. Exceptional Children, 52,
Fuchs, L.S., Deno, S.L., & Mirkin, P.K. (1984). Effects of frequent curriculum-based measurement of evaluation on pedagogy, student achievement, and student awareness of learning. American Educational Research Journal, 21,
Germann G., & Tindal, G. (1985). An application on curriculum-based assessment: The use of direct and repeated measurement. Exceptional Children, 52,
Marston, D. (1988). The effectiveness of special education: A time-series analysis of reading performance in regular and special education settings. The Journal of Special Education, 21,
Shinn, M.R. (Ed.). (1989). Curriculum-based measurement: Assessing special children. New York: Guilford Press.

4. General Outcome Measurement
Different Types of CBA
Mastery Measurement
General Outcome Measurement
Specific subskill testing relies on mastery measurement where small domains of test items and mastery criteria are specified for each subskill.
For example, a teacher wants to increase a students spelling proficiency so she needs to do two things. One, determine the subskill hierarchy for the spelling curriculum she is using and Two, design a criterion-referenced testing procedure to match each step on the hierarchy. These skills are then taught in sequence.

5. Salient Features of Mastery Measurement
Curriculum is broken down into specific subskills or short-term instructional objectives
Assess specific skill that is being taught
Example
Multidigit addition, with regrouping
Skills usually assessed using teacher-made tests or tests in curriculum
Specific subskill testing relies on mastery measurement where small domains of test items and mastery criteria are specified for each subskill.
For example, a teacher wants to increase a students spelling proficiency so she needs to do two things. One, determine the subskill hierarchy for the spelling curriculum she is using and Two, design a criterion-referenced testing procedure to match each step on the hierarchy. These skills are then taught in sequence.

6. Fourth Grade Math Computation Curriculum
Multidigit addition with regrouping
Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
Multiplication facts, factors to 9
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
Division facts, divisors to 9
Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
Add/subtract whole number and mixed number

7. Multidigit Addition Mastery Test

8. Mastery of 4th Grade Math
Multidigit + with regrouping
Multidigit - with regrouping
Multiplication facts to 9

9. Fourth Grade Math Computation Curriculum
Multidigit addition with regrouping
Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
Multiplication facts, factors to 9
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
Division facts, divisors to 9
Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
Add/subtract whole number and mixed number

10. Multidigit Subtraction Mastery Test

11. Mastery of 4th Grade Math
Multidigit + with regrouping
Multidigit - with regrouping
Multiplication facts to 9

12. Downsides to Mastery Measurement
Skill Hierarchies
Teacher-Made Tests
Reliability & Validity are unknown
Retention & generalization of skills are not usually measured
Measurement of Short-Term Instructional Objectives
Measurement shifts occur making it difficult to monitor overall progress because:
different skills are measured at different points in time
different skills are not of equal difficulty and do not represent equal curriculum units
Skill Hierarchies, use a scope and sequence for instruction (usually based on theory not empirical evidence)
Teacher-Made Tests, will have no technical adequacy to support them, while commercial criterion-referenced tests are no better. Not to mention the time and money it takes for teacher to make these tests.
Retention and Generalization, is not assessed because only one skill in the hierarchy is assessed at any one time.
Measurement of Short-Term Instructional Objectives, are always closely linked. This is problematic because the skill is only assessed on that one task and it may not generalize to other related tasks (only near transfer and not far transfer).
Measurement Shifts, must occur each time a skill is mastered. So new assessments will always need to be developed and scores will drop each time a new skill is assessed until that student has mastered the skill.

13. Most Forms of Classroom Assessment Are Mastery Measurement
CBM is NOT
Mastery Measurement
CBM is a General Outcome Measure
CBM is USUALLY not mastery measurement but some math probes that look at specific skills and even some early reading probes like letter sounds may be considered mastery measurement because they assess a specific skill.

14. Computation Curriculum
Fourth Grade Math
Computation Curriculum
Multidigit addition with regrouping
Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
Multiplication facts, factors to 9
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
Division facts, divisors to 9
Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
Add/subtract whole number and mixed number

15. Random numerals within problems (considering specifications of problem types)
Random placement of problem types on page

16. Random numerals within problems (considering specifications of problem types)
Random placement of problem types on page

17. Donald’s Progress in Digits Correct
Across the School Year
Instructional Change

18. Salient Features of General Outcome Measurement
General domains, not subskills
Keeps global curriculum outcomes intact and uses long-term goals
Makes no assumptions about instructional hierarchy for determining measurement (i.e., CBM fits with any instructional approach)
No measurement shifts
Skill Domains, instead the teacher identifies the domain they want to measure throughout the year (Typically this is the curriculum content for one school year).
Retention and Generalization, the skills being assessed represent the current instructional focus along with those representing past and future instructional targets.
Measurement for Long-Term Curricular Goal Performance, means the assessment is less sensitive to acquisition of the specific skills currently taught BUT it is sensitive enough for instructional decision making. And because it describes student performance in terms of proficiency on the critical behavior that are broadly indicative of the annual curriculum, content and criterion validity are high relative to mastery measurement.
Measurement Shifts, do not occur because the difficulty of the assessment remains constant across the school year. So there are not high and then low points the student will experience. AND student growth can be indexed over time
Test Construction, general outcome measurement uses a standardized way of obtaining assessment material, administering and scoring tests and summarizing and evaluating scores. It has documented reliability and validity which mastery measurement lacks.

19. Salient Features of General Outcome Measurement (cont)
Incorporates automatic tests of retention and generalization
Measurement of Long-Term Curricular Goal Performance
Test Construction
Standardized procedures used to assess performance on the long-term goal
Reliability & validity can be determined

20. Downsides to General Outcome Measurement
Often lacks information on specific subskills
If interested in identifying specific skills to teach, GOM not appropriate
Need to use a diagnostic measure
Fidelity of implementation is important
Math can be done really well, spelling okay too. Reading and writing—NO.
Need to make sure that standardization procedures are followed. Consistency is key.

21. Math CBM

22. CBM and Math
The number of correctly written digits in 2 minutes from the end-of-year curriculum
Correct digits
Not correct problems or answers
2 minutes
Like spelling and writing, math can be administered to a group rather than individually.
Why digits & not problems? Can only fit 20 or so problems per page, whereas each problem can have 1-20 digits in the correct, longest for answer. Provides a much more sensitive measure of growth.

23. Math CBM Student(s) are given a sheet of math problems and pencil
Student(s) complete as many math problems as they can in 2 minutes
At the end of 2 minutes the number of correctly written digits is counted

24. Example of a 4th grade math curriculum
Multidigit addition with regrouping
Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
Multiplication facts, factors to 9
Multiply 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
Division facts, divisors to 9
Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
Add/subtract whole number and mixed number

25. Identify the skills: how many of each?

26. Math scoring criteria
If the answer is correct, the student earns the score equivalent to the number of correct digits written using the “longest method” taught to solve the problem, even if the work is not shown
If a problem has been crossed out, credit is given for the correct digits written
If the problem has not been completed, credit is earned for any correct digits written

27. A “correct digit” is the right numeral in the right place
4507
4507
4507
2146
2146
2146
2441
2361
2461 4
correct digits 3
correct digits 2
correct digits
Difference in errors: 3CD—borrowed correctly in part, forgot the 5 was now a 4. 2CD—doesn’t get borrowing.
Show slashing through wrong digits.

30. Determining placement level in math material
Grade Level
Placement Level
Correct Digits (CD)
2 - 3
Frustration
< 14
Instructional
14 – 31
Mastery
> 31
4 – 5
< 24
24 – 49
> 49
Practice finding median and plotting on SLA forms in binder.
X = WRC
O = Errors
Burns, VanDerHeyden, & Jiban (2006)

31. Realistic Weekly Growth Rate Ambitious Weekly Growth Rate
Weekly growth rates for math (Correct Digits [CD] in 2 minutes)
Grade
Realistic Weekly Growth Rate
Ambitious Weekly Growth Rate 1
.3 CD
.5 CD 2 3 4
.70 CD
1.15 CD 5
.75 CD
1.20 CD 6
.45 CD
1 CD
From Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Walz, & Germann (1993)

32. How often? Progress Monitoring (Formative)
1x Week for at-risk & students with disabilities
1x Month for typically developing students
1x Quarter for above average students
Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
1x Quarter for all students
Survey Level (Summative)
1x At the beginning of progress monitoring
1x Identify students’ instructional level
Survey level assessment is only done when there is a reason to- it is not done on a specific schedule.

33. Roger 3
8/3/05
You 16 I X

34. IEP Goals & Objectives
Time (the amount of time the goal is written for)
“In 1 year…”
Learner (the student for whom the goal is being written)
“...Jose will…”
Behavior (the specific skill the student will demonstrate)
“…read aloud…”
Level (the grade the content is from)
“… a second-grade…”

35. IEP Goals & Objectives (cont)
Content (what the student is learning about)
“…reading…”
Material (what the student is using)
“…passage from ORF CBM progress-monitoring material…”
Criteria (the expected level of performance, including time and accuracy)
“…at 90 words read correctly in 1 minute with greater than 95% accuracy.”

36. Math goals & objectives
In 30 weeks, Larry will calculate addition and subtraction problems from second-grade mixed-math CBM progress-monitoring material at 45 correct digits in 2 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.
In 10 weeks, Larry will calculate addition and subtraction problems from second-grade mixed-math CBM progress-monitoring material at 20 CD in 2 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.

37. Spelling CBM

38. Spelling CBM Student(s) are given a blank sheet of lined paper
Teacher dictates a spelling word every 10 seconds (grades 1-3) every 7 seconds (grades 4-8)
Stop at the end of 2 minutes and count the number of correct letter sequences (CLS)
Teachers should assess students at least 1 time per week preferably 2 to 3.

39. Scoring Spelling CBM T E A M T M T E M
TEAM = 5 correct letter sequences
T E A M
T M
T E M

40. Conducting Spelling CBM
Say each word twice. Use homonyms in a sentence.
Read. He read the book.
Say a new word every 10 (or 7) seconds
12-13 words for grades 1-3
17-18 words for grades 4-8
Dictate words for 2 minutes.
Homonym, same pronunciation, different meaning.

41. Weekly Growth Rates for Spelling
(Correct Letter Sequences (CLS) in 2 min)
Grade
Realistic Weekly Growth Rates
Ambitious Weekly
Growth Rate 2
1 CLS
1.5 CLS 3
.65 CLS 4
.45 CLS
.85 CLS 5
.3 CLS 6
Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Walz, & Germann (1993)

42. How often? Progress Monitoring (Formative)
1x Week for at-risk & students with disabilities
1x Month for typically developing students
1x Quarter for above average students
Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
1x Quarter for all students
Survey level assessment is only done when there is a reason to- it is not done on a specific schedule.

43. Spelling CBM Goals and Objectives
In 30 weeks, Roberto will spell words from a fourth-grade spelling list from Spelling CBM progress-monitoring material at 70 correct letter sequences in 2 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.
In 10 weeks, Roberto will spell words from a fourth-grade spelling list from Spelling CBM progress-monitoring material at 25 correct letter sequences in 2 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.

44. Written Expression CBM

45. Curriculum-Based Measurement: Written Expression
Provides an indicator of student performance in writing
Three scoring methods
Total Words Written (TWW)
Words Spelled Correctly (WSC)
Correct Writing Sequences (CWS)
Can be group administered
District or Classroom Norms

46. PRIMARY STORY STARTERS
1. The best birthday I ever had was…
2. It was a warm sunny day when the two boys…
3. A big blue turtle was coming down the street when he…
4. Yesterday the children went on a picnic and…
5. The noise came so suddenly that…
6. It was raining with the wind blowing when…
7. The fog was so thick I could hardly see…
8. Mickey Mouse came to my birthday party and…
9. The cat climbed the telephone pole and…
10. I knew it was cold when…

47. INTERMEDIATE STORY STARTERS
She’s gone, now I’m going to find…
Mary knew that if her parents found out, they…
Everything was just fine, until I met…
Something’s coming out of the sink and it’s a…
The children were playing on the each when they found the strange footprints of a…
One day I lost my dog when…
“Will you keep quiet,” whispered Bob, “if you don’t someone will…
I opened the door and found a huge wooden crate and…
The magician pulled a white rabbit out of his hat instead of a…
A spaceship landed in my backyard and…

48. ADVANCED STORY STARTERS
1. At first the noise was very faint and seemed far away, but then…
2. Mary knew that if her parents found out, they…
3. It all began in the laboratory of Professor Hall when…
4. The teenagers were walking along the beach when they found the strange footprints of…
5. I woke up one morning feeling very strange when I noticed…
6. “Can you keep a secret,” whispered Joe. “No one else knows that…
7. Buried beneath a tree with just a bit of it showing was…
8. I knew it was going to be one of thos4 days when…
9. I suppose I shouldn’t have laughed, but I couldn’t help myself when…
10. While I was reading the morning newspaper…

49. Total Words Written (TWW)
The total number of words written regardless of spelling or context.
Abbreviations:
Commonly used abbreviations are counted as words
Hyphenated Words:
Each morpheme separated by a hyphen(s) is counted as an individual word if it can stand alone.
Story Titles
Words written in the title are counted as words written

51. Words Spelled Correctly
A word is spelled correctly if it can stand alone in the English language
Contextual clarity is not an issue

53. Correct Writing Sequences (CWS)
Two adjacent writing units (word/word or word/punctuation) that are acceptable within the context of what is written
Correct spelling, syntax, and semantics are taken into account when scoring Correct Writing Sequences

56. How often? Progress Monitoring (Formative)
1x Week for at-risk & students with disabilities
1x Month for typically developing students
1x Quarter for above average students
Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
1x Quarter for all students
Survey level assessment is only done when there is a reason to- it is not done on a specific schedule.

57. Written Expression IEP Goals and Objectives
In 30 weeks, Jose will write from sixth-grade writing story starter CBM progress-monitoring material at 47 correct writing sequences in 3 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.
In 10 weeks, Jose will write from sixth-grade writing story starter CBM progress-monitoring material at 30 correct writing sequences in 3 minutes with greater than 95% accuracy.

58. CBM Materials
AIMSweb / Edformation
Edcheckup
McGraw-Hill
Pro-Ed, Inc.
Vanderbilt University