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The purpose of this article is to describe passage effects on Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills-Next Edition Oral Reading Fluency (DIBELS Next ORF) progress-monitoring measures for Grades 1 through 6. Approximately 572 students per grade (total N with at least one data point = 3,092) read all three DIBELS Next winter benchmark passages in the prescribed order, and within 2 weeks read four additional progress-monitoring passages in a randomly assigned and counterbalanced order. All 20 progress-monitoring passages were read by students in Grades 1 through 4; 16 passages were read in Grade 5 and 12 passages were read in Grade 6. Results focus on the persistence of form effects in spite of a priori criteria used in passage development. The authors describe the utility of three types of equating methods (i.e., mean, linear, and equipercentile equating) in ameliorating these effects. Their conclusions focus on preferred equating methods with small samples, the impact of form effects on progress-monitoring decision making, and recommendations for future use of ORF passages for progress monitoring.

This study describes the initial validation of an innovative social-behavioral observational assessment tool that is designed to be used on a repeated basis to assess growth and development of social competence over time to: (a) identify the social functioning of all students, (b) assist in planning support for students at risk, and (c) evaluate the effectiveness of individual and systemwide interventions. Eighteen first-grade students were monitored over an 8-week period using the Initiation-Response Assessment (IRA) Code. The School Social Behavior Scales, a published teacher rating scale, was included as a criterion measure. Estimates of reliability and criterionrelated validity were calculated for the IRA. The measure's sensitivity to growth over time and between-group variability were also assessed using hierarchical linear modeling procedures. Results indicate that scores on this measure are stable, and tap constructs similar to those assessed via teacher rating. C 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Florida Center on Reading Research http://www.fcrr.org/Interventions/index.htm This site provides multiple intervention ideas linked to the five big ideas of early reading. Interventions for individuals or small groups can be printed in their entirety.