This article examines the practices of school psychologists who work within an urban school district. Participants (N D 86) rated 20 specific practices on their current use, their importance, and their level of competence. Overall the school psychologists rated their involvement in traditional assessment activities as significantly more common than consultation/collaboration and prevention/ intervention; however, they indicated consultation and prevention/intervention activities as significantly more valued than traditional assessment practices. Participants also noted prevention, intervention, and functional assessment as their top priorities for professional development. Thus, a practice gap was noted with regard to what this group of school psychologists' value and what they do. Results are discussed within the context of current educational reform initiatives.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent that reading performance (as measured by curriculum-based measures [CBM] of oral reading fluency [ORF] and Maze reading comprehension), is related to math performance (as measured by CBM math computation and applied math). Additionally, this study examined which of the two reading measures was a better predictor of applied math performance. Results of multiple hierarchical regression analyses indicated that math computation was the best predictor of applied math performance, followed by the Maze task. Also, results indicated that ORF did not significantly predict applied math test scores above and beyond math computation and Maze. Thus, from these results it appears that for fourth and fifth grade students, reading comprehension as measured by the Maze plays a more important role in predicting applied math performance than oral reading fluency.
Over a decade ago, Algozzine, Christenson and Ysseldyke (1982) presented data that indicated a very high percentage of referred students were determined eligible for special education. Assessment and decision making practices have changed significantly over the past 10 years. For example, there is a greater reliance on pre-referral practices, problem solving and curriculum-based assessment. In this paper we examine the extent to which there have been changes in the number of referred students assessed, and the number of assessed students declared eligible and served. Rates were consistent with earlier results: 90 to 92% of referred students were tested and 70 to 74% of tested students were declared eligible. Implications for practice, alternative explanations and future directions for research are provided.
The predictive validity and accuracy of an oral reading fluency (ORF) measure for a statewide assessment in English language arts was examined for second-grade native English speakers (NESs) and English learners (ELs) with varying levels of English proficiency. In addition to comparing ELs with native English speakers, the impact of English proficiency was examined among ELs. The results suggest that the predictive validity of ORF is stronger for native English speakers than for ELs. ORF scores for ELs with intermediate English proficiency were less correlated to the state assessment than for other EL subgroups. Similarly, the predictive accuracy of ORF was found to vary by English proficiency. Results suggest that ELs should not be treated as a homogeneous group and that cut scores should be used with caution.
KeywordsEnglish learners, reading screening, curriculum-based measurement, large-scale assessmentReading is a critical foundational skill needed for success in school and society. Yet, the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicates that more than 50% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). The percentage of ethnic minorities in the U.S. student population has increased from 22% to 35% between 1985 and 2010. Many of these students are also English Learners (ELs), a majority of whom speak Spanish as their native language (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). English proficiency poses an additional challenge for ELs who are learning to read in English. Considering the above issues, it is important for educators to have adequate screening tools to identify students, both native English speakers (NESs) and ELs, who are at risk for reading difficulties.With the focus on accountability and high-stakes state assessment in the current educational climate, numerous studies have examined the use of curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency (ORF) as screeners to predict reading performance on high-stakes state assessments. In a recent meta-analysis, Reschly, Busch, Betts, Deno, and Long (2009) found that ORF exhibited an average correlation of .65 with state assessments, which led them to suggest that ORF was a relatively adequate predictor of future reading performance. Aside from this meta-analysis,
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