A Look at Summer Reading Programs Across Iowa

The purpose of this document is to report on the state of summer reading programs in Iowa. This report was commissioned by the Iowa Reading Research Center to better understand the types of current summer reading programming and how summer programs are conducted and supported

Preliminary Examination of the Reliability and Validity of the Teacher Rating Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment for Preschool and Kindergarten Children

Prosocial behaviors in preschool and kindergarten are associated with student well-being and positive school outcomes. A teacher rating scale focused on young children’s social strengths can provide educators with important information for supporting children in their classroom with social instruction and intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the technical adequacy of a teacher rating scale developed expressly to measure prosocial development in young children, the Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment (SSCSA). Using data from a sample of preschool- and kindergarten-aged children in inclusive classrooms, analyses examined the reliability and validity of the SSCSA. Results provided evidence of internal consistency and strong test-retest reliability over two weeks. Analyses of concurrent validity with criterion measures showed strong positive correlations with subscales of social skills and moderate to strong negative correlations with subscales of problem behaviors. Overall, findings provided initial evidence that supports ongoing evaluation of the technical adequacy of the SSCSA

Comparing Two CBM Maze Selection Tools: Considering Scoring and Interpretive Metrics for Universal Screening

Advances in maze selection curriculum-based measurement (CBM) have led to several published tools with technical information for interpretation (e.g., norms, benchmarks, cut-scores, classification accuracy) that have increased their usefulness for universal screening. A range of scoring practices have emerged for evaluating student performance on maze selection (e.g., correct restoration, incorrect restoration, correct restoration minus incorrect restoration, and correct restoration minus one-half incorrect restoration). However, lack of clear understanding about the intersection between scoring and interpretation has resulted in limited evidence about using maze selection for making universal screening decisions. In this study, 925 students in Grades 3-6 completed two CBMs for maze selection. Student performance on the two was compared across different scoring metrics. Limitations and practical implications are discussed

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions and Intentions Toward Data Collection

Although data-based decision making is an evidence-based practice, many special educators have difficulty applying the practice within daily routines. We applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand the influences that promote or hinder early childhood special educators’ intentions to collect data. We assessed three influences on behavioral intention to collect data derived from the TPB: (a) attitude toward collecting data, (b) social norms for collecting data, and (c) perceived behavioral control for collecting data. All three influences correlated positively with teachers’ reported intention to collect data; however, only perceived behavioral control of barriers correlated positively with actual data collection. Additional measures of teacher self-efficacy and administrative support correlated positively with intention to collect data, but not with actual data collection behaviors. Perceived behavior control accounted for the most variance in actual data collection behavior. Implications of the findings for data collection practices in educational settings are discussed

Examining Oral Passage Reading Rate Across Three Curriculum-Based Measurement Tools for Predicting Grade-Level Proficiency

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) for oral passage reading (OPR) is among the most commonly used tools for making screening decisions regarding academic proficiency status for students in first through sixth grades. Multiple publishers make available OPR tools, and while they are designed to measure the same broad construct of reading, research suggests that student performance varies within grades and across publishers. Despite the existence of multiple publishers of CBM tools for OPR, many of which include publisher-specific recommendations comparing student performance to a proficiency standard, the use of normative-based cut scores to interpret student performance remains prevalent. In the current study, three commercially available CBM tools for OPR were administered to 1,482 students in first through sixth grade. Results suggest differences between normative- and criterion-based approaches to determining cut scores for screening decisions. Implications regarding resource allocation for students in need of additional intervention are discussed

Examination of the predictive validity of preschool early literacy skills

Abstract. The predictive validity of early literacy skills of children among preschool is relatively unknown. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to provide this examination. From a sample of preschoolers, longitudinal data were available for 143 of the children in kindergarten and for 116 of them through the end of first grade. Preschool children were assessed in the fall, winter, and spring with Early Literacy Individual Growth and Development Indicators (EL-IGDIs). In the fall, winter, and spring of kindergarten, literacy skills were assessed and curriculum-based measurement data in reading were collected in the spring of kindergarten and first grade. Results showed significant increases in mean EL-IGDI scores. In most instances, preschool administrations of the EL-IGDIs were moderately correlated with kindergarten measures of alphabetic principle and phonological awareness. Preschool EL-IGDIs were found to be significantly predictive of later outcomes in oral reading fluency both at the end of kindergarten and at the end of first grade. The diagnostic utility of these measures was found to be strong. Implications for practice are discussed