Using Curriculum-based Measurement to Establish Growth Standards for Students with Learning Disabilities

TLDR

The article demonstrates how curriculum‑based measurement (CBM) can be employed to set reading growth standards for students with learning disabilities. The authors introduce CBM principles and illustrate its use with a multi‑site database, contrasting typical instructional growth rates with those derived from effective practices to establish growth standards. They conclude that CBM provides a viable method for determining appropriate academic growth rates, outlining key methodological issues and recommending best practices.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to illustrate how one well-developed, technically strong measurement system, curriculum-based measurement (CBM), can be used to establish academic growth standards for students with learning disabilities in the area of reading. An introduction to CBM and to the basic concepts underlying the use of CBM in establishing growth standards is provided. Using an existing database accumulated over various localities under typical instructional conditions, the use of CBM to provide growth standards is illustrated. Next, normative growth rates under typical instructional conditions are contrasted with CBM growth rates derived from studies of effective practices. Finally, based on these two data sets, issues and conclusions about appropriate methods for establishing academic growth rates using CBM are discussed.