1. Module 10 Assessment Logistics
DIBELS® Training Institute:
Essential Workshop
Module 10 Assessment Logistics

2. Logistics of DIBELS® Data Collection
Plan and schedule data collection.
Organize resources.
Collect the data.
Enter the data.
Use data for educational decision making.
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3. DIBELS® Data Collection
Benchmark Assessment
Assess all children three times/year (e.g., Fall, Winter, Spring).
Progress Monitoring
Assess children needing strategic support/monitoring more frequently (e.g., monthly).
Assess students needing more intensive intervention weekly.
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4. Planning for Benchmark Assessment
Decisions
When will the data be collected?
Who will collect the data?
How will the data be collected?
What data collection approach will be used?
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5. When Will the Benchmark Data be Collected?
Three times a year
Fall (or first quarter)
September, October, November
Winter (or second quarter)
December, January, February
Spring (or third quarter)
March, April, May
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6. Considerations for Scheduling
Schedule data collection for at least 2 weeks after a major break.
Prevent overlap with other major events (e.g., state-level testing).
Coordinate with other events (e.g., prior to parent conferences if you would like the data by then).
Plan time for training/updating of data collection team.
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7. Schedule Benchmark Assessment
Schedule assessment time and final date by which all data must be collected. (D)
Schedule assessment at each school. (D/B/C)
D = District-level decision
B = Building-level decision
C = Classroom-level decision
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8. Who will Collect the Benchmark Data?
Options
Classroom teachers and assistants
Specialists and support staff
Principals and administrators
Trained volunteers
Practicum students
Considerations
Resources
Number and availability of staff
Interest
Budgetary resources Training needs
Timeline
Approach
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9. What Data Collection Approach?
Options
Within classroom
School-wide: one day
School-wide: multiple days
Considerations
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10. Within Classroom Approach
Who collects the data?
Classroom teachers and assistants
Where?
In the classroom
How?
Teachers set aside time (e.g., 30 minutes a day for 4 days) to assess each child in the room
Advantages
Disadvantages
Teachers test their own students
Less disruptive to school in general
Detracts from instructional time
Requires more days
May be more difficult to organize and use data system-wide
Does not improve communication and encourage team approach to decision making
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
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11. One-day School-wide Approach
Who collects the data?
Data collection team: support staff, trained volunteers, specialists, educational assistants, teachers (1 data collector for students)
Where?
A large, central location with many tables and places for students to be assessed and to wait their turn (e.g., library, multipurpose room, cafeteria).
How?
A schedule is set for classrooms to come to a central location where the team assess all day.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Minimal classroom disruption (e.g., 30 minutes per class)
All data collected in one day
School-wide effort improves communication and enhances effort to organize and use data system-wide.
Need a large team
Scheduling and logistics issues (e.g., need location for assessments; services may be disrupted for all students (e.g., computer lab, library).
If using support staff, specialized services for students may be disrupted
Teachers not involved in assessing own students
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group

12. Multi-day School-wide Approach
Who collects the data?
Data collection team: support staff, trained volunteers, specialists, educational assistants, teachers
Where?
Central location or temporary area in/near the classroom
How?
The team either goes to the classroom and tests students in/near each classroom or classrooms go to team location
Advantages
Disadvantages
Requires smaller core team
Teachers may be more involved in data collection process
Less disruption to school in general
No need for central location
School-wide effort improves communication and enhances effort to organize and use data system-wide.
Takes longer to collect data on all students
Testing team may need to move from one location to another
If using support staff, specialized services for students may be disrupted
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
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13. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
Considerations
Goal: To collect valid and reliable benchmark data as efficiently and economically as possible, with minimal disruption
Before deciding on an approach to use, consider:
Number of students to be assessed
School calendar and events
Timeline for completion of assessment
Availability of resources
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14. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
Time to Assess
Measure
Approximate Time
Initial Sound Fluency (ISF)
3 minutes
Letter Naming Fluency (LNF)
1.5 minutes
Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF)
2 minutes
Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) (3 passages)
4 minutes
Retell Fluency (3 passages)
Word Use Fluency
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group

15. Benchmark Assessment Time Kindergarten-First Grade
Fall
Winter
Spring
Measures
Minutes K
ISF, LNF
4.5
ISF, LNF, PSF, NWF 8
LNF, PSF, NWF 5
(optional)
ISF, LNF, WUF 6
ISF, LNF, PSF, NWF, WUF
9.5
LNF, PSF, NWF, WUF
6.5 1
PSF, NWF, ORF
7.5
PSF, NWF, ORF, RTF, WUF 11
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
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16. Benchmark Assessment Time Second-Third Grade
Fall
Winter
Spring
Measures
Minutes 2
NWF, ORF 6
ORF 4
(optional)
NWF, ORF, RTF, WUF
9.5
ORF, RTF, WUF
7.5 3
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group

17. Benchmark Assessment Time Fourth-Sixth Grade
Fall
Winter
Spring
Measures
Minutes
4-6
ORF 4
(optional)
ORF, RTF 6
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
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18. Data Collection Conversion (no optional measures)
Minutes per student
Number of Data Collectors
Students assessed per 30 minutes K
fall 6 1 5
winter
9.5
3-4
spring
6.5
4-5
First 11
2-3
Second
7.5 4
Third and Above
Adapted from B. Harn (2000)
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19. Data Collection Conversion (with optional measures)
Minutes per student
Number of Data Collectors
Students assessed per 30 minutes K
fall
4.5 1
6-7
winter 8
3-4
spring 5 6
First
7.5 4
Second
7-8
Third and Above
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20. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
Planning Activity
How much time for benchmark assessment (with and without optional measures) for:
First grade classroom with 20 children in winter?
Kindergarten classroom with 18 children in spring?
Second grade classroom with 26 children in fall?
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21. Planning Results First Grade 2.5 hours 3 hours 40 minutes Kindergarten
Time w/out optional measures
Time w/ optional measures
First Grade
2.5 hours
3 hours 40 minutes
Kindergarten
1.5 hours
2 hours
Second Grade
2 hours 36 minutes
4 hours
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22. Logistics of DIBELS® Data Collection
Identify and organize resources.
Collect the data.
Enter the data.
Use the data for educational decision making.
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group

23. Identify and Organize Resources
Arrange logistics for data collection(B/C).
Materials -- Who will access, prepare and organize; how will materials be organized; where will materials be stored?
Where will the assessment take place?
In classroom, hallway/breezeway, pod, library, cafeteria
Prepare assessment “stations” (2 chairs, small desk/table).
Assign assessors to classrooms/stations.
Allot time (30 minutes for 1 assessor/5 children).
Specialists/volunteers -- at which school when?
D = District-level decision
B = Building-level decision
C = Classroom-level decision
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24. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
Organize Resources
Prepare assessment materials. (D/B)
Download/copy all assessment materials.
Child assessment booklets - 1 per child
Assessment administration and scoring manual and stimulus materials - 1 per assessor
Get class lists*. (D/B)
Label child assessment booklets*.
Collate child assessment booklets*.
D = District-level decision
B = Building-level decision
C = Classroom-level decision
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25. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
Next Steps
Collect Data.
Enter the data into the computer.
Use the data to make decisions.
Download reports.
Share data/reports with teachers.
Meetings by grade
Individual meetings
Make decisions about individual children.
Make system-wide decisions.
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group

26. Team Assessment Advantages
Team assessment is efficient.
5 people can assess a class in about 30 minutes.
Team assessment distributes investment.
Team assessment shares ownership and skills.
Team assessment engages the educator in us all.
Team assessment makes the results vivid and meaningful.
Scores of 7 words per minute and 40 words per minute are NOT just a little bit different.
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27. © 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group
TEAMWORK is not always about winning, but working together to make things happen.
© 2005c, Dynamic Measurement Group