Getting Started with DIBELS

GETTING STARTED WITH
®
DIBELS
®
What is DIBELS?
DIBELS is a set of measures and procedures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten
through sixth grade. DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, and is comprised of six
measures that function as indicators of the essential skills that every child must master to become a proficient reader. The
DIBELS measures are brief (most take one minute to administer), and are used to regularly monitor the development of
early literacy and early reading skills. DIBELS was designed for use in identifying children experiencing difficulty in the
acquisition of basic early literacy skills, in order to provide support early and prevent the
occurrence of later reading difficulties.
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DIBELS assessments are:
• brief
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• cost-effective
• individually administered
• standardized
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Revised 12/30/10
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Name of DIBELS
Measure
First Sound Fluency
(FSF)
Basic Early Literacy
Skill Measured
Grades Used for Benchmark
Assessment /Screening
Phonemic Awareness
Kindergarten
Indicator of risk; not a measure of an essential,
basic early literacy skill
Kindergarten, Early First Grade
Phoneme Segmentation
Fluency (PSF)
Phonemic Awareness
Kindergarten, Early First Grade
Nonsense Word Fluency
(NWF)
Alphabetic Principle and Basic Phonics
Kindergarten, First Grade, Early
Second Grade
Advanced Phonics and Word Attack Skills,
Accuracy and Fluency with Connected Text,
Reading Comprehension
First–Sixth Grades
Reading Comprehension
Third–Sixth Grades
Letter Naming Fluency
(LNF)
DIBELS Oral Reading
Fluency (DORF)
Daze
Why Use DIBELS?
The purposes of DIBELS are:
• to identify students who may be at risk for reading difficulties (universal screening);
• to help teachers identify areas to target instructional support;
• to monitor at-risk students while they receive additional, targeted instruction; and
• to examine the effectiveness of your school’s system of instructional supports.
The advantages of DIBELS are:
• DIBELS has been specifically designed to be used within a problem-solving, outcomes-driven model of decisionmaking and response to intervention.
• The DIBELS measures are reliable and valid.
• Research-based benchmark goals are available which define a level at which the odds are in the student’s favor of
meeting later reading outcome goals.
• Spanish (IDEL ) and French (IDAPEL) versions are also available.
®
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Getting Started with DIBELS
There are five topics to consider when getting started with DIBELS:
√√ DIBELS materials
√√ Training
√√ Data management and reporting
√√ Using DIBELS to make educational decisions
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DIBELS Materials
Page
2
The current version of DIBELS is DIBELS Next . DIBELS Next can be obtained in three ways:
®
1. Published: http://www.soprislearning.com/DIBELS/
DIBELS Next can be purchased from our publisher, Voyager/Sopris Learning. The published version is in color and
includes a user-friendly flip-book format, with the student materials on one side and the assessor directions on the
other side. Components can be ordered in classroom sets (a good choice for the first year) or individually (when
additional components are needed, or to replace consumable components such as scoring booklets). An order form
is available on the Sopris website with pricing information.
2. Mobile-to-Web: http://www.amplify.com/
Amplify’s mCLASS :DIBELS Next mobile assessment solution is
available for a variety of handheld devices. The mCLASS system
includes the Sopris-published student materials in color. mCLASS
automates scoring, data analysis, and reporting. For more
information and pricing, contact Amplify.
®
3. Download: https://dibels.org/next/index.php
Additional Materials
DIBELS Next is timed, so a stopwatch
or timer is required. Although not
required, many assessors like to use a
clipboard to hold the student scoring
booklet. Stopwatches and clipboards
can be purchased from DMG at√
https://dibels.org/store/
DIBELS Next is available for free download from our website. The
Assessment Manual and all testing materials can be downloaded.
The download version is in black and white. Instructions
are available for printing and photocopying. Pricing for this version will be based on your school’s printing and
photocopying costs.
Training
Anyone who will be administering DIBELS or interpreting the results should receive training. Dynamic Measurement Group
provides a variety of training options designed by the authors of DIBELS.
Who Can Administer DIBELS?
The only requirement for being a DIBELS Next assessor is training. Personnel resources and enrollment will influence
individual district decisions about who is trained to give and score DIBELS. Because DIBELS is a tool that provides
information to help guide instruction, classroom teachers should participate in benchmark assessment and/or progress
monitoring. Decisions about who will conduct DIBELS benchmark and progress monitoring assessment will determine
who needs to be trained and when.
Training Workshops
• DIBELS Next Essential Workshop. This workshop is
designed for users who are new to DIBELS. Two-day
workshop.
• DIBELS Next Transition Workshop. This workshop is
designed for users who have previously been trained
on DIBELS 6th Edition and wish to update their
training for DIBELS Next. One-day workshop.
• DIBELS Next Data Interpretation Workshop. This
workshop is designed to support effective use of
individual and group data, including selecting and
grouping students who need instructional support, and
monitoring progress over time. One-day workshop.
• DIBELS Next Mentoring Workshop. Learn how to
train your own school or district to administer DIBELS
Next. The Mentoring Workshop must be taken in
conjunction with or after completing the DIBELS Next
Essential and Data Interpretation Workshops. One-day
workshop.
• Other workshops may be available by request.
Training Delivery Options
• Onsite. DMG employs professional
development specialists who will provide
training onsite in your school or district for any
of these workshops.
• Online. A convenient, low-cost option for those
who are unable to attend a training in person.
The DIBELS Next Essential, Transition, and
Data Interpretation Workshops are currently
available online.
• Institutes. DIBELS Next Training Institutes are
held each summer by the authors of DIBELS,
Dr. Roland Good and Dr. Ruth Kaminski, and
include multiple workshops.
• Become a DIBELS Mentor and train your
own district! Become a DIBELS Mentor
and train your own district! DIBELS Mentors
receive access to our official training materials.
Become a DIBELS Next Mentor by attending
the DIBELS Next Essential, Data Interpretation,
and Mentoring Workshops.
For more information or to schedule a training, visit us at http://dibels.org/training.html.
Data Management and Reporting
Providing quick and immediate feedback is a necessary component
of effective assessment. Using a data management service is
optional but highly recommended. These services allow you to
enter and manage your DIBELS scores and receive automated
reports. There are multiple data management services that handle
DIBELS data. Some recommended examples are listed below.
1. DIBELSnet (Dynamic Measurement Group)–
https://dibels.net/
®
School: Lakeside
Grade: First Grade, Beginning of Year
Class: Allan, K.
Class Report
LNF
Name
D, Laura
L, Gabe
K, Danielle
S, Pablo
B, Edward
G, Wyatt
S, Thomas
C, Laurence
C, Marcel
A, Claire
H, Hannah
J, Henry
J, Haley
M, Brittany
C, Caleb
T, Caitlin
M, Lindsey
B, Davis
R, Valerie
W, Michael
Student ID
11101
11111
11109
11104
11106
11115
11117
11105
11119
11120
11103
11102
11118
11107
11108
11116
11112
11110
11114
11113
Status Score Level
At or Above Benchmark
Below Benchmark
Well Below Benchmark
A new reporting service from the authors of DIBELS.
2. mCLASS (Amplify)–http://www.amplify.com/
®
For users of Amplify’s mCLASS:DIBELS Next mobile assessment solution.
Score
13
31
38
37
47
47
44
47
37
56
60
36
46
44
38
44
53
65
59
71
%ile
2
16
28
26
53
53
44
53
26
74
82
24
50
44
28
44
67
90
79
94
PSF
Score
32
19
35
37
40
43
38
30
49
34
37
47
47
50
61
51
52
56
50
53
Likely Need For Support
Likely to Need Core Support
Likely to Need Strategic Support
Likely to Need Intensive Support
%ile
16
4
22
28
36
46
31
13
68
19
28
60
60
71
95
74
77
87
71
80
NWF
CLS
8
30
24
36
23
21
32
38
31
36
34
48
44
47
48
53
46
37
80
85
%ile
2
33
20
47
18
14
38
51
36
47
42
69
64
68
69
74
66
49
89
92
WWR
0
0
4
3
0
0
0
9
5
7
0
1
2
6
0
6
5
0
27
26
DIBELS Composite Score
%ile
14
14
49
45
14
14
14
68
53
61
14
32
39
57
14
57
53
14
93
92
Score
53
80
97
110
110
111
114
115
117
126
131
131
137
141
147
148
151
158
189
209
Score Level
Well Below Benchmark
Well Below Benchmark
Below Benchmark
Below Benchmark
Below Benchmark
Below Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
At or Above Benchmark
Using DIBELS to Make Educational Decisions
DIBELS testing is conducted in two ways:
1. Benchmark Assessment
Benchmark assessment refers to testing all students within a school or grade three times per year for the purpose of
screening the students to identify those who may be at risk for reading difficulties. Benchmark assessment is always
conducted using grade-level material. The measures administered for benchmark assessment vary by grade and time
of year, and include those measures that are most relevant for making instructional decisions at that time.
2. Progress Monitoring
Progress monitoring refers to the more frequent testing of students who may be at risk for future reading difficulty. This
more frequent monitoring is given in the skill areas in which those students are receiving additional instruction, to
ensure they are making adequate progress. Progress monitoring can be conducted using grade-level or out-of-grade
materials, depending on the student’s needs. Decisions about the skill areas and levels to monitor are made at the
individual student level.
Benchmark assessment and progress monitoring are the types of assessment necessary for use within a Responseto-Intervention (RtI) model such as the Outcomes-Driven Model. The Outcomes-Driven Model is a decision-making
model where data are used to make decisions to improve student outcomes by matching the amount and type of
instructional support with the needs of individual students. The following figure illustrates the Outcomes-Driven Model.
DIBELS and RtI: The Outcomes-Driven Model
DIBELS Next Benchmark Assessment
Identify Need for
Support
Validate Need
for Support
Review
Outcomes
Plan Support
Evaluate
Effectiveness
of Support
Implement
Support
DIBELS Next Progress Monitoring
For more information about using DIBELS to make educational decisions using the Outcomes-Driven Model and RtI,
see the DIBELS Next Assessment Manual.
Logistics
Benchmark Assessment Approaches
Three examples of possible approaches for conducting benchmark assessment are provided in the following table.
Approach
Description
Advantages
Disadvantages
Teachers
collect all
data.
Classroom teachers are trained and
conduct all of the benchmark and
progress monitoring assessment.
In some cases teachers assess
their own students, in other cases
teachers assess the students in
other classes or grades.
• Teachers can test their own students.
• Takes time away from
instruction.
• Teachers are familiar with their students’
articulation or dialect differences.
• A small number of students may not do
as well when tested by an unfamiliar adult.
• Trained teachers are more likely to
use the data to make appropriate
instructional decisions.
• Trained teachers can also collect
progress monitoring data.
Staff
other than
teachers
work as
a team to
collect all
data.
Paid staff such as special educators,
reading specialists and related
service personnel are trained to
conduct all of the benchmark and
progress monitoring assessment.
The assessment team travels
through the school or district.
Multiple teams can be trained in
large districts.
• Instruction is not interrupted for
assessment.
• Only a small number of staff need to be
trained.
• One assessment team can travel to
multiple grades or schools.
• A small number of students
may not do as well when
assessed by an unfamiliar
adult.
• Teachers may have
difficulty understanding
the purpose of DIBELS or
buying into the use of the
data.
Teachers
and staff
work as
a team to
collect data.
A “floating” substitute covers a
teacher’s class for 30–45 minutes
while the teacher becomes a
member of the assessment team.
Then the team and the substitute
move to the next classroom. Multiple
teams can be used in large districts.
• Minimal disruption to instruction.
• Allows teachers to hand-pick students
who need to be assessed by an adult
they are familiar with.
• Models the idea of team problem
solving.
• Creates a shared understanding and
common assessment tool.
• Requires a large number of
staff to be trained.
Time Needed for Benchmark Assessment
The amount of time it will take to complete the benchmark assessment for each student will vary by grade and time of
year. The following table provides an estimate of the time required per student.
Beginning of Year
Kindergarten
First
Second
Third to Sixth
Middle of Year
End of Year
Measures
Time
Measures
Time
Measures
Time
FSF, LNF
3 minutes
FSF, PSF,
LNF, NWF
6.5 minutes
LNF, PSF,
NWF
5 minutes
LNF, PSF, NWF
5 minutes
NWF, DORF
8 minutes
NWF, DORF
8 minutes
NWF, DORF
8 minutes
DORF
6 minutes
DORF
6 minutes
DORF
6 minutes per
student
DORF
6 minutes per
student
DORF
6 minutes per
student
Daze
5 minutes for
group testing,
1–2 minutes
scoring time
per worksheet
Daze
5 minutes for
group testing,
1–2 minutes
scoring time
per worksheet
Daze
5 minutes for
group testing,
1–2 minutes
scoring time
per worksheet
Additional information on the logistics of DIBELS testing can be found in the DIBELS Next Assessment Manual.
For more information, e-mail us at info@dibels.org.
DIBELS, DIBELS Next, DIBELSnet, and IDEL are registered trademarks of Dynamic Measurement Group, Inc. http://dibels.org/; mCLASS is a registered trademark of Amplify. http://www.amplify.com/
Revised: 09/17/14