1. The ABCs of CBM for
Math, Spelling, & Writing
Michelle Hosp, Ph.D.

2. Objectives
• Overview of Curriculum-Based
Measurement (CBM)
• Review CBM measures in: math, spelling,
and writing (including writing IEP goals and objectives)
• Cover criteria for progress monitoring in
math and spelling
• Provide information on where to obtain
measures for math, spelling, and writing
2

3. CBM Research
• CBM research has been conducted over
the past 25+ years
• Research has demonstrated that when
teachers use CBM for instructional
decision making:
♦ Students learn more
♦ Teacher decision making improves
♦ Students are more aware of their performance
3

4. Different Types of CBA
4

5. Salient Features of
Mastery Measurement
• Curriculum is broken down into specific
subskills or short-term instructional
objectives
• Assess specific skill that is being taught
Example
♦ Multidigit addition, with regrouping
• Skills usually assessed using teacher-
made tests or tests in curriculum
5

6. Fourth Grade Math
Computation Curriculum
1. Multidigit addition with regrouping
2. Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
3. Multiplication facts, factors to 9
4. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
5. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
6. Division facts, divisors to 9
7. Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
8. Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
9. Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
10. Add/subtract whole number and mixed number
6

7. Multidigit Addition Mastery
Test
Name: Date
Adding
3 65 21 5 34 2 9 8 4 5 25 6 78 42 5 73 2 1
+ 6 37 58 + 6 34 21 + 7 5 6 32 + 5 3 9 37 + 4 63 9 1
5 63 82 3 6 4 22 3 48 24 3 24 15 4 53 2 1
+ 9 4 7 42 + 5 75 29 + 6 94 26 + 8 54 39 + 8 62 7 4
7

8. Mastery of 4th Grade Math
100
90
80
70
60
Accuracy
50
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
8
Multidigit + with regrouping Multidigit - Weeks
with regrouping Multiplication facts to 9

9. Fourth Grade Math Computation
Curriculum
1. Multidigit addition with regrouping
2. Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
3. Multiplication facts, factors to 9
4. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
5. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
6. Division facts, divisors to 9
7. Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
8. Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
9. Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
10. Add/subtract whole number and mixed number
9

10. Multidigit Subtraction Mastery
Test
Name: Date
Subtracting
6 52 1 5 42 9 8 45 5 6 78 2 7 32 1
3 75 6 34 7 56 9 37 3 91
5 68 2 6 42 2 3 48 4 2 41 5 4 32 1
9 42 5 29 4 26 8 54 8 74
10

11. Mastery of 4th Grade Math
100
90
80
70
60
Accuracy
50
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Weeks
11
Multidigit + with regrouping Multidigit - with regrouping Multiplication facts to 9

12. Downsides to
Mastery Measurement
• Skill Hierarchies
• Teacher-Made Tests
♦ Reliability & Validity are unknown
• Retention & generalization of skills are not usually
measured
• Measurement of Short-Term Instructional Objectives
• Measurement shifts occur making it difficult to
monitor overall progress because:
1. different skills are measured at different points in
time
2. different skills are not of equal difficulty and do not
represent equal curriculum units
12

13. Most Forms of Classroom
Assessment Are Mastery
Measurement
CBM is NOT
Mastery Measurement
CBM is a General
Outcome Measure

14. Fourth Grade Math
Computation Curriculum
1. Multidigit addition with regrouping
2. Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
3. Multiplication facts, factors to 9
4. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
5. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
6. Division facts, divisors to 9
7. Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
8. Divide 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
9. Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
10. Add/subtract whole number and mixed number
14

15. • Random
Sheet #1 Computation 4
Password: ARM
Name: Date
numerals A
3
7
2
7
=
B
16 + 3 =
7
C
4) 6
D
6 )7 8
E
87 5
within
x 7
problems
(considering
F G H I J
6 9 24 4
x7 x0 6 )48 5 )2 0
x 7
specifications
of problem K L M N O
types)
2 )50 61 44 33 6 7 )3 0
44 20 x 10 x0
• Random
P Q R S T
95 22 5 74 - 2=
8 )3 2 11 56 7 38
+ 75 26 8 28 24 x 33
+ 83
placement of
problem U
3 + 1
V W X Y
types on
9
5 5 = 98 2
x5
4
7 )56
97 x1
page 15

16. Sheet #2 Computation 4
Password: AIR
• Random
Name: Date
A B C D E
numerals within
9 )2 4 52 85 2 9 4 )7 2 82 85
+ 64 70 8 x0 43 04
+ 90
problems
(considering
F G H I J
6 )3 0 35 4 7 2 1
x 74 x5 x9 3 3 =
specifications of
problem types) K L M N O
32 8 5 )6 5 6 )30 34 - 1=
x 23 x6 7
• Random P Q R S T
placement of 10 7
x 3
2) 9 41 6
44
5 + 3
11 11 =
6
x2
problem types
on page U V
15 04
W X Y
41 + 6 = 14 41 9 )8 1 13 0
5 )1 0
2 x 7
16

17. Donald’s Progress in Digits Correct
Across the School Year
Instructional
Change
25
20
15
Correct Digits
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
17
Weeks

18. Salient Features of
General Outcome Measurement
• General domains, not subskills
♦ Keeps global curriculum outcomes intact
and uses long-term goals
• Makes no assumptions about
instructional hierarchy for determining
measurement (i.e., CBM fits with any
instructional approach)
♦ No measurement shifts
18

19. Salient Features of
General Outcome Measurement (cont)
• Incorporates automatic tests of
retention and generalization
♦ Measurement of Long-Term Curricular
Goal Performance
• Test Construction
♦ Standardized procedures used to assess
performance on the long-term goal
♦ Reliability & validity can be determined
19

20. Downsides to
General Outcome Measurement
• Often lacks information on specific
subskills
♦ If interested in identifying specific skills to
teach, GOM not appropriate
♦ Need to use a diagnostic measure
• Fidelity of implementation is important
20

21. Math CBM

22. CBM and Math
• The number of correctly written digits
in 2 minutes from the end-of-year
curriculum
• Correct digits
♦ Not correct problems or answers
♦ 2 minutes
22

23. Math CBM
• Student(s) are given a sheet of math
problems and pencil
• Student(s) complete as many math
problems as they can in 2 minutes
• At the end of 2 minutes the number of
correctly written digits is counted
23

24. Example of a 4th grade math
curriculum
1. Multidigit addition with regrouping
2. Multidigit subtraction with regrouping
3. Multiplication facts, factors to 9
4. Multiply 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
5. Multiply 2-digit numbers by a 2-digit number
6. Division facts, divisors to 9
7. Divide 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number
8. Add/subtract simple fractions, like denominators
9. Add/subtract whole number and mixed number
24

25. Sheet #1 Computation 4
Password: ARM
Name: Date
A B C D E
3 2 6
= 1 + 3=
7 4) 6 6 )7 8 87 5
7 7 x 7
F G H I J
6 9 24 4 6 )48 5 )2 0
x7 x0 x 7
K L M N O
2 )50 61 44 33 6 7 )3 0
44 20 x 10 x0
P Q R S T
95 22 5 74 - 2=
8 )3 2 11 56 7 38
+ 75 26 8 28 24 x 33
+ 83
U V W X Y
3 + 1 9
5 =
98 2 4
5 x5 7 )56
97 x1
25

26. Math scoring criteria
• If the answer is correct, the student
earns the score equivalent to the
number of correct digits written using
the “longest method” taught to solve the
problem, even if the work is not shown
• If a problem has been crossed out,
credit is given for the correct digits
written
• If the problem has not been completed,
credit is earned for any correct digits
written 26

27. A “correct digit” is the right numeral
in the right place
4507 4507 4507
2146 2146 2146
2361 2461 2441
4 3 2
correct correct correct
digits digits digits
27

28. 28

29. 29

30. Determining placement level
in math material
Grade Placement Level Correct
Level Digits (CD)
2 - 3 Frustration < 14
Instructional 14 – 31
Mastery > 31
4 – 5 Frustration < 24
Instructional 24 – 49
Mastery > 49
Burns, VanDerHeyden, & Jiban (2006)
30

31. Weekly growth rates for math
(Correct Digits [CD] in 2 minutes)
Grade Realistic Weekly Ambitious Weekly
Growth Rate Growth Rate
1 .3 CD .5 CD
2 .3 CD .5 CD
3 .3 CD .5 CD
4 .70 CD 1.15 CD
5 .75 CD 1.20 CD
6 .45 CD 1 CD
From Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Walz, & Germann (1993)
31

32. How often?
• Progress Monitoring (Formative)
♦ 1x Week for at-risk & students with
disabilities
♦ 1x Month for typically developing students
♦ 1x Quarter for above average students
• Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
♦ 1x Quarter for all students
• Survey Level (Summative)
♦ 1x At the beginning of progress monitoring
♦ 1x Identify students’ instructional level
32

33. Roger 3 8/3/05
You
3 22 16 16 16 I
X
33

34. IEP Goals & Objectives
• Time (the amount of time the goal is written
for)
♦ “In 1 year…”
• Learner (the student for whom the goal is
being written)
♦ “...Jose will…”
• Behavior (the specific skill the student will
demonstrate)
♦ “…read aloud…”
• Level (the grade the content is from)
♦ “… a second-grade…”
34

35. IEP Goals & Objectives (cont)
• Content (what the student is learning about)
♦ “…reading…”
• Material (what the student is using)
♦ “…passage from ORF CBM progress-monitoring
material…”
• Criteria (the expected level of performance,
including time and accuracy)
♦ “…at 90 words read correctly in 1 minute with
greater than 95% accuracy.”
35

36. Math goals & objectives
• In 30 weeks, Larry will calculate addition and
subtraction problems from second-grade
mixed-math CBM progress-monitoring
material at 45 correct digits in 2 minutes with
greater than 95% accuracy.
• In 10 weeks, Larry will calculate addition and
subtraction problems from second-grade
mixed-math CBM progress-monitoring
material at 20 CD in 2 minutes with greater
than 95% accuracy.
36

37. Spelling CBM

38. Spelling CBM
1. Student(s) are given a blank sheet of
lined paper
2. Teacher dictates a spelling word every
10 seconds (grades 1-3) every 7
seconds (grades 4-8)
3. Stop at the end of 2 minutes and count
the number of correct letter sequences
(CLS)
38

39. Scoring Spelling CBM
• TEAM = 5 correct letter sequences
TEAM
TM
TEM
39

40. Conducting Spelling CBM
• Say each word twice. Use homonyms in a
sentence.
 Read. He read the book.
• Say a new word every 10 (or 7) seconds
♦ 12-13 words for grades 1-3
♦ 17-18 words for grades 4-8
• Dictate words for 2 minutes.
40

41. Weekly Growth Rates for Spelling
(Correct Letter Sequences (CLS) in 2 min)
Grade Realistic Weekly Ambitious Weekly
Growth Rates Growth Rate
2 1 CLS 1.5 CLS
3 .65 CLS 1 CLS
4 .45 CLS .85 CLS
5 .3 CLS .65 CLS
6 .3 CLS .65 CLS
Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Walz, & Germann (1993)
41

42. How often?
• Progress Monitoring (Formative)
♦ 1x Week for at-risk & students with
disabilities
♦ 1x Month for typically developing students
♦ 1x Quarter for above average students
• Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
♦ 1x Quarter for all students
42

43. Spelling CBM Goals and
Objectives
• In 30 weeks, Roberto will spell words from a
fourth-grade spelling list from Spelling CBM
progress-monitoring material at 70 correct
letter sequences in 2 minutes with greater
than 95% accuracy.
• In 10 weeks, Roberto will spell words from a
fourth-grade spelling list from Spelling CBM
progress-monitoring material at 25 correct
letter sequences in 2 minutes with greater
than 95% accuracy.
43

44. Written Expression CBM

45. Curriculum-Based Measurement:
Written Expression
• Provides an indicator of student
performance in writing
• Three scoring methods
♦ Total Words Written (TWW)
♦ Words Spelled Correctly (WSC)
♦ Correct Writing Sequences (CWS)
• Can be group administered
• District or Classroom Norms
45

46. PRIMARY STORY STARTERS
1. The best birthday I ever had was…
2. It was a warm sunny day when the two boys…
3. A big blue turtle was coming down the street when
he…
4. Yesterday the children went on a picnic and…
5. The noise came so suddenly that…
6. It was raining with the wind blowing when…
7. The fog was so thick I could hardly see…
8. Mickey Mouse came to my birthday party and…
9. The cat climbed the telephone pole and…
10. I knew it was cold when…
46

47. INTERMEDIATE STORY
STARTERS
1. She’s gone, now I’m going to find…
2. Mary knew that if her parents found out, they…
3. Everything was just fine, until I met…
4. Something’s coming out of the sink and it’s a…
5. The children were playing on the each when they found the strange
footprints of a…
6. One day I lost my dog when…
7. “Will you keep quiet,” whispered Bob, “if you don’t someone will…
8. I opened the door and found a huge wooden crate and…
9. The magician pulled a white rabbit out of his hat instead of a…
10. A spaceship landed in my backyard and…
47

48. ADVANCED STORY STARTERS
1. At first the noise was very faint and seemed far
away, but then…
2. Mary knew that if her parents found out, they…
3. It all began in the laboratory of Professor Hall
when…
4. The teenagers were walking along the beach when
they found the strange footprints of…
5. I woke up one morning feeling very strange when I
noticed…
6. “Can you keep a secret,” whispered Joe. “No one
else knows that…
7. Buried beneath a tree with just a bit of it showing
was…
8. I knew it was going to be one of thos4 days when…
9. I suppose I shouldn’t have laughed, but I couldn’t
help myself when… 48

49. Total Words Written (TWW)
• The total number of words written regardless of
spelling or context.
• Abbreviations:
♦ Commonly used abbreviations are counted as words
• Hyphenated Words:
♦ Each morpheme separated by a hyphen(s) is counted as
an individual word if it can stand alone.
• Story Titles
♦ Words written in the title are counted as words written
49

50. 50

51. Words Spelled Correctly
• A word is spelled correctly if it can stand
alone in the English language
• Contextual clarity is not an issue
51

52. 52

53. Correct Writing Sequences
(CWS)
• Two adjacent writing units (word/word or
word/punctuation) that are acceptable
within the context of what is written
• Correct spelling, syntax, and semantics
are taken into account when scoring
Correct Writing Sequences
53

54. 54

55. 55

56. How often?
• Progress Monitoring (Formative)
♦ 1x Week for at-risk & students with
disabilities
♦ 1x Month for typically developing students
♦ 1x Quarter for above average students
• Benchmarking/ Norming (Summative)
♦ 1x Quarter for all students
56

57. Written Expression IEP Goals
and Objectives
• In 30 weeks, Jose will write from sixth-
grade writing story starter CBM
progress-monitoring material at 47
correct writing sequences in 3 minutes
with greater than 95% accuracy.
• In 10 weeks, Jose will write from sixth-
grade writing story starter CBM
progress-monitoring material at 30
correct writing sequences in 3 minutes
with greater than 95% accuracy. 57

58. CBM Materials
•AIMSweb /
Edformation
•Edcheckup
•McGraw-Hill
•Pro-Ed, Inc.
•Vanderbilt University
58