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Interpretations of Curriculum-Based Measurement Outcomes: Standard Error and Confidence Intervals

Theodore J. Christ and Melissa Coolong-Chaffin
University of Minnesota

Abstract: Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a set of procedures uniquely suited to inform problem solving and response-to-intervention (RTI) evaluations. The prominence, use, and emphasis on CBM are likely to increase in the coming years because of the recent changes in federal law (No Child Left Behind and the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]) along with the advent and growing popularity of RTI models (i.e., multitiered and dual discrepancy). As a result of these changes in legislation, it is likely that CBM data will be used more often to guide high-stakes decisions, such as those related to diagnosis and eligibility determination. School psychologists must remain ever vigilant leaders in schools to guide assessment and evaluation practices. That includes implementation and advocacy for valid uses and interpretations of measurement outcomes. The authors promote a perspective and methodology for school psychologists to reference the consistency, reliability, and sensitivity of CBM outcomes. Specifically, school psychologists should reference standard error and report confidence intervals as they apply to estimates of both level and trend. A conceptual foundation and guidelines are presented to interpret CBM outcomes.

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