Progress Monitoring and Data-Based Decision Making

Progress Monitoring and Data-Based Decision Making

What is Progress Monitoring?

Frequent, brief assessments to: - Track student response to instruction/intervention - Make timely instructional adjustments - Determine if interventions are working - Inform IEP goal progress

Types of Progress Monitoring

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM)

Characteristics: - Standardized, brief (1-5 minutes) - Alternate forms for repeated use - Sensitive to small changes - Easy to administer and score - Research-validated

Reading CBM Types:

Math CBM Types:

Setting Up Progress Monitoring

Step 1: Establish Baseline

• Give 3 probes in one week
• Use median (middle) score as baseline
• This is starting point on graph

Step 2: Set Goal

Methods: - Benchmark: Grade-level expectation by end of year - Growth rate: Add expected growth to baseline - Ambitious: 1.5-2x typical growth rate (for catch-up)

Example: - Baseline ORF: 35 WCPM - Grade 2 spring benchmark: 90 WCPM - 20 weeks of intervention - Weekly growth needed: (90-35)/20 = 2.75 WCPM per week

Step 3: Create Goal Line

• Plot baseline (starting point)
• Plot goal (ending point)
• Connect with straight line
• This is the "aimline" or goal line

Step 4: Monitor Regularly

• Tier 2: Every 2 weeks
• Tier 3: Weekly
• IEP goals: As specified (often weekly or bi-weekly)

Step 5: Graph and Analyze Data

Decision Rules

4-Point Rule: After 4 consecutive data points: - All above goal line: Consider increasing goal or fading support - All below goal line: Change intervention (it's not working) - Variable: Continue monitoring, analyze instructional variables

Trend Line Analysis: - Draw line through most recent 6-8 data points - Compare slope to goal line slope - Steeper than goal = on track to exceed - Flatter than goal = won't meet goal at this rate

Response Categories

Making Instructional Changes

When data shows poor response:

1. Check fidelity first
2. Is intervention being delivered as designed?
3. Correct frequency and duration?

4. Trained interventionist?

5. If fidelity is good, change intervention

6. Increase intensity (more time, smaller group)
7. Change approach (different program/strategy)
8. Target different skill (diagnostic assessment)

9. Add component (e.g., add fluency to phonics)

10. Don't wait too long

11. 4-6 data points below goal = time to change
12. Every week without change = lost learning

IEP Goal Progress Monitoring

Requirements: - Progress reported as often as report cards - Must include data, not just narrative - Must indicate if student will meet goal

Progress Report Example: "Goal: Read 90 WCPM by May 2025. Current: 65 WCPM (Feb). Rate of improvement: 2.5 WCPM/week. At current rate, student is projected to meet goal."

Data Collection Tools

Paper-Based: - Standard protocol forms - Graphing templates - Data collection sheets

Digital: - DIBELS/Acadience - AIMSweb - FastBridge - EasyCBM - Google Sheets/Excel with graphing

Graphing Best Practices

Include: - Student name and goal - Baseline data point(s) - Goal line (aimline) - Phase change lines (when intervention changes) - Intervention description - Trend line (optional but helpful)

Make it Visual: - Use consistent scale - Plot data points clearly - Color-code different phases - Share graphs with students!

Involving Students

Student Self-Monitoring: - Teach students to graph own data - Discuss progress regularly - Set mini-goals together - Celebrate growth

Benefits: - Increased motivation - Ownership of learning - Self-advocacy skills - Understanding of own strengths/needs

Common Mistakes

1. Not graphing data - Numbers in a spreadsheet aren't as useful
2. Infrequent monitoring - Monthly is not enough for intervention
3. Ignoring data - Continuing ineffective interventions
4. Wrong measure - Using grade-level probe when student is far below
5. No decision rules - Not having plan for when to change
6. Not sharing with team - Data should drive team decisions
7. Changing too often - Give intervention 4-6 data points before changing

Data Team Meetings

Frequency: Every 2-4 weeks

Agenda: 1. Review data for each student 2. Identify students not responding 3. Problem-solve for struggling students 4. Celebrate successes 5. Plan next steps

Who attends: - Classroom teachers - Interventionists - Specialists (as needed) - Administrator

Communicating with Parents

Share: - Graph showing progress - What the numbers mean in plain language - What intervention is being provided - Whether student is on track to meet goal - What will happen next

Example: "Marcus is receiving extra reading help for 30 minutes every day in a small group. We check his reading every week. His goal is to read 90 words per minute by May. Right now he's reading 58 words per minute, and he's gaining about 2 words per week. At this rate, he'll reach his goal. Here's his graph so you can see his progress."