AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF PASSAGE DIFFICULTY LEVEL ON OUTCOMES OF ORAL READING FLUENCY PROGRESS MONITORING

This study examined the differential effects of using grade versus goa l level reading material on curriculum-based measurement (CBM) progres s-monitoring procedures. Participants included a total of 80 students, 20 each from grades 1 through 4. CBM reading passage probes from both grade and goal level material were administered to all students, twic e weekly during an 11-week period. Students' rare of progress in each level of materials was indexed using the slope of their data series ca lculated by ordinary least-squares regression. Results indicate that t he amount of progress observed (i.e., slope of improvement) varied as a function of grade and whether student progress was monitored in grad e or goal level material.