Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading Fluency: A Confirmatory Analysis of its Relation to Reading

Abstract

Reading traditionally is characterized as having two major components, decoding and comprehension. Published reading tests are created using these two components. Reading fluency, a combination of reading speed and accuracy, typically is not measured. Attention to reading fluency has increased through the emerging literature on Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM), which employs standardized oral reading tests derived from basal readers to make decisions about students' general reading skills. Despite a series of published validation studies, questions about what CBM oral reading fluency measures persist. This study examined the relation of CBM oral reading fluency to the reading process from a theoretical perspective. Reading models were tested using confirmatory factor analysis procedures with 114 third-and 124 fifth-grade students. Subjects were tested on tasks requiring decoding of phonetically regular words and regular nonsense words, literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, cloze items, written retell, and CBM oral reading fluency. For third graders, a unitary model of reading was validated with all measures contributing significantly. For fifth graders, a two-factor model was validated paralleling current conceptions of reading measurement. Regardless of the factor model employed, CBM oral reading fluency provided a good index of reading proficiency, including comprehension.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mark R. Shinn

Mark Shinn, PhD, is Associate Professor and Director, School Psychology Program, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. His research interests include the use of Curriculum-Based Measurement in educational decision making and issues related to the reintegration of special education students into general education classrooms.

Nancy Knutson

Nancy Knutson, PhD, is Project Coordinator of the Oregon Divorce Study at the Oregon Social Learning Center. She received her doctorate in school psychology from the University of Oregon in 1990. Her research interests include use of Curriculum-Based Measurement in problem-solving assessment and the effects of divorce on family interactions.

Roland H. Good

Roland Good III, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of Oregon. He received his doctorate from Pennsylvania State University in 1985. His research interests include the prevention of early academic problems and alternative service delivery systems.

W. David Tilly

W. David Tilly III, PhD, received his doctorate in school psychology from the University of Oregon in 1991. He is a school psychologist for the Heartland Area Education Agency. Research interests include Curriculum-Based Measurement and special education reform.

Vicki L. Collins

Vicki L. Collins is completing her doctorate in school psychology from the University of Oregon. Her interests include non-discriminatory assessment, functional problem-solving assessment with minority students, and reading instruction.