Has Curriculum-Based Assessment Become a Staple of School Psychology Practice? An Update and Extension of Knowledge, Use, and Attitudes From 1990 to 2000

Abstract

Over the past decade, curriculum-based assessment (CBA) has received substantial attention in the empirical literature as a reliable and valid method for assessment of academic skills problems. Despite this attention, there have been only limited studies on the use of CBA by school-based professionals. The present study reports the outcomes of a national survey of school psychologists' self-reported knowledge, use, and attitudes toward CBA in their everyday practice. Comparisons are made to a similar survey conducted 10 years ago. Results showed that although a statistically significant increase in self-reported practice has occurred over the past 10 years, the change in level of reported use was small. Among those school psychologists who reported that they used CBA in their practice, the frequency of use was substantially higher than a decade ago. Although self-reported use of CBA has not greatly increased, CBA appears to have become a much more common part of the graduate training programs of school psychologists. Attitudes toward CBA appear to have remained stable over the past decade. Despite the changes to include CBA more often in the everyday practice of school psychologists, a large proportion of school psychologists do not appear to be using CBA in the assessment of academic skills problems.

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Notes on contributors

Edward S. Shapiro

Edward S. Shapiro, PhD, is Iacocca Professor of Education, Professor, School Psychology Program, and Chairperson of the Department of Education and Human Services at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Dr. Shapiro is best known for his work in curriculum-based assessment and nonstandardized methods of assessing academic skills problems. Over the past two years, Dr. Shapiro has been working as a consultant with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to facilitate an effort to establish progress statewide monitoring systems for students in special education.

Lisa Marie Angello

Lisa Marie Angello, PhD, is the Autism Training Coordinator and Director of Home Consultation Services for The Ivymount Autism Program in Rockville, Maryland. She received her Ph.D. from Lehigh University in 2003. Her research and professional interests include assessment methodologies possessing treatment validity such as curriculum-based measurement and functional behavioral assessment/analysis, and delivery of psychological services through a behavioral model of consultation.

Tanya L. Eckert

Tanya L. Eckert, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Syracuse University. Her research interests include examining procedures for assessing academic and behavioral problems, developing classroom-based interventions, and measuring the acceptability of assessment and intervention procedures. Dr. Eckert is an Associate Editor of the School Psychology Review.