Math measures

All of the easyCBM mathematics measures were developed by mathematics teachers working collaboratively with researchers from the University of Oregon, to design measures that were aligned to grade-level content standards and would be appropriate for use as screening assessments (benchmarks) as well as for monitoring progress.

The easyCBM math tests are all standards-based rather than computational/application based. They were all created to address widely-adopted content state and national content standards. The easyCBM Lite accounts only have Basic Math tests whereas the easyCBM Teacher Deluxe accounts have both Basic and Proficient Math assessments.

Like all measures on easyCBM®, alternate forms of each math test were designed to be of equivalent difficulty, so teachers can progress monitor students from the initial screening assessments, through their progress monitoring tests every month throughout the year, comparing progress to subsequent screening assessments (fall, winter, and spring).

In easyCBM we don’t have math probes targeting specific math skills because both national and state standards have moved away from skill-based standards (e.g., application, computation, problem-solving), and instead embed those skills across grade-level math domains (e.g., geometry, measurement, etc.).

For math, the skill sets are align with set math focal point standards for each grade level. So one section of math skills will concentrate on a particular focal point, the second focal point, and the last one on the third focal point. One skill set here is not necessarily more difficult a concept than the other, just designed to test set focal point standards.

The questions where no words are given are written that way intentionally, as part of the system’s incorporation of Universal Design for Assessment (UDA). In each case, sufficient information is given by the use of the mathematical symbols and the answer options from which students have to choose that students should be able to interpret what is being asked. One of the guiding principles of the design used in constructing the tests was to eliminate words that were not essential; this design feature helps reduce the risk that the scores of students with reading disabilities and English learners will be artificially deflated as a result of misunderstanding the words.

Read aloud feature

All of the math items on easyCBM include a read-aloud option (grades K-8). These audio files are served via the HTML5 Web Audio API using JavaScript). Students access this feature when they login online and take their assigned test.

Once a student has accessed their math test, the first screen they are directed to assists them in enabling the sound/read-aloud feature. After conducting a sound test, this feature will be enabled for a student.

The math audio does not describe any pictures or graphs that might be included in the item. The questions where no words are given are written that way intentionally, as part of the system's incorporation of Universal Design for Assessment (UDA). In each case, sufficient information is given by the use of the mathematical symbols and the answer options from which students have to choose that students should be able to interpret what is being asked. One of the guiding principles of the design used in constructing the tests was to eliminate words that were not essential; this design feature helps reduce the risk that the scores of students with reading disabilities and English learners will be artificially deflated as a result of misunderstanding the words.

Progress Monitoring and Benchmark Tests

Testing Recommendations

If the student is functioning close to grade-level expectations (i.e., based on benchmarking and other classroom-based data/information) then the Proficient Math probes would likely be most appropriate. They are longer (25-30 problems) and more difficult than the Basic Math measures, and include applications of math reasoning and multiple problem-solving items on most probes>
If the student is functioning below their enrolled grade-level expectations (below 6th grade?), then one of the Basic Math short probes (just 16 test items) is likely more appropriate — at Grade 6, the Algebra probes have the most problem solving/applied reasoning type problems in them.
If the student is far below grade-level expectations, we suggest working with the teacher/school psychologist, etc. to actually look at the math problems on the different math measures available and then select the measure type that best matches what the student is being taught. By looking at the actual test items, which are similar in style across each of the ten test forms/and within each measure type can match what the student is being taught (generally, but more importantly, during intervention support), to the most appropriate measure(s). If unsure which one is most suitable for a given student, benchmark performance might help identify areas/problem types of weakness.

During the screening test window, students take sub-tests covering all three focal point standards from their grade level. In between the benchmark testing windows, teachers can select a single focal point standard to use for monitoring progress or can draw from across the different focal points at that grade level. The math tests from a given focal point should be used no more than once every 3 weeks for monitoring progress. If teachers want to monitor progress weekly, they need to cycle through the different focal points, so each one gets tested every 3 weeks.

For math tests, teachers are allowed to read a question to a student. And by reading we mean just the reading of the question and answer choices, word for word, with no definition, explanation or emphasis of any words or answer choices as demonstrated by voice inflections and/or intonation. We do not recommend the use of a calculator unless a student's IEP stipulates it as an accommodation.

Items on the math progress monitoring tests increase in difficulty from Item 1 through Item 16, with one exception. On every test, Item #5 is actually the most difficult item (based on our pilot studies of the items). Item #16 is actually the fifth-easiest item. We made the Item 5/Item 16 substitution on each form to provide teachers with additional information. If students get Item 6, 7, and 8 correct but misses Item 16, it is likely that they simply stopped trying by the end of the test, because the last item should be easier than the items that come before it.

For students in grades K-8, the math items that have words in the question itself come with a ‘read aloud’ option. Students can click on a speaker icon and have the math item read aloud to them. For this reason, it is important that Kindergarten and First Grade students have headphones available in the computer lab when testing. The sound portion does not describe any pictures or graphs that might be included in the question. Students access this feature when they login online and take their assigned test. Once a student has accessed their math test, the first screen directs them in enabling the sound/read-aloud feature. After conducting a sound test, this feature will be enabled for a student.do. Located in the left corner next to the question's graphic.

The easyCBM program has two types of math tests. The main difference between the basic and proficient math measures are how they were designed.

The Basic Math measures (NCTM Standards), found in the Lite, Deluxe, and District accounts, were designed, intentionally, to be much more accessible, with simplified wording and presentation and simpler concepts (for students truly struggling). They have fewer cognitive demands for processing what is being asked) and assess a more foundational understanding of math. Thus, they are most appropriate for use with students who are really struggling and are performing below their grade level peers in the area of math. Because of this, the tests are very short (16 item) progress monitoring forms and assess a small segment "domain" / of the content covered during a given academic year. There are 10 alternate forms of progress monitoring assessments for each of three main math standards per grade.

Because of their alignment to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Focal Point Standards in Mathematics they have SOME alignment to the CCSS Math Standards, but that is only happenstance (to the extent that the CCSS Math Standards overlap with the NCTM Focal Points. There is a ‘match’, but there are also many insufficient areas of overlap.

Proficient Math measures (Common Core Standards) are found only in the Deluxe and District accounts. They are designed to be more challenging for students, assessing a higher level of mathematics knowledge. The Proficient Math tests may actually be a bit too challenging for students who are performing far below grade level expectations. In these situations, teachers may find it useful to use the Basic Math measures until students make sufficient progress to perform at or above the 40th percentile before switching to the Proficient Math measures for regular progress monitoring.

For the Proficient Math measures, there are 10 alternate forms, per grade, to be used for progress monitoring. These progress monitoring forms are longer than the Basic Math forms (more like 30-40 items per test form, with upper grades having more items and lower grades having fewer items) and the items are drawn from across the full range of content standards assigned to a given grade level.

We also offer longer benchmark forms that include items from across all three of the NCTM focal point standards at a given grade level. The CCSS Math measures "Proficient Math" are by design,more challenging.

All Proficient Math measures include items from across the full range of content standards designated for a given grade level. The benchmark measures also include some prior and subsequent grade-level items to increase their reliability when used as benchmark universal screening assessments.

I was wondering why the Basic Math 7 Spring test has 4 questions on congruence and similarity? That is not even a standard for 7th grade. It is an 8th grade standard.

The math Benchmark assessments include 5 items from the previous grade level and 5 items from the subsequent grade level, by design. This is to help provide greater "reach" (and thus sensitivity / reliability for the scores) to the highest performing students as well as those who are struggling.

Our math assessments are not inherently fluency-based, although there are timing recommendations for administering them in the teacher’s manual…and teachers have the flexibility to time them if they wish. In an attempt to target students’ math knowledge/skills most directly, the problems on each test type are multiple choice, not “text-heavy”, typically require between 1-3 computational steps, and allow students to use a variety of strategies to solve each problem.

Computational fluency is not always a product of an assessment, but rather a teaching/learning/thinking strategy in which students demonstrate flexibility in the way they go about solving math problems…with both efficiency and accuracy. For example, to build computational fluency, teachers can use things like flash cards, math fluency games, fluency centers — in which students move from center to center on a timed basis, each center focusing on a certain computational skill or set of skills, etc.

If teachers want a strictly skill-based computational fluency assessment, they can create or find test(s) that targets the skill(s) that they want to be readily accessible and usable by their students. An easy example of this would be a teacher giving a sheet of 25 addition, subtraction or multiplication problems and timing students on how quickly and accurately students completed them.