About easyCBM Math Measures and Their Use
All of the mathematics measures on easyCBM 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, would be appropriate for use as screening assessments (benchmarks) as well as for monitoring progress every 3-4 weeks (progress monitoring), and would be as free as possible from construct-irrelevant variance associated with reading demands on the mathematics items.
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).
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.
The first number of a measure indicates the grade. The second number is an arbitrary number and indicates nothing more than a way to distinguish one measure from another. The numbering of the assessments does not represent the order in which to administer them or their degree of difficulty, it's just a way to keep track of the tests.
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 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.