An Analysis of Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measurement: Examining the Role of Growth in Student Outcomes

Three important features to examine for measures used to systematically monitor progress over time are (a) technical features of static scores, (b) technical features of slope, and (c) instructional utility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the technical features of slope of four early numeracy curriculum-based measures administered to kindergarten students. Approximately 200 students were assessed at the beginning and end of the school year, and a subset of students (n = 55) was assessed three additional times during the year. Growth curve analysis was used to model growth over time. The contribution of slope to explaining variance on a criterion measure was examined for the curriculum-based measures that fit a linear growth pattern. Implications are discussed regarding monitoring progress in early mathematics.