Assessment

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Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills.

DIBELS were developed to measure recognized and empirically validated skills related to reading outcomes. Each measure has been thoroughly researched and demonstrated to be reliable and valid indicators of early literacy development and predictive of later reading proficiency to aid in the early identification of students who are not progressing as expected. When used as recommended, the results can be used to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level feedback toward validated instructional objectives.

Visit the DIBELS Data System website to learn more about DIBELS, including:

  1. The history of DIBELS
  2. How the DIBELS measures assess the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
  3. Using DIBELS as Indicators
  4. How to use DIBELS in your school
  5. Administering and Scoring the DIBELS Measures
  6. Collecting Schoolwide Assessment Data
  7. Using the University of Oregon's DIBELS Data System to enter student data, generate reports, and get access to expert content