Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Defending DIBELS Author Against Conflicts Charge

May 22, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

The article “House Panel Grills Witnesses on Reading First” (April 25, 2007) describes the contentious investigative hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Education and Labor Committee about possible conflicts of interest in the federal Reading First program. During that April 20 hearing, committee members questioned the role of Roland H. Good III, a senior author of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, or DIBELS, reading test. Some members alleged that DIBELS’ increased school adoption was because of Mr. Good’s involvement on the Reading First assessment-selection committee.

A study by one of my doctoral students indicates that DIBELS is an excellent test for predicting reading achievement. Kristi Sandvik compared 1st through 6th graders’ scores on DIBELS and two other early-identification reading tests with their scores on a comprehensive reading-achievement test. Her findings showed that DIBELS scores predicted reading achievement at each grade level, while the other two tests were only predictive on some subtests at some grades.

A study published this month in The Elementary School Journal by Stephen G. Schilling, Joanne F. Carlisle, Sarah E. Scott, and Ji Zeng confirmed this predictive value of DIBELS for reading achievement. The increased use of DIBELS may be a simple artifact of school personnel using the best test available.

Committee members’ allegations about Mr. Good’s possible conflicts of interest and profiteering seem bewildering. Publishers of the other 23 reading tests on the adopted list charge for their test forms, resulting in a significant expense to schools. In contrast, DIBELS forms are free from the DIBELS Web site. In addition, Mr. Good contributes profits from DIBELS (for example, from its automated reports and analyses, an optional service) to his university and the future development of that test.

Gary L. Adams

Professor of Educational Foundations

and Leadership

School of Education

George Fox University

Newberg, Ore.

A version of this article appeared in the May 23, 2007 edition of Education Week as Defending DIBELS Author Against Conflicts Charge

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
(Re)Focus on Dyslexia: Moving Beyond Diagnosis & Toward Transformation
Move beyond dyslexia diagnoses & focus on effective literacy instruction for ALL students. Join us to learn research-based strategies that benefit learners in PreK-8.
Content provided by EPS Learning
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Teaching Webinar
Cohesive Instruction, Connected Schools: Scale Excellence District-Wide with the Right Technology
Ensure all students receive high-quality instruction with a cohesive educational framework. Learn how to empower teachers and leverage technology.
Content provided by Instructure
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
How to Use Data to Combat Bullying and Enhance School Safety
Join our webinar to learn how data can help identify bullying, implement effective interventions, & foster student well-being.
Content provided by Panorama Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 14, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read