Are the DIBELS measures norm referenced?
The DIBELS were developed as criterion-based measures; but national norms have been developed. DIBELS are criterion-referenced because each measure has an empirically established goal (or benchmark) that changes across time to ensure students’ skills are developing in a manner predictive of continued progress. The goals/benchmarks were developed following a large group of students in a longitudinal manner to see where students who were “readers” in later grades were performing on these critical early literacy skills when they were in Kindergarten and First grade so that we can make predictions about which students are progressing adequately and which students may need additional instructional support. This approach is in contrast with normative measures which simply demonstrate where a student is performing in relation to the normative sample, regardless of whether that performance is predictive of future success. For your convenience, district-level norms or percentiles are generated
The DIBELS were developed as criterion-based measures; but national norms have been developed. DIBELS are criterion-referenced because each measure has an empirically established goal (or benchmark) that changes across time to ensure students’ skills are developing in a manner predictive of continued progress. The goals/benchmarks were developed following a large group of students in a longitudinal manner to see where students who were “readers” in later grades were performing on these critical early literacy skills when they were in Kindergarten and First grade so that we can make predictions about which students are progressing adequately and which students may need additional instructional support. This approach is in contrast with normative measures which simply demonstrate where a student is performing in relation to the normative sample, regardless of whether that performance is predictive of future success.
