Off-Grade Progress Monitoring

Off-Grade Progress Monitoring

FastBridge users are always encouraged to conduct universal screening at the student’s current grade level. This allows teachers to know how well a student performs in relation to grade-level goals.  

Unlike screening, progress monitoring should always be done using a measure that matches the content and level of the student’s intervention. For some students, grade-level monitoring will work because their current skills are behind, but in the span of the current grade level. For students with very significant skill gaps, below-grade-level monitoring is likely to be more effective because it will document the student’s progress in material that matches the intervention focus. For example, if a sixth-grade student is currently reading at a second-grade level, monitoring with grade 6 material is likely to be too difficult for the student and the scores will be very low for a long time. However, if the student participates in daily intervention with third-grade material, then monitoring with grade 3 measures is likely to document the student’s progress with the intervention.  

Once universal screening and any additional follow-up screening are complete, teachers can plan instruction and intervention for all students. For students who participate in below-grade intervention and monitoring, it is essential that their progress be monitored and reviewed very frequently. These students have significant gaps and need to make “catch-up” growth in order to get back on track with their peers. FastBridge recommends that students who participate in the intensive intervention and below-grade monitoring complete weekly progress assessments in order to accelerate their growth. In addition, it is essential that teachers review the progress data for such students at regular intervals to confirm that the intervention is working or to make changes as needed. The best practice is to review student progress data every 4 to 6 data points.

In addition to reviewing student progress data at regular intervals, it is also very important that teachers adjust intervention and monitoring as students make progress.  For example, a sixth-grade student who is in third-grade intervention and monitoring needs to make accelerated growth as quickly as possible in order to move up to fourth, fifth, and then sixth-grade content. The ultimate goal for this student is to provide intervention that results in meeting sixth-grade goals during the sixth-grade year. Some students will require multiple years to reach grade-level goals but in all cases, they need intensive and accelerated instruction matched with corresponding monitoring that is reviewed frequently so that new goals and instruction are provided. 

All grade levels of available progress measures can be selected when setting up a progress monitoring schedule. To select a different grade level for monitoring than the one used for screening, start by creating a new schedule for the student in the Progress Monitoring tab as outlined here. The monitoring grade level can be changed in the Monitoring Schedule window. At the bottom of that window, in the box with the student’s name, click on the level displayed in the first column marked “Level.” That will open a menu where you can change the grade up or down. Here is an example of a third grader.

After selecting G2, the level displayed in the student’s box will change to that level.

If you would like to see the end-of-year benchmarks and scores for different percentiles for the selected grade level, click on View Targets.  This will display a table that starts with Grade 1 data and can be changed to view any available grade.

Click on the X on the top right of the pop-up window to close it. Note that if the student has not already completed the screening assessment for the new grade level, that needs to be done prior to progress monitoring. Once the screener is completed, the score from that assessment will appear in the Start Score box.

Once all the information for the progress monitoring schedule is complete, select NEXT and finish the setup process.

Monitoring IEP Goals

All individualized education program (IEP) goals must be monitored regularly in order to evaluate progress. In the case of students working on goals below grade level, the progress measure must match the instruction for the goal. And, as with all students who are monitored below grade level, the data must be reviewed often to check that the instruction is working and to move the student up to more advanced instruction and monitoring over time.

Reading Example

Here is a screenshot of a progress monitoring schedule setup window.

To progress monitor off-grade level using a reading assessment, follow the process to set up a new progress monitoring schedule as outlined here. At the bottom of the Monitoring Schedule slideout pane, change the level by clicking on the G#.  Then, use the dropdown menu to select the appropriate form level.  Gx indicates that the measure only has one level available.

Math Example:

To progress monitor off-grade level using a math assessment, follow the process to set up a new progress monitoring schedule as outlined here.  Near the top of the Monitoring Schedule slideout pane, you will see an option to select a Monitoring Assessment.  The following options will appear in the dropdown menu, provided they have all been enabled by a School or District Manager in your setting:

 As you can see in the list above, a teacher has the ability to select whichever assessment and level they’d like under the Monitoring Assessment option.   If CBMmath CAP is used for off-grade progress monitoring, then the level must be selected following the same process as described in the reading above and shown here.