For Immediate Release
May 15, 2024
New Literacy Assessment Tool for the 2024-2025 School Year
For the 2024-2025 school year, the district is implementing Star CBM Reading, a K-2 literacy screening tool that replaces previous years' more expensive and less advanced tool. The new tool will save the district thousands of dollars while implementing a dyslexia screener.
Msvl. WA—The Marysville School District is making a concerted effort to improve student outcomes, and as part of this effort, we are excited to announce a district-wide transition to a comprehensive and more affordable tool for assisting staff in proactively addressing early elementary students' literacy development. The new assessment tool, Star CBM Reading, allows educators to accurately assess students and better target instruction and intervention for each learner’s needs. With Star CBM, educators can access in-depth data from student assessments to identify error patterns and opportunities for growth.
In addition to measuring reading achievement, Star CBM Reading includes a Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) assessment, a dyslexia screening component required by Washington State for all kindergarten and first-grade students.
Starting in the upcoming school year, the Star CBM Reading assessment will replace DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills), the former literacy assessment tool for K-2 students. Earlier this school year, a special committee of district teachers, principals, and leaders formed to analyze DIBELS and Star CBM Reading and found that the two programs were similar regarding functionality and data reports. After receiving quotes, the district learned that Star CBM Reading would save about $16.00 per student, equating to approximately $35,000 annually. Before this analysis, DIBELS was the literacy assessment tool teachers preferred. After piloting the Star CBM Reading program, the committee agreed that a district-wide transition was in the best interest of students, staff, and schools, providing more data at a lesser cost.
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Contact:
Jodi Runyon, Director of Communications,
Engagement and Outreach
jodi_runyon@msd25.org(360) 965-0005