The reliability and validity of curriculum-based measures of writing proficiency at the secondary level

Abstract

The use of curriculum-based measurements of writing proficiency in secondary schools is becoming more prevalent. Unfortunately, there is little research to support the reliability or validity of such measures at the secondary level. Curriculum-based measurement methods show promise due to their efficiency, ease of administration, and scoring, but further research is needed determine which measures are most appropriate at the secondary level. Results of this literature review indicate that total words written (TW), correct word sequences (CWS) and correct minus incorrect word sequences (CWS-ICWS) are reliable measures of writing proficiency for secondary students. Further, both CWS and CWS-ICWS also show promise in the area of criterion-related validity for middle school students, although the criterion-related validity of these two measures are questionable for use at the high school level. All three measures (CWS, CWS-ICWS, and TW) may be developmentally valid for secondary students based on the limited information that is available, but more research is needed to determine whether they can be used to monitor the developing writing skills of high school students.