Marietta City Schools staff were able to attend a new training on mClass DIBELS 8th edition on August 15, 2023. The training was given by Amplify, a company that specializes in K–12 core and supplemental curriculum, assessment, and intervention programs.
“This is the first year we’ve offered the mClass DIBELS training,” according to Tim Fleming, Director of Curriculum and Technology. “But we have worked with Amplify in our K-8 science adoption and now again in our K-8 language arts curriculum.”
DIBELS or Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, is a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of literacy skills. These measures are designed to be a short assessment to detect and monitor the literacy skills of grades K-8.
Fleming noted that MCS needed a screener that would allow the system to gauge our methods effectiveness, and that it also fell in line with their current methodology. “It was important to have a screener that would give us the valuable information we need so that we can change or adapt our instruction and instructional practices. It also falls in line with state guidelines for screeners for dyslexia, and also our path in the Science of Reading.”
DIBELS is given to students in a one on one setting with the instructor in short one minute assessments. In addition to monitoring literacy skills, it can also be used to identify red flags for dyslexia in students. Parents may then use this information to follow up with a medical professional to determine if they should be diagnosed as dyslexic.
Mollie Huffman, a Third Grade Title I Reading Specialist at Marietta Elementary School, believes that the new system will make the testing and sharing of results with families a quicker process. “I am excited that this new system will provide us with specific and comprehensive information on each student and is much quicker than our previous assessment method. This gives us more time to do what we all love to do, teach!”
Having these group trainings allows teachers to learn the new platform and build a support network to use as they begin implementing what they’ve learned.
“I do enjoy these trainings because it allows me to see different teachers and staff within the district who I don’t normally get to see on a daily or even weekly basis,” said Jordan Darling, Tier II Math Teacher at Phillips Elementary. “In the future, I have reference points if something goes wrong, I know who to send a message to for help.”
Huffman stated that trainings like these are crucial for faculty and student growth. “I feel fortunate to be in a district that provides opportunities for me to grow as an educator. I feel that Marietta City Schools is taking the steps necessary to ensure each student reaches his/her literacy potential.”