Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

Overview

• DIBELS screening assessments are designed to measure students at risk in reading.
• Based on the Science of Reading (the body of evidence which identifies the key skills that students need to be able to read fluently).
• 2025 is a trial year for DIBELS. 2026 all DECYP schools must fully implement the program.

This year, each class (P – 6) has focussed on two sub-tests specific to their year level:

• Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) (Prep/1)
• Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF) (Prep/1)
• Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) (1/2 & 2/3)
• Word Reading Fluency (WRF) (1/2 & 2/3)
• Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) (4/5 & 5/6)
• Maze (Comprehension and Vocab) (4/5 & 5/6)

Testing for ALL students (P-6) occurs three times per year (Beginning, Middle & End)

• Students split into 4 categories based on the results of each assessment:
  • Negligible Risk
  • Minimal Risk
  • Some Risk
  • At Risk
• Students identified as “Some Risk” or “At Risk” to receive reading intervention (in class or structured out of class sessions).
• DIBELS progress checks used to monitor progress.

DATA

Beginning of Year

Of the “Some Risk” or “At Risk” students who have received regular intervention, 100% of students have demonstrated growth in at least one of the sub-tests since the beginning of the year.