DuBard School for Language Disorders
Research - Retention and SPED Referral Rates
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Kindergarten and First Grade (1996-98)
Name of Project: Analysis of Pre- and Post-Intervention Retention Rates and SPED Referral Rates
Population: Students in two kindergarten (n=53) and two first-grade (n=55) classes
Service Delivery Model: Two kindergarten and two first-grade teachers who had previously received intensive training in the DuBard Association Method® were asked to provide reading and spelling instruction using a modified version of the DuBard Association Method® for a total of one hour daily.
Assessment Instruments: Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Bracken Basic Concept Scale, criterion-referenced DuBard School phonemes and vocabulary checklists
Length of Time Between Assessments: Pre-testing conducted in August and September 1996; Post-testing conducted in April and May 1997.
Results:
1996-97 School Year:
Prior to intervention using the DuBard Association Method®, 8-9% of students in kindergarten and first grade were retained. At the end of the 1996-97 school year, following intervention using the DuBard Association Method®, the retention rate for first grade was 2%. No students were retained in kindergarten at the end of the 1996-97 school year.
| 1996-1997 | ||
| Grade |
Pre-Intervention |
Post-Intervention Retention Rates |
| Kindergarten | 8-9% Average | 0% |
| First Grade | 8-9% Average | 2% |
1997-98 School Year:
Kindergarten - For kindergarten classes where the DuBard Association Method® was not used, the average SPED referral rate was 9%. The average SPED referral rate was 4% for kindergarten classes where the students received one year of DuBard Association Method® intervention (kindergarten 1997-98).
First Grade - For first-grade classes where the DuBard Association Method® was not used, the average SPED referral rate was 0.8%. There were zero SPED referrals for first-grade classes where the students received two years of DuBard Association Method® intervention (kindergarten 1996-97 and first grade 1997-98).
| 1997-1998 | ||
| Grade | Average SPED Referral Rates for Students in Classes WITHOUT DuBard Association Method Intervention | Average SPED Referral Rates for Students in Classes WITH DuBard Association Method Intervention |
| Kindergarten | 9% | 4% |
| First Grade | 0.8% | 0% |
Interpretation:
For kindergarten and first grade classes where a modified version of the DuBard Association Method® was used for reading and spelling instruction for a total of one hour daily, retention rates and SPED referrals were reduced as compared to classes where the DuBard Association Method® was not used.
References:
Bracken, Bruce A. (1984). Bracken Basic Concept Scale: Stimulus Manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
Hieronymus, H. D., Lindquist, K. R., & Hoover, E. F. (1986). Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Chicago: Riverside Publishing.