Rebecca S. Martínez

Emotional Adjustment and School Functioning of Young Adolescents with Multiple Versus Single Learning Disabilities

Early adolescents (Grades 6—8) with multiple learning disabilities (LD; reading and math) in inclusive settings were compared to adolescents with single LD (reading or math) and typically achieving (TA) peers regarding their psychosocial functioning in two areas of adolescent well-being: emotional adjustment and school functioning. The Behavior Assessment System for Children (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998) Self-Report of Personality for adolescents was used to determine well-being. One hundred twenty middle school students—15 boys and 15 girls in each group—were included in the current study. The results confirmed that adolescents with multiple LD (reading and math) reported poorer functioning (i.e., higher T scores) on school maladjustment, clinical maladjustment, emotional symptoms index, attitude to school, atypicality, and depression when compared to TA peers but not when compared to peers with a single LD (reading or math). All three groups differed from the TA group (but not from each other) on sense of inadequacy, with the multiple LD group reporting the highest T scores. Additional analyses indicated significant differences between girls and boys, regardless of disability status. Girls reported higher T scores on the emotional symptoms index, social stress, and depression, but boys reported greater school maladjustment and sensation seeking. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

A preliminary investigation of within-year growth patterns in reading and mathematics curriculum-based measures

This study examined patterns of growth across benchmark assessments for curriculum-based measures (CBM) over 2 academic years, with the twofold purpose of replicating earlier findings of growth patterns on R-CBM and conducting a preliminary investigation of growth patterns on M-CBM and CBM-Maze. The sample included 898 cases from 3rd through 5th grade over 2 academic years from one elementary school in the rural Midwest. All students participated in tri-annual benchmark assessments in which they were administered R-CBM, CBM-Maze, and M-CBM. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine patterns of growth for all three measures. Students demonstrated greater R-CBM weekly growth during winter-to-spring than fall-to-winter across grade levels. Patterns for CBM-Maze and M-CBM were somewhat inconsistent across school years and grade levels. Results are discussed in terms of contextual variables that may impact within-year growth patterns and technical characteristics of CBM slopes.

Strategies and attributes of highly productive scholars and contributors to the school psychology literature: Recommendations for increasing scholarly productivity

In all academic fields, there are scholars who contribute to the research literature at exceptionally high levels. The goal of the current study was to discover what school psychology researchers with remarkably high levels of journal publication do to be so productive. In Study 1, 94 highly productive school psychology scholars were identified from past research, and 51 (39 men, 12 women) submitted individual, short-answer responses to a 5-item questionnaire regarding their research strategies. A constant comparative approach was employed to sort and code individual sentiments (N=479) into categories. Seven broad categories of counsel for increasing productivity emerged: (a) research and publication practices and strategies, (b) collaboration, mentoring and building relationships, (c) navigating the peer-review process, (d) strategies to bolster writing productivity and excellence, (e) personal character traits that foster productivity, (f) preparation before entering the professoriate, and (g) other noteworthy sentiments. Results are discussed in terms of nine recommendations for scholars and graduate students who wish to increase their productivity. In Study 2, five of the most productive scholars (1 woman, 4 men) participated in a semi-structured interview about their high levels of productivity. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed, and a case analysis approach employed to profile each scholar. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Supporting the Students Most In Need: Academic Self-Efficacy and Perceived Teacher Support in Relation to Within-Year Academic Growth

Academic self-efficacy and perceived teacher support in relation to academic skill growth across one academic year were examined in the study. Participants included 193 5th-grade students. Teachers collected curriculum-based measures (CBM) of reading and math on three occasions as part of routine academic benchmarks, and researchers collected student-reported measures of academic self-efficacy and perceived teacher support in the spring of the same academic year. Results indicated that academic self-efficacy was positively related to fall reading and math CBM scores and that perceived teacher support was unrelated to fall scores or growth across the academic year. Academic self-efficacy and perceived teacher support interacted in relation to math CBM growth such that low levels of perceived teacher support were related to greater growth, particularly for students with high academic self-efficacy. Follow-up analyses indicated that students with the lowest fall CBM scores and smallest growth rates reported higher levels of perceived teacher support, suggesting that teachers support the students most in need.

Identifying English Language Learners for Gifted and Talented Programs: Current Practices and Recommendations for Improvement

While the number and relative proportion of English language learners (ELL) in public school systems is rapidly increasing, ELL students are often overlooked for gifted programs, and for this reason are grossly underrepresented in gifted and talented education programs. Identification practices that were implemented decades ago did not take into account the linguistic and cultural diversity of students that are present in schools today. This theoretical article examines current gifted identification practices related to ELL students in public schools nationwide. The authors identify necessary components to this process that are often overlooked for ELL populations. Recommendations for best practice and future research are provided.

Technical Adequacy of Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measurement in Kindergarten

The current study examines the technical adequacy of four Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measurement (EN-CBM) screening tasks: Oral Counting (OC), Number Identification (NI), Quantity Discrimination (QD), and Missing Number (MN). Results from 59 kindergarten students assessed in the fall and spring reveal moderate to high test—retest and delayed alternate-form reliability. In addition, data from the four measures demonstrate adequate concurrent and predictive validity by comparing them to an established measure of early numeracy. The measures demonstrated growth over time from the beginning to the end of kindergarten. Finally, combinations of the measures were evaluated post hoc, and the combination of NI, QD, and MN produced the highest reliability, validity, and rate of growth coefficients. Overall, results support the technical adequacy of EN-CBM for use with kindergarten-aged children.

Universal Screening of Reading in Late Elementary School R-CBM Versus CBM Maze

Two curriculum-based measurement tools are commonly used to assess progress in reading in elementary school: R-CBM and CBM maze. R-CBM is used in practice more frequently than CBM maze is, although CBM maze is more time efficient to administer than R-CBM is. The technical adequacy of each of these measures has been reported in the literature; however, a comparative analysis of their technical adequacy has not been published. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical adequacy of R-CBM and CBM maze to inform their use in a universal screening program of reading in fourth and fifth grades. Results suggest evidence of short- and long-term alternate forms reliability, criterion validity, and predictive validity for both R-CBM and CBM maze, supporting the possibility that the two measures are comparable for use in universal screening at those grade levels.

Identifying Gifted and Talented English Language Learners: A Case Study.

With the sharp rise in students who are English language learners (ELL), research on identifying and serving the needs of gifted and talented (GT) ELL students offers fertile ground for best practice guidelines. The current study describes GT/ELL identification practices based on an in-depth case study of one diverse school district in the Midwest. School personnel, parents, and students participated in separate semistructured group interviews about their experiences regarding GT/ELL identification. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content. Additionally, district and state policy documents about GT and ELL identification practices were reviewed. Results highlight the theoretical and practical barriers to identifying GT ELLs effectively. These include possible population challenges, state support, current programming, assessment practices, parental involvement, and staff challenges. Implications for school personnel and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Publication criteria and recommended areas of improvement within school psychology journals as reported by editors, journal board members, and manuscript authors.

Two online surveys were completed by editors, associate editors, editorial board members, and members or fellows of the Division 16 of the American Psychological Association. These surveys targeted (a) the criteria for a manuscript to be published in school psychology journals, and (b) the components of the peer-review process that should be improved. Although prior surveys have targeted these issues in general, none have been conducted in school psychology or examined differences in perspectives between those who serve in a reviewing capacity or those who have served only in an author capacity. Results identified the most important characteristics for a manuscript submitted for publication to be positively reviewed as well as identified differences in the expectations for such characteristics between novice authors (who do not contribute to the journal editorial process) and those authors who serve the journal editorial process more extensively (e.g., editors and associate editors). In addition, key areas to target for improvement (e.g., reducing potential reviewer bias) within the reviewing process were identified.

Concurrent and Longitudinal Patterns and Trends in Performance on Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measures in Kindergarten Through Third Grade

The purpose of this study was to extend the research on the Tests of Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measurement (TEN-CBM) tools by examining concurrent and predictive relations from kindergarten through third grade. Using a longitudinal sample of 535 students, this study included logistic regression, latent cluster, and latent transition analyses to examine the patterns and trends of student performance on all four TEN-CBM measures in kindergarten and first grade, math CBM (M-CBM) in first grade, and mathematics performance on a statewide high-stakes assessment in third grade. Results suggest that two of the TEN-CBM tools, Quantity Discrimination and Missing Number, are most robust at predicting later math performance. Longitudinal analysis indicated that students who are low performing in early numeracy at the beginning of kindergarten tend to be low performing in math at third grade. Low-achieving students also demonstrated a greater decrease in math skills over summer months when compared to higher-achieving peers.