Classification Accuracy of Early Literacy Assessments: Linking Preschool and Kindergarten Performance

Abstract

A strong foundation in early literacy supports children’s academic pursuits and impacts personal, social, and economic outcomes. Therefore, examining the adequacy of early literacy assessments as predictors of future performance on important outcomes is critical for identifying students at risk of reading problems. This study explored the predictive validity of preschoolers’ literacy skills measured in the spring with the Individual Growth and Development Indicators 2.0 (IGDIs 2.0) to performance in the fall and winter of kindergarten as assessed by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills Next Edition (DIBELS Next) using Pearson product-moment correlations. In addition, the classification accuracy of student performance on the IGDIs 2.0 measures to the publisher-identified benchmark scores on DIBELS Next assessment in kindergarten was examined by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive power, overall correct classification, and kappa. Participants were 537 children from ethnically diverse backgrounds enrolled in an urban school district in the U.S. Northeast region. Results indicated small to moderate relationships between the individual IGDIs 2.0 tasks and DIBELS Next measures. Classification accuracy of student performance on the IGDIs 2.0 measures to the publisher-identified benchmark score on DIBELS Next composite in the fall and winter of kindergarten revealed inadequate levels of sensitivity; however, locally derived cut-scores improved sensitivity and specificity.