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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
Retention Rates

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.

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DuBard School for Language Disorders
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Hattiesburg, MS 39406

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