DIBELS Middle School Analysis Guide
Co-Teaching & Department Data Protocol
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Grade 7–8 Data Guide
First Review Session Page 1 of 4
Gen Ed Teacher
Special Ed / Co-Teacher
Grade Level & Team
Grade [ ] 7th [ ] 8th
Benchmark Window
[ ] BOY [ ] MOY [ ] EOY
1. Understanding 7th & 8th Grade DIBELS Measures
If this is your first time seeing mCLASS DIBELS reports in middle school, focus on these three core indicators and the composite score:
ORF: Words Correct WCPM
Number of correct words read aloud in 1 minute on grade-level text.
Signals: Automaticity, decoding efficiency, cognitive stamina.
ORF: Accuracy Rate % ACC
Percentage of words read accurately in context (Target is ≥ 97-98%).
Signals: Phonemic decoding vs guessing; word identification breakdown.
Maze (Cloze Comprehension) ADJUSTED
Silent reading measure where every 7th word offers 3 word choices.
Signals: Syntax, syntactic monitoring, semantic text comprehension.
2. Reading Benchmark Tiers (Standardized Color Bands)
Above Benchmark
Likelihood of achieving subsequent reading goals is 80–90%.
Action: Core + Enrichment / Disciplinary Depth
At Benchmark
Likelihood of meeting grade-level standards is 60–80%.
Action: High-quality Tier 1 Core Instruction
Below Benchmark
Likelihood of meeting goals is 40–60%; needs strategic boost.
Action: Strategic Targeted Small Group (Tier 1/2)
Well Below Benchmark
Likelihood of meeting grade standards is 10–20% without intervention.
Action: Intensive Tier 3 / Co-Taught Scaffolds
Middle School Co-Teaching Lens: What to Remember
General Education Focus
Examine classwide baseline fluency and text accessibility. If >30% of a class is Yellow/Red, solve it via whole-group Tier 1 scaffolds (choral reading, morphology), not solely pull-outs.
Special Education Focus
Compare DIBELS profiles against IEP goals. Does low ORF reflect slow processing, word attack deficits, or vocabulary? Identify students who require audio supports vs decoding intervention.
Next Step Turn to Page 2 to tally your Period 1–6 distribution and identify schedule trends.
Multi-Period Distribution
Classwide Trends Across Periods 1–6
Page 2 of 4
Record the number of students in each risk tier across your periods. Calculate percentage in Red/Yellow to identify your highest-need instructional blocks.
| Class Period | Total Enrolled | IEP / 504 Count | Blue (Above) | Green (Benchmark) | Yellow (Below) | Red (Well Below) | % Needing Support (Y+R) |
|---|
| Period 1 | | | | | | | |
| Period 2 | | | | | | | |
| Period 3 | | | | | | | |
| Period 4 | | | | | | | |
| Period 5 | | | | | | | |
| Period 6 | | | | | | | |
| TOTAL / AVG | | | | | | | |
Highest Support Need
Period:
Requires co-teaching station models & aggressive scaffolds.
Primary Skill Weakness
Measure:
Is the collective deficit in Rate, Accuracy, or Maze?
Most Independent Period
Period:
Prime candidate for inquiry depth & complex text tasks.
Period-by-Period Comparison Prompts
A. Schedule Clustering: Which class periods show high clusters of Red/Yellow? What structural factors (IEP rosters, time of day, class size) play a role?
B. Pacing & Delivery Adjustment: How must your instructional delivery differ between your lowest-need period and your highest-need period?
Next Step Proceed to Page 3 for the Notice & Wonder protocol and Skill Quadrant analysis.
Collaborative Inquiry
Notice & Wonder + Skill Diagnostic Profiles
Page 3 of 4
Separate pure facts from assumptions. First record objective facts (Notice), then formulate instructional questions (Wonder), and diagnose skill sub-patterns.
What Do We NOTICE?
Stick strictly to the data numbers. No opinions or guesses yet.
Observation 1 (Classwide or Specific Period)
Observation 2 (ORF Accuracy vs Speed)
Observation 3 (Maze / Comprehension Patterns)
What Do We WONDER?
Ask curious instructional questions. What might explain these numbers?
Wondering 1 (Root cause inquiry)
Wondering 2 (SpEd & Gen Ed co-teaching dynamic)
Wondering 3 (Impact on daily content & assessments)
Middle School Skill Diagnostic Quadrants (ORF vs. Maze)
Identify which profiles dominate your roster
Profile A: "The Word Callers" High ORF / Low Maze
Reads quickly and accurately aloud, but fails comprehension on silent Maze. Often lacks vocabulary depth, background knowledge, or active self-monitoring.
Instruction: Tier 2 academic vocabulary, comprehension stop-and-checks.
Profile B: "Pervasive Struggle" Low ORF / Low Maze
Breaks down in both rate and comprehension. Look at ORF Accuracy: if <95%, phonics and multisyllabic decoding deficits are bottlenecking comprehension.
Instruction: SpEd morphology, syllabication rules, structured phonics intervention.
Profile C: "Slow & Accurate Compensator" Low ORF / High Maze
Reads slowly or with anxiety, but understands well contextually. May have processing speed differences, English learner status, or speech articulation factors.
Instruction: Extended time, repeated reading routines, audio-assisted reading.
Profile D: "Secure Readers" High ORF / High Maze
Meets or exceeds benchmarks across the board. Possesses strong decoding stamina, fluent prosody, and solid syntactic knowledge.
Instruction: Advanced disciplinary literacy, rhetorical analysis, peer coaching.
Team Conclusion: What is our primary skill vulnerability across 7th/8th grade? [ ] Accuracy / Decoding [ ] Fluency Pace [ ] Vocabulary / Maze
Next Step Move to Page 4 to establish Tier 1 core strategies and co-teaching action steps.
Instructional Commitments
Action Planning & Co-Teaching Priorities
Page 4 of 4
Translate your DIBELS analysis into concrete classroom routines. What will change tomorrow in Tier 1 and in targeted co-teaching models?
A. Tier 1 Universal Literacy Adjustments (For Whole Classes)
Select 2–3 high-impact strategies every period will receive to address widespread fluency and comprehension needs:
Choral & Echo Reading Routine Model prosody and pace on anchor texts before asking students to read independently.
Daily Morphology Warm-Ups 5-minute prefixes, Latin/Greek roots, and suffixes routine to boost multisyllabic decoding.
Explicit Tier 2 Vocabulary Pre-Teaching Pre-teach 3–4 high-utility academic words with student-friendly definitions and syntax practice.
Structured Syntax / Sentence Deconstruction Break down complex sentences directly targeting the syntactical awareness tested in Maze.
Our Tier 1 Commitment This Month:
B. Targeted Co-Teaching & SpEd Model Plan
Station Teaching
Divide into 3 groups: Gen Ed teacher leads content deep-dive, SpEd leads fluency/decoding station, 3rd station is independent application.
Alternative Teaching
While one teacher conducts whole-group review, the other pulls 4–6 Red/Yellow students for 15-minute intensive word study or text preview.
Teaming / One Teach-One Assist
Active in-flight scaffolding: providing graphic organizers, chunking reading, and real-time IEP accommodation delivery during shared reading.
Gen Ed Teacher Primary Role in Routine:
SpEd Teacher Primary Role in Routine:
C. Progress Monitoring Cadence & Next Data Check
Red (Well Below) Every 2 Weeks
Administer 1-minute ORF passage to measure trajectory.
Yellow (Below) Every 4 Weeks
Monthly check to verify student is closing the gap toward Green.
Next Team Meeting Date: ____________
Review initial progress monitoring graphs together.
Gen Ed Signature
SpEd / Specialist Signature
Data Cycle Complete File in Co-Teaching Binder