Data Repositories for DIBELS assessments

Purpose:

To explain the various sources available to retrieve DIBELS assessment data so it can be loaded into SchoolData applications.

Explanation:

There are three "legitimate" sites for retrieving DIBELS data as well as two sets of cut scores or Foundational Assessment Test Structure (FATS) files to produce the data displays in the way districts want them.  Those three sites include DIBELSnet (DMG), DIBELS UofO, VPort Voyager Learning.

It is our understanding that Roland Good & Ruth Kaminski, (Dynamic Measurements Group - DMG) are the original authors of DIBELS. They broke away from the University of Oregon (UofO) a few years ago but the UofO still has rights to support DIBELS, including being a data repository for school district's data. However, the original authors now have their own data repository (and a slightly different data extract format) which some of our districts are using. There is also a VPort online system for DIBELS Next by Voyager Sopris Learning which is another DIBELS data repository.  Because we have districts using one of these three systems our DIBELS auto-loader has to be able to support the different student score file formats. 

To add to the confusion, the UofO has published a separate set of cut scores from DMG which they claim to be "better".  We don't believe VPort has their own cut scores so we 'only' have to handle two sets of cut scores, instead of three. Most districts that SchoolData works with have stayed with the DMG cut scores, but we leave it up to the districts to decide which set of cut scores (FATS) to use.

The various data repositories and cut scores (FATS) do sometimes create confusion and for that we apologize.  

To learn how to retrieve data from your particular repositories to upload into the SchoolData applications see the appropriate article:

DIBELSnet (DMG) Extract Procedure for Auto-Upload

DIBELS UofO Extract Procedure for Auto-Upload

DIBELS Next VPort Extract Procedure for Auto-Upload