Measuring Meaningful Growth: Progress Monitoring Students Reading Below Grade Level
Course Overview
Turn data into action—and watch your students grow. Making Meaningful Growth is a targeted, professional development course designed to help educators unlock the full potential of progress monitoring. Perfect for educators working with students reading below grade level, this course offers a practical, step-by-step framework to track growth, respond to data, and drive real instructional change.
Audience: Elementary & middle school educators supporting students who are either below benchmark in reading and at-risk of a reading disability or have been identified with dyslexia or a specific learning disability in reading.
15 PDPS (Self-Guided)
Earn 15 professional development hours through this flexible, self-guided online course. Work at your own pace, on your own schedule, and apply your learning directly to your practice as you go.
This option is ideal for educators seeking meaningful PD credit without the commitment of a graded assignment.
One Graduate Credit (Self-Guided)
Earn one graduate credit hour through this self-guided online course, completed at your own pace over 15 hours of instruction. In addition to the core course content, participants complete a final culminating assignment designed to deepen reflection and demonstrate applied understanding. A rigorous, flexible option for educators pursuing graduate-level credit.
*Additional fee of $75 is paid to Gordon College
Three Graduate Credits (Self Guided + Live Instruction)
Earn three graduate credit hours through this immersive blended learning experience. Participants complete 38 hours of self-guided online coursework at their own pace, then come together for a full-day live virtual session to apply their knowledge, engage in rich discussion, and share insights with peers. This format is ideal for educators who want the depth of a graduate experience with the added value of real-time collaboration and reflection.
*Additional fee of $225 is paid to Gordon College
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Explain the importance of progress monitoring within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and describe how it improves reading outcomes for diverse learners.
- Differentiate among assessment types (e.g., summative, benchmark, and criterion-referenced) and select appropriate tools based on instructional purpose and student need.
- Administer and interpret DIBELS 8th Edition measures to evaluate student performance in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
- Calculate and analyze rates of improvement (ROI) to determine whether students are making adequate progress toward grade-level expectations.
- Develop and apply aimlines and growth targets using benchmark data to set realistic, ambitious goals for student achievement.
- Use progress monitoring data to make instructional decisions, including adjusting intensity, grouping, and evidence-based strategies.
- Analyze case study data to synthesize learning, demonstrating the ability to evaluate student progress and recommend targeted instructional next steps.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Depending on the course format, content is delivered self-guided and possibly live modules that provide content through narrated powerpoints, instructional demonstrations, and supplemental readings.
LIVE SESSIONS via Zoom (for 3 graduate credits only)
Our live sessions can be accessed through Zoom links within each module. Full participation in live sessions is required to receive graduate credits at the conclusion of the course.
