title: Development and validity of the Rating Scales of Academic Skills for Reading Comprehension.
abstract: The development and psychometric qualities of a measure using teacher judgment to rate performance in reading comprehension for narrative text is described-the Rating Scales for Academic Skills-Reading Comprehension Narrative (RSAS-RCN). Sixty-five teachers from the third, fourth, and fifth grades of 8 elementary schools completed the measure on 177 students. Each teacher rated students who had been identified through school-based universal screening to be below the 25th percentile, between the 25th and 74th percentile, and at or above the 75th percentile on national normative standards. Results indicated the RSAS-RCN has strong to moderate evidence of (a) 1-week test-retest reliability, (b) concurrent validity with the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) and end of year state assessment in reading, and (c) significant classification accuracy across student ability levels. Principal component analysis and item response theory (Rasch modeling) indicate the RSAS-RCN is comprised of a single general dimension. Overall, this examination of the RSAS-RCN suggests teacher judgment may be a potentially valuable tool in assessing reading comprehension among upper elementary school students. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Center for Promoting Research to Practice, Lehigh University.
authors.forename: Edward S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Student Services, Glenview School District 34.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.affiliation: Center for Promoting Research to Practice, Lehigh University.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flatley
authors.affiliation: Department of Student Services, North Syracuse Central School District.
authors.forename: Kirra B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Guard
authors.affiliation: College of Education, Lehigh University.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Joseph's University.
authors.forename: Erin S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Leichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Teaching and Learning, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2896-1236
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Calhoon
authors.affiliation: School of Education and Human Development, Lehigh University.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hojnoski
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D011932:Reading; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*