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District recommends Amplify mCLASS (DIBELS 8) after pilot to meet state reading-screener mandate
Summary
Staff told trustees they piloted four state-approved reading screeners and recommend adopting Amplify mCLASS (DIBELS 8) for its Spanish-English capability, progress-monitoring features and teacher/parent reporting; the board will vote at a future meeting.
Jennifer (staff member overseeing early literacy work) presented the district's review of state-approved reading screeners and the pilot results. She summarized the state requirement and the district's process: “So, the state released a list of screeners that were available to us, so we had to choose from this list. There were 4 screeners on the list.”
Jennifer described the four options on the state's approved list and why two were not recommended for districtwide use. Multitudes (a UCSF-developed screener) was highlighted for its Spanish-first design, but staff said Multitudes remained under active development and produces a shorter, less granular parent/teacher report. Amira (an AI-driven solution) was not piloted because teachers found the AI interlocutor and sample audio insufficiently clear for classroom use. The district piloted both Multitudes and Amplify mCLASS with DIBELS 8 (mLectura for Spanish) and recommended the Amplify product.
Reasons staff gave for preferring Amplify mCLASS with DIBELS 8 included: shorter administration time per student (about 4—8 minutes vs. Multitudes'15 minutes per student), availability in English and Spanish and better, click-through drill-down reports for teachers and parents. Jennifer said the DIBELS/Amplify platform also supports three-times-per-year universal screening and interim progress monitoring for students receiving intervention, and offers in-person and virtual training options for teachers.
Staff also noted the pilot team included teachers from multiple sites and that the district will seek to reduce duplication of assessments by aligning required screening with this state-mandated tool, where possible. Staff said the board will consider a formal adoption vote at the next meeting to comply with the state implementation timeline.
Discussion vs. decision: The April 1 presentation was informational. The board did not adopt a screener at the meeting; staff recommended Amplify mCLASS with DIBELS 8 and will return with an action item at the next meeting for board vote.
