No! We Are Not Teaching To The Test
Using data to inform instruction in reading is a very different thing than teaching to a test. Learning to read follows a prescribed path that expert teachers follow in order to lay a proper foundation for independent reading. This path includes components such as fluency, comprehension, and phonographic knowledge. Whether we use Dibels, Aims Web, DRA, or another formal measure, responsible reading teachers use these measures as a tool to find out which components of the reading spectrum children have mastered and how their skills can be increased. This is the responsible teaching of reading.