The Behtlehem Area School Board said at its April 11 meeting it signed a services agreement with the Dynamic Measurement Group (DMG) to provide training and services for faculty members.

DMG is a company that supports and works to improve the education system for children. The DMG offers training to schools regarding the tools and programs they helped develop. The BASD will receive two days of training from DMG. The first day will be to cover the DIBELS Next Data Interpretation Workshop. The second day of training will be for the DIBELS Mentoring Workshop. DIBELS is a set of procedures broken down to help measure the literacy of students.

BASD supervisor of literacy Kim Harper said both workshops are required to become certified as a DIBELS mentor. Mentors have access to the newest information, which can be used to help student growth. The program as a whole will cost the district $7,252.

A total of 34 staff members and many district administrators will be receiving the training services May 9-10. Staff members include special education teachers, regular education teachers, ESL teachers, reading specialists and guidance counselors.

“We use the DIBELS Next assessment as a universal benchmark assessment three times a year in grades K-5 to help identify students who may be at risk for reading difficulties,” Harper said via email.

Having DIBELS Mentors in the district helps benefit all faculty members. When a building has multiple members, they can implement the rules and regulations of DIBELS to other staff members.

“We will have in-house people who can train other staff members and provide on-site support,” Harper said.