The Basics of CBM: What BCBAs Need to Know

LaLonde et al. (2023) wrote a how-to paper for school teams. They explain five clear steps to add CBM probes into MTSS.

The authors show BCBAs how to pick quick one-minute probes. They also give tips for writing IEP goals that grow every week.

The paper is a tutorial, not an experiment. It gives ready-to-copy forms and checklists instead of new data.

The team says CBM lets you see if a kid is really learning every day. You can change teaching before the kid falls behind.

Mittiga et al. (2024) looked at fifteen studies of CBM apps like ClassDojo and I-Connect. They found the apps can work, but only half the studies were well-made. LaLonde stays old-school with paper probes, so you still need to test any app before you trust it.

Light-Shriner et al. (2025) asked BCBAs how much they actually work with teachers. District-employed BCBAs already meet teams often, even without formal training. LaLonde’s tutorial gives those busy BCBAs a script so the meetings stay data-based.

Kodak et al. (2021) also wrote a nine-step tutorial, but for testing two teaching methods head-to-head. Both papers skip jargon and use checklists, so you can stack the two guides: use Kodak to pick the best lesson, then LaLonde to track it every week.

You can start Monday. Pick one reading or math probe from the article’s list. Give it to the whole class for one minute. Graph the scores and set a goal line that rises one point each week. Bring the graph to the next IEP meeting and let the data speak first.