Concurrent Validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale for Elementary School-Observer Form

The present study is an initial investigation of the concurrent validity of a new assessment, the Classroom Strategies Scale (CSS version 2.0) for Elementary School-Observer Form. The CSS assesses teachers' use of instructional and behavioral management strategies. In the present study, the CSS is compared to the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), a widely researched measure of global classroom quality. In a sample of 125 general education K-5 grade teachers, correlations were computed to assess the relationship between the CSS scales and conceptually similar and dissimilar domains and dimensions on the CLASS. In comparison to the CLASS, the CSS classroom observations and strategy rating scale scores demonstrated correspondence with conceptually similar scales, providing initial evidence for the concurrent and discriminant validity of the CSS. Results highlight the unique features of the CSS for assessing teacher classroom practices.