Chapter 1 Special Education Assessment Definition of Assessment

Chapter 1 Special Education Assessment

Definition of Assessment n Educational assessment is: an ongoing process n systematic n a collection of educationally relevant information n used for decision-making purposes n

Assessment, Testing, and Diagnosis –The Differences Educational assessment focuses on the identification of the student’s educational needs n Testing is one type of assessment n Diagnosis attempts to establish the cause of the disability n

Historical Influences Work of Binet and others n Controversy over the nature of intelligence n Work in the fields of medicine, anthropology and sociology n PL 94 -142 and PL 105 -17 (1997 IDEA amendments) n

Status of Educational Assessment Today The challenge of appropriate procedures to assess culturally and linguistically diverse students n Assessing students across multiple environments n Assessment connected to academic standards n Implementation of No Child Left Behind Initiative n

Purposes of Assessment n Identification n Screening and Prereferral process Determining Eligibility n Program Planning n Monitoring Student Progress n Program Evaluation n

Kinds of Assessment Procedures – Formal Strategies n Norm-Referenced Tests n Group Administered Tests • Achievement Tests • Aptitude Tests n Individually Administered Tests • Achievement Tests • Aptitude Tests

Kinds of Assessment Procedures – Informal Strategies n n Observations Curriculum-Based Measures n n n Techniques Using Informants n n n Task Analysis Work Sample Analysis Inventories Criterion-Referenced Tests Checklists and Rating Scales Interviews and Questionnaires Combination Approaches n Portfolios

Emphasis on Three Groups of Students n Students with mild retardation n Students with emotional disturbance/behavioral disorders n Students with specific learning disabilities

Collaboration and the Team Approach n Mandated federally by PL 94 -142, PL 99457 and IDEA for: Evaluation for eligibility n Formulation of the IEP n Evaluation of the IEP n Re-evaluation of placement and related services n

Team Membership May Include: School personnel n Parents and student n School support personnel n Medical personnel n Social Workers and Counselors n Transitional specialists n Motor skill specialists n Other specialists n

Critical Issues Variability in professional educational assessment n Technical quality of tests n Discriminatory practices in assessment n Relevance of assessment data to instructional planning n

The Assessment Question Model Is there a school performance problem? n Is the school performance problem related to a disability? n What are the student’s educational needs? n What types of services are required to meet those needs? n How effective is the educational program? n