Special Education Testing Methods: A Comprehensive Guide

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that every child identified as having a disability receives a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE). This education should emphasize special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs, preparing them for further education, employment, and independent living. Special education testing methods play a crucial role in identifying these needs and tailoring educational programs accordingly.

Types of Special Education Assessments

Special education assessments offer various options, each involving multiple tests to determine a student's level in specific areas. These areas include intelligence, mobility, and understanding. These assessments help schools determine the best way to support students with disabilities.

Academic Achievement

These tests evaluate a student's performance in various school subjects, aiding the school in understanding their academic strengths and weaknesses.

Tests: Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery.

Developmental Assessments

Often the first step in determining if young children need additional support, developmental assessments are relevant in early diagnosis.

Tests: Development Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL-3), Denver Developmental Screening Test II.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

An IQ test helps determine if an intellectual component contributes to a student's learning disabilities or behavioral issues, guiding schools in providing appropriate support.

Tests: Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.

Curriculum-Based Assessments

These assessments are specific, examining a student's skill level within a particular curriculum at a specific time, ensuring proper progression.

Tests: AIMSweb, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills.

End-of-Grade Assessments

While used for all students to monitor progress, special education students may receive accommodations or separate assessments. Accountability laws, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), require that each student makes annual yearly progress.

Tests: State Standardized Tests.

Screening Tests

These tests identify students who are below the norm in specific areas, prompting more in-depth tests to ensure the best possible support. Quick and easy to administer, these tests are used to identify children who may be below the norm in certain areas.

Tests: Pre-Kindergarten Screen, Revised Behavior Problem Checklist, the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

Adaptive Behavioral Assessment

Students with intellectual disabilities often show deficits in regular living skills and adaptive behavior. This assessment evaluates daily living skills, social abilities, motor abilities, communication, and community participation. A student diagnosed with intellectual disabilities must show a deficit in adaptive behavior, or basic living skills.

Tests: AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scales, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Norm-referenced scales that assess infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Behavior Rating Scales

Teachers or parents complete worksheets that rate various student behaviors, highlighting challenging behaviors. A parent or teacher fills out scales that rates particular behaviors of the student.

Read also: Find Remote Special Education Jobs

Tests: Social Skills Rating System, Devereux Behavior Rating Scale.

Memory Battery

A battery of tests that is administered one-on-one with a student to assess memory ability as well as attention and concentration (e.g.

Behavior and Personality Rating Scales

These are rating scales given to parents, teachers, and/or the child that measure numerous aspects of behavior and personality. This may include symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, trouble with interpersonal relationships, and self-reliance.

Executive Functioning Rating Scales

These are rating scales given to parents and/or teachers that measure executive functioning (a collection of processes that are responsible for guiding, directing, and managing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions, particularly during active, novel problem solving).

Who Administers the Assessments?

Teachers are generally unable to administer the assessments required to determine if a child requires special education. The specific test dictates who is responsible for the assessment, which may include:

Special education teachers
Occupational therapists
School psychologists
Speech and language therapists

The school must obtain written permission from parents before conducting assessments. Frequent communication with the student's family fosters cooperation, making them feel like partners in their child's education.

How the Results Are Used

Once the school understands a student's limitations, they can determine the best way to support them, potentially requiring a 504 plan or an IEP. The assessment helps determine a child's:

Health Level
General Intelligence
Communication abilities
Academic performance
Emotional and behavioral status
Vision and hearing abilities
Motor abilities

This information establishes the student's current levels and informs goal creation, often with the student's input to ensure realistic goals and a plan to achieve them. Necessary modifications are determined individually, ranging from extra tutoring to regular blood sugar testing. The school collaborates with teachers and parents to find the best solution. This collaborative process determines whether educational changes are sufficient or if the student requires special education. Remember, a disability does not automatically qualify a student for special education. The disability must fall under a specific category according to IDEA and require special education and services specifically due to the disability.

The disability categories include:

Autism
Deafness
Deaf-blindness
Developmental delay
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Intellectual disability
Orthopedic impairment
Specific Learning disabilities
Speech and Language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Other impairments

A diagnosis within one of these categories is necessary before further assessments are conducted. However, even with a diagnosis, the student may not require extra educational assistance or specialized educational programming, emphasizing the importance of individual evaluation.

The IDEA Act and Special Education Policies

Key Elements of IDEA

Six elements of the IDEA constitute the law’s essential support structure. It’s important to note that when discussing the IDEA as it pertains to daily practice in schools, leaders need not have an encyclopedic knowledge of the law, nor must they have the regulations committed to memory. As it pertains to special education, it is most important that leaders grasp the spirit and intent of the law. It is critical that leaders understand what Congress intended with the passage of the IDEA and how children are to be supported, protected, instructed, treated, and placed under the law. At any time during the school day, a leader can reference state regulations to look up timelines and other relevant information needed on a daily basis. That said, it is essential that leaders understand the meaning and practical implementation of such terms as Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as they support their special education teams and students day in and day out. It is the purpose of the act to assure that all handicapped children have available to them … a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs, to assure the right of handicapped children and their parents or guardians are protected, to assist states and localities to provide for the education of all handicapped children, and to assess and assure the effectiveness of efforts to educate handicapped children. (Public Law No. Other than the term handicapped children - now superseded by children with disabilities - this declaration of purpose is still a valid and cogent statement of intent nearly a decade into the 21st century.

IDEA Structure and Evolution

The IDEA is organized in a logical structure - parts A-D - that has remained basically the same since its original enactment in 1975. This is a national program that provides early intervention services for children from birth to age three who manifest or are at risk of developmental delay. This part, now including the Education Science Reform Act part E, comprises two major clusters of generally highly valued support programs - two of which (research and training of professionals) were created in the 1950s. These programs are administered at the national level, where awards are made to a wide array of eligible recipients in the form of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. As part of the 2004 amendments, Congress transferred the research functions from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to the Institute of Educational Sciences. A review of the evolution of the IDEA requires attention to the programs authorized before public law number 94-142, as well as the numerous amendments that occurred after the law’s enactment in 1975 - although Public Law number 94-142 established the basic framework of rights and responsibilities that remains in place to this day. Pre-Public Law number 94-142 legislation helped develop an infrastructure of effective early intervention and special education practice while inaugurating a very modest but useful direct program managed at the state level. A bit of historical trivia aids in reducing the confusion commonly surrounding the titles used for the law. From 1970 to 1990, it was known as the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA). In fact, Public Law 94-142 was actually a massive amendment, amounting to a “top to bottom” rewrite of the earlier core segments of the EHA. In the 1990 reauthorization of the EHA, Congress changed the title from the EHA to the IDEA. What is a reauthorization? Put simply, Congress traditionally affixes an end date to a great many pieces of legislation; the action is popularly known as “sunsetting” the legislation. This means that Congress must revisit and “reauthorize” (or not reauthorize, depending on the circumstances) such legislation. Because policy makers agreed that Public Law number 94-142 constituted a bill of rights for children with disabilities and their families, part B of the IDEA was and remains permanently authorized (consult structure of the IDEA, beginning on page xx). However, parts, A, C, and D (definitions, early intervention and the national support programs administered at the federal level) require periodic reauthorization. Can part B still be amended at the periodic reauthorization of the other parts? What follows is a brief history of the IDEA. The reader is advised that this segment represents nothing more than the evolution of the IDEA and does not address the universe of other national legislation - such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - affecting the education of special education children. Before Public Law No. created the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (BEH), which later became the administering agency for the EHA and the IDEA. is the landmark legislation requiring a free and appropriate public education for all childre…

Diagnostic vs. Adaptive Diagnostic Assessment

To ensure the effectiveness of special education programs, the IDEA Act requires schools to monitor progress toward annual IEP goals. Traditionally, teacher-made tests, quizzes, instructional materials, and classwork have been used, but these lack the psychometric validity and reliability needed for accurate progress monitoring. Adaptive diagnostic assessments, delivered via tech-based platforms, are increasingly used to collect valid and reliable data quickly and accurately. A true adaptive diagnostic assessment adjusts its difficulty level to a child’s performance to determine their zone of proximal development (ZPD), identifying their strengths, weaknesses, and grade-level placement. However, not all diagnostic assessments are equal. For students with IEPs, diagnostic assessments need to fully adapt to find a student’s ZPD. Avoid using grade-level designed “diagnostic” assessments selected for general education students, as special review is necessary to ensure they meet IDEA goals.

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)

One of the most important legal tenets of the IDEA Act is the provision of specially designed instruction (SDI) that meets the unique needs of students with disabilities in elementary school, middle school, and secondary school. It’s not enough for a school to provide an extra aide or classroom teacher in an inclusion environment. Sitting in the back of a regular classroom and waiting to answer questions now and then does not meet the spirit or the letter of the IDEA’s legal requirement. The IEP team must accurately diagnose and pinpoint the current needs of children with disabilities, including physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, language disorders, or communication disorders. SDI is really about providing instruction in the most relevant form and manner to address the unique needs of the learner. But how does one determine the starting point: which content to teach first, or the child’s needs in general? Performance data from a well-designed adaptive diagnostic assessment can immediately pinpoint the child’s ZPD so that teaching can begin from that point. If classroom teachers are not aware of a child’s strengths and weaknesses, they will not know where to begin, what to emphasize, and what to avoid.

Data-Based Individualization (DBI)

A powerful process for reaching students who need intensive intervention (Tier 3 in RTI and MTSS) is data-based individualization (DBI). The process begins with diagnostic assessment data from a research-based assessment such as Let’s Go Learn’s DORA or DOMA, which evaluates a content-specific area of concern. The diagnostic data drives the implementation of a validated intervention, such as Let’s Go Learn’s Math Edge or ELA Edge. It is essential that the key elements of the IEP are “connected” by data and fused together. The primary pieces of the IEP should fit together just as pieces in a puzzle do. Each piece makes sense when combined with another, coming together to create a clear picture of the child’s educational needs, performance, and progress. Department of Education, the IDEA Act, and as reinforced by the Endrew F. Case, and the only way to know how and when to adjust an instructional model and approach is by progress monitoring. At the end of the day, we don’t want educators recording data for recording’s sake; we want them to react and respond to the data. If a child demonstrates marked improvement, then we want to continue with our current practices - and possibly increase the amount of time the services are provided.

Equity and Disproportionality

The concept of equity has arisen as a hot topic in the field of special education in the last few years. Primarily due to language added to the IDEA Act about disproportionality, states are now required to track placement and services to minority students during the special education process. States are tasked with ensuring that minority students are not found disproportionately eligible for special education services or overly disciplined. In short, the government wants to ensure equal distribution of services to students and also to limit any form of over-disciplining of minority students.

The Importance of Coaching Special Education Teachers

Special education teachers are at greater risk of isolation and in even greater need of support than their regular education peers; they face daunting realities as they not only try to educate children with a variety of physical and cognitive disabilities remotely but are also tasked with adhering to far-reaching IDEA-related policies and guidelines that were not built for COVID-19. Special education teachers are trying to meet the educational needs of each unique learner from afar while also meeting compliance and regulatory expectations that are accompanied by extensive paperwork during uncertain times. One could argue that putting special education teacher evaluation and coaching at the bottom of the pile is the absolute last thing the teacher needs. At no other time has there been a greater need for special education teacher support and coaching than now. Special educators are more exhausted, confused, and isolated than at any other time in the history of American education. We often misinterpret the evaluation process as one meant to be top-down, didactic, solely evaluative, and perfunctory at best. The truth is that the evaluation process is supposed to be about support, coaching, and helping educators get better. Historically speaking, we have completely missed the boat on the teacher coaching front - particularly with special educators. What we do in schools today is often little more than a glorified checklist with minimal to no beneficial coaching. Coaching is inspiring and transformative. Coaching is what new special education teachers need-not more evaluation boxes to check. They need real-time, detailed, supportive, and uplifting coaching that positions each of them for the win.

Technology and Remote Coaching

If there is one thing the COVID-19 era has taught me, it is that we have extensive technologies at our fingertips for communication. Software such as GoToMeeting, Zoom, Ring Central, Skype, and others have given educators the capacity to live stream and communicate directly any time, anywhere. Going into the fall of 2020, some schools stayed open while others remained closed or used hybrid models. With more time to plan, schools have done a better job of providing students with services and supports at home. That said, the quality of instruction at home is not equal to that of in-school instruction, broadly speaking. Unfortunately for those at home, many schools have not taken advantage of technologies that both pinpoint specific student needs and align instruction to those needs.

Present Levels, Annual Goals, and Diagnostic Data

Although there are many areas of coaching that special educators and administrators need in order to fulfill both the spirit and the letter of the law, one area stands out.

Educational Evaluations

Educational evaluations are used to determine the student’s general knowledge in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. Educational evaluations are administered by Special Educators in a one-on-one test setting with the student. Often, one educational test battery is used to gather this information; however, additional subtests may be administered to gain more detailed information about a student’s profile of strengths and needs. The selection of evaluation tools is determined by the Special Educator conducting the evaluation.

Psychological Evaluations

A comprehensive psychological evaluation is used to develop a multi-faceted picture of how a student thinks, learns, and approaches new information. This may consist of a number of evaluation procedures including test batteries, rating scales, observations, and interviews. The selection of evaluation tools is determined by the School Psychologist conducting the evaluation. At times, a more comprehensive psychological assessment may be necessary to gain a better understanding of a child’s functioning in school. In these instances, a Clinical Psychological Evaluation is requested. These evaluations are completed by a licensed Clinical Psychologist.

Creating Equitable Assessment Opportunities

As educators, we all strive for assessment practices that are both comprehensive and supportive of our students’ individual needs. This rings especially true for Special Education teachers, who work tirelessly to ensure that every exceptional learner receives the tailored support they deserve. Special Education is all about recognizing and embracing the unique strengths, challenges, and learning styles of each student. Therefore, it’s crucial to tailor assessments accordingly. This means going beyond standardized tests and embracing a variety of assessment methods, both formal and informal. By doing so, we can gather a more comprehensive understanding of our students’ abilities and needs. Every student, regardless of their abilities, should have equal opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. This requires us to provide necessary accommodations or modifications to ensure that assessments are accessible to all. Whether it’s providing extra time, allowing for oral responses, or utilizing assistive technology, these accommodations enable students to fully participate in assessments without compromising the integrity of the evaluation. Ongoing monitoring and progress assessment are essential components of effective assessment in Special Education practices. By implementing continuous assessment methods, such as formative assessments, we can track our students’ development over time. This allows us to identify strength and areas for improvement and adjust our interventions accordingly.

Collaboration is Key! Last but certainly not least, collaboration is key to developing effective assessment practices in Special Education. It’s essential to work closely with fellow educators, parents, and specialists to ensure that our assessments are not only accurate but also supportive of our students’ overall growth and success.

The Evaluation Process

If parental consent for an initial evaluation is given, the school will conduct an evaluation of the child in all areas of suspected disability to determine if he or she has a disability and to determine his or her educational needs. The evaluation process for the child must:

Include information about the child’s academic, developmental, and functional performance;
Be administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel;
Be administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication; and
Be unbiased or given in such a way so as not to discriminate against the child, regardless of his or her cultural background, race, or disability.

If the parent does not consent to the initial evaluation, the school may, but is not required to, pursue the evaluation by asking for mediation or requesting a due process hearing.

Social History

The Social History consists of an interview with one or more of a student’s parents or guardians and the School Social Worker. This interview is used to gather background information about the student, including family history (e.g., members of the family, where the family has lived), environmental or family stressors, and the student’s early development and medical history.

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