Special Education Newsletter

Winter 2011

Understanding Assessments

When parents face either an initial evaluation or a re-evaluation of their child, the importance of understanding how assessments work and the research behind those assessments cannot be overemphasized.  An understanding of statistics, standardized scores, scaled scores, the bell curve, standard deviation and the significance of a disparity between scores is invaluable.  Each assessment tool has its pros and cons and sometimes, assessment tools are used for purposes for which they were not designed (as part of an evaluation, a parent’s input must be sought by the school district (34 C.F.R. §300.305)).  Some assessments are based on outdated statistical information or are disfavored by experienced professionals – outside professionals (i.e., psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, etc.) can be an important resource to explain assessment tools.  Some assessments are designed to be comprehensive while others are focused on a particular area.  For example, if you are concerned that your child has a deficit in the area of social skills, an assessment to probe the child’s expressive and receptive language skills may not uncover that deficit.  Understanding the normed population of the test is also important.  For example, if the normed population is typical children, that could potentially yield a much different result than if the normed population was children who had been diagnosed with a particular psychological disorder.  Children whose primary language is not English will generally need a more tailored approach to assessment to yield meaningful results.  Selecting the right assessments for a child is critical. Some school district staff tend to use the same assessment tools regardless of the child; such testing may miss or misinterpret deficits.  It may be difficult to find the right assessment for a child so a standardized test might be given in a non-standardized approach. If that occurs, it is important to appreciate the limits of the results.

Consider the Research

It is also important to understand the research which supports the methodologies and approaches to working with special needs children.  Consider the depth of research which supports an approach as well as the objectivity of the group which conducted the research.  A methodology which is only supported by research done by the agency which promotes that methodology is more likely to be called into question by a school district.  Some approaches are supported by more than one research study while others may have older data.  Parents who have children on the autism spectrum should consider reviewing Educating Children with Autism published by the National Research Council in 2001.  Also helpful, the National Autism Center published its National Standards Report which may be found at its website: www.nationalautismcenter.org.

Characteristics of the Assessment 

· What is the assessment designed to probe?

· Is it being used for that purpose?

· On what population and for what age (grade, etc.) was this test normed?

· Was the test administered in a standardized manner?

· If not, how should the results be interpreted?

Parents should consult with an experienced attorney if they find that the school district is unresponsive to their concerns, the IEP process is bogging down or they are having difficulty vindicating their rights.  

This information is for general purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.  Any liability that might arise from your use or reliance on this information is expressly disclaimed.  The reader is cautioned to seek the guidance of an experienced attorney when making any decision which might have legal implications.