Title: The Need for Assessment Reform: An Overview
1The Need for Assessment Reform An Overview
2Agenda
- Current State of the Art
- Typical Practice
- Problems with Current Practices
- A Brighter Future RTI
3Current State of the Art can be summarized in 3
words
4Why?
- No systematic and consistent procedures
- Poor operationalization of constructs (I.e.
disorder in a psychological process - Use of scientifically unsupported
ability-achievement discrepancy criteria
5Problems with Ability-Achievement Discrepancy
- Wait-to Fail Model
- No Treatment Validity
- Issues with Technical Adequacy
6Technical Problems Ability-Achievement
Discrepancy Analysis
- use of instruments that are not co-normed
- lack of statistically significant differences
- lack of consideration of base rate data
- lack of consideration of regression to the
mean, reliability of individual measures used,
correlation between measures
7Other Miscellaneous Problems
- Use of subtest/profile analysis (lack of subtest
specificity/construct irrelevance variance poor
technical characteristics at specific ages) - Lack of Aptitude-Treatment Interaction Effects
(resulting in poor treatment validity) - Efficacy of Special Education (does it help to
place kids in a program that doesnt work?)
8Criticisms of IQ-Achievement Discrepancy (Fuchs
Fuchs)
- IQ tests do not necessarily measure intelligence
- IQ and academic achievement are not independent
of each other - In the case of word reading skill deficits,
IQ-achievement discrepant poor readers are more
alike than different from IQ-achievement
consistent poor readers - Children must fail before they can be identified
with a learning disability
9Criticisms of Current Learning Disabilities
Definition (Fuchs Fuchs)
- Many children are classified as LD without
participating in effective reading instruction in
the regular classroom - Too costly
- Too many children are inappropriately identified
10Consequences
- Overidentification particularly beyond 2nd
grade - Underidentification of high risk potential LDs
K-2 (particularly in reading) - Assessment unrelated to treatment
11LD Epidemic???
12A Brighter Future
- IDEA Revision (IDEA 2004/IDEIA NASP
Recommendations) - LD Roundtable
- 3 Tier, Dual Disrepancy, RTI Model
13What is RtI?
- RtI is the practice of (1) providing
high-quality instruction/intervention matched to
student needs and (2) using learning rate over
time and level of performance to (3) make
important educational decisions.
14What is the Responsiveness To Intervention
Approach to Identification?
- Many (all?) children in a class, school, or
district are tested by one-point-in-time test
administration or by repeated measurement in a
circumscribed period. - At-risk students are identified for
intervention on the basis of their performance
level or growth rate or both. - Intervention is implemented and students are
tested following, or throughout, the intervention
period. - Those who do not respond (treatment resisters)
are identified as requiring - - Multi-disciplinary team evaluation for
possible disability certification and special
education placement, OR - - More intensive intervention(s).
15RtI Core Principles
- We can effectively teach all children
- Intervene early
- Use a multi-tier model of service delivery
- Use a problem-solving methodology
16RtI Core Principles (2)
- Use research-based, scientifically validated
interventions/instruction - Monitor student progress to inform instruction
- Use data to make decisions
- Use assessments for three different purposes
(1) screening (2) diagnostics and (3) progress
monitoring
17Advantages of Responsiveness-To-Intervention
Approach
- Provides assistance to needy children in timely
fashion. It is NOT a wait-to-fail model. - Helps ensure that the students poor academic
performance is not due to poor instruction. - Assessment data are collected to inform the
teacher and improve instruction. Assessments and
interventions are closely linked. - In some responsiveness-to-intervention models
(e.g., Heartland, IA Minneapolis, MN Horry Co.,
SC), nonresponders are not given labels, which
are presumed to stigmatize and to represent
disability categories (e.g., LD, BD, MR) that
have little instructional validity.
18 Essential Components of RtI Implementation
- Multi-tier model
- Problem-solving method
- An integrated data collection/assessment system
19 Multi-tier Model
20Tertiary Prevention Specialized
Individualized Systems for Students with
Intensive Needs
CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE SUPPORT
5
Secondary Prevention Specialized Group Systems
for Students with At-Risk Behavior
15
Primary Prevention School-/Classroom- Wide
Systems for All Students, Staff, Settings
80 of Students
21Pennsylvania 3 tiered model.
Universal Screening Evidence-based core
program Data analysis teaming
TIER I
Supplemental programming in the regular
classroom (push in)
TIER II
TIER III
Specialized targeted intervention (pull-out
groups)
22Tier 1 Data Analysis Teaming
- Teams of like teachers working together to
- Access critical data on all students performance
related to achievement of standards - Analyze data and find which students have which
gaps in attainments - Set measurable goals to close the gap
- Brainstorm or create instructional strategies
23Teachers Working Together
- Like teachers grade level or department level
- Use skills of collaborative consultation (e.g.,
problem identification, brainstorming) - Need a structure (time, place, etc.)
24Accessing Critical Data
- Two forms of data group tests and district
performance tests/tasks - This is group screening of all students
- Need a process for gathering data
- Need someone to convert data into
teacher-friendly summary documents - Need to train teachers on how to read summary
documents
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27Kindergarten Data
Pedersen Lillenstein (2005)
28Pennsylvania 3 tiered model.
- Movement through the
- tiers is managed by a
- building-wide IST
- monitoring the non-
- responders
- Identifying and providing
- supplemental materials
- Orchestrating tier 2 3
- supports
- Problem solving process
- for individuals
TIER I
TIER II
TIER III
29Three Tier Model- Tier 1
- Screening in K-2 to identify high risk students
using DIBELS-like measures - Interventions provided in regular education to
all high risk students - Regular monitoring of progress and responsiveness
to intervention - Students who do not demonstrate sufficient
progress move to Tier 2
30Three Tier Model- Tier 2
- Small group interventions provided to high risk
students - Regular monitoring of progress and responsiveness
to intervention - Students who do not demonstrate sufficient
progress move to Tier 3
31Three Tier Model- Tier 3
- Students are provided with an individual
psychoeducational assessment to identify
strengths and weaknesses - Intensive, long duration interventions are
designed based upon assessment results - Progress is monitored
32 Essential Component 2 Problem-Solving
Method
33LD Identification/Diagnosis
- Students who do not respond to research-based,
empirically validated interventions at Tiers 1,
2, and 3 are identified as LD and afforded
special education services
34LD Identification/Diagnosis/ Dual Discrepancy
Criteria
- Students are discrepant from peers in that
- They demonstrate significantly sub-average
achievement - They do not respond to scientifically supported,
empirically validated interventions that work for
most kids.
35Screening and Progress Monitoring
- Will use CBM and DIBELS measures