Academic Achievement Testing

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Academic Achievement Testing

• Specific Learning Disabilities Peer Reviewers
  Webinar 3

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WELCOME AND UPDATES

• Welcome, Gina Hopper
• Updates
• Richard Henderson, New Director of the Special
  Education Division at the State Department of
  Education.
• Round 2 of Peer Reviews
• Future Webinar Dates
• March 1, 2011, 300-400 MST Psychological
  Processing
• April 19, 2011, 300-400 MST Psychological
  Processing Cont
• May 24, 2011, 300-400 MST Effective Instruction

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SLD Peer Reviewer Training Round 2

• Each district is submitting one exemplary file to
  the SDE, attn Richard Henderson, Director, by
  March 1, 2011.
• Files will be peer reviewed with similar protocol
  as last year.
• Approximately 30 new peer reviewers added to the
  peer reviewer trainer pool.
• Training is scheduled for one day in Boise, April
  5, 2010 at Ameritel Boise Spectrumwhich becomes
  Hampton Inn on April 1, 2011.
• All travel, substitute reimbursement and per diem
  will be reimbursed to you and/or your district.

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SLD Peer Reviewer Training Round 2

• An application only has to be completed for new
  SLD reviewers.
• Some past peer reviewers did not want to continue
  or their Special Education Director requested
  someone who had more time to train within the
  district, etc., those newbies need to submit an
  application.
• Applications have already been sent out to
  Special Education Directors via email from
  Cassandra Myers on Richard Hendersons behalf.

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SLD Peer Reviewer Training Round 2

• Gina Hopper will be sending an update via email
  to all confirmed participants once the final peer
  reviewers list is finalized. Newbie
  applications are due on February 15, 2011 to
  Richard Henderson.
• Mandatory webinar to update all participants on
  the procedures and processes for this years
  review will be on Monday, March 14, 2011 at 300
  PST, 400 MST.

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SLD Peer Reviewer Round 2

• Peer Reviewers will be responsible for scheduling
  their own flights, hotel, etc. for the training
  with reimbursement coming from The Center for
  School Improvement and Policy Studies Special
  Education Statewide Technical Assistance (SESTA)
  Grant.
• Sydney Fox, will coordinate all travel and
  provide answers to reimbursement questions. Her
  contact information is Sydneyfox_at_boisestate.edu.

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SLD Peer Reviewer Training Round 2

• Questions about the SLD Review Process can be
  emailed to Gina Hopper at ginahopper_at_boisestate.ed
  u, or phone at 208.426.4363.

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Academic Achievement Testing

• Evelyn Johnson, Ed.D.

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Model of SLD
1
Role of Academic Testing
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Matching Assessment to Specific LD
3
Technical Requirements
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Model of SLD
Your Text
RTI Ach data
Unexpected low achievement
Screen - RTI
Not due to
Rule Out
Process disorder
Comprehensive Evaluation
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Role of Academic Testing in SLD Identification
Process

• Determine specific achievement deficits
  consistent with concordance/discordance models
• Confirm low achievement documented in the RTI
  process using standardized, nationally-normed
  measures

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Types Purpose of Assessments in Eligibility
Screening PM Diagnostic Achievement
Focus Schoolwide Class/group/student Student Student
Academic Target Broad index Specific skill Specific domains Specific achievement area
Frequency Three times yearly Weekly Yearly/as needed Yearly
Purpose Identify at risk Formative instructional decisions Identify specific deficits Compare student performance
Level of Information Class/school decisions Class/group/student Develop intervention plans Normative index of student performance
Implications First step of intervention planning Continue or revise Specify intervention Helps determine adverse impact
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An Applied Example

• ORF Screen indicates a student is at-risk for
  poor reading outcomes.
• ORF PM within an intervention indicates the
  student is not making growth in standard
  intervention.
• Miscue Analysis other assessments indicate
  student has poor decoding skills.
• ORF PM data indicates student continues to not
  make growth.
• Academic Achievement testing for SLD evaluation
  includes Basic Skills, Fluency, Comprehension to
  determine adverse impact in specific areas of
  reading.

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Specific Learning Disabilities Require Specific
Assessments
Reading Math Writing Language
Fluency Computation Written Expression Listening Comprehension
Comprehension Problem Solving Oral Expression
Basic Skills
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What Instruments can we use?

• Appendix to SLD policy includes a list of
  academic achievement tests
• Consult the CLD Toolkit
• The Achievement Test Desk Reference (Flanagan,
  Ortiz, Alfonso, Mascolo 2002)

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Technical Requirements for Academic Achievement
Tests
Psychometric Property Criteria
Reliability Coefficients gt .80 Use of composite or cluster score OR 2 or more subtests
Validity Coefficients gt .70 Valid for the intended use Specific and related to the area of concern
Type of Scores Standard Scores, Percentile Ranks
Norms Norm group is representative of the population especially if student is CLD
Standardized Administration Professional administering the test has training in the administration, scoring and interpretation of assessments
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Another Applied Example
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What Results are Consistent with Presence of SLD?

• SLD are heterogeneous, so there is no magic
  number.
• Clinical approach to assessment would select
  tests consistent with the learners difficulties
  results should be consistent with class
  performance and other tests.
• Low achievement even though the student has
  received evidence-based interventions.

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Thank You!
Contact Information Evelynjohnson_at_boisestate.edu