Tests and Measurements
The joy of tests.
The joy of learning.
The joy of measurements.
And the joy of understanding.
IDEA addresses the requirements for evaluations in 20 USC 1414(a), (b), and (c). The first step to getting a good IEP is a complete evaluation across areas of your child’s need. The initial evaluation is required before the school can create an IEP. An initial evaluation is a series of tests to determine your child’s needs.
A parent must give “informed consent” prior to the evaluation being conducted. Informed consent means that you understand how and why your child is being tested and what the testing will entail. A district cannot conduct an initial evaluation of a child suspected of having a disability without first obtaining informed parental consent. After the initial evaluation where a child is found eligible, schools must consider whether a reevaluation is needed every three years.
TESTS FOR INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION AND IQ
The reason for testing is to find the areas of challenge and find ways to strengthen them to ensure that the child becomes stronger and is given the resources to become all that they want to be in this world. That is it. The only limits it gives are those we accept.
Two of the most common tests are the Wechsler and the Stanford-Binet, and it is very likely one of these will be used in your child’s evaluation. There are a multitude of tests out there - these are just some of the most common.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-Ill):
The Wechsler Intelligence Scales are a series of tests used to evaluate cognitive abilities and intellectual abilities in children and adults. The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (regular, revised, and third edition) are often used as a tool to detect a learning disability or a developmental delay. A benefit of the WISC-Ill is that it can also be used in tracking intellectual development. The Wechsler scales are divided into six verbal and five performance subtests. It results in verbal and performance IQs and then a full-scale IQ. This test must be administered by a trained examiner and should be scored and interpreted by a psychologist, neuropsychologist, or psychiatrist.
The scales have a mean, or average, standard score of one hundred and a standard deviation of fifteen. The standard score is the average score for children in the age range of the child being tested. In other words, if a twelve-year-old child received a full scale IQ score of eighty-five on this test, they would have a score that is one standard deviation below the norm of one hundred. This could indicate learning disabilities in one or more of the areas tested, and a further analysis of the verbal and performance IQs would be necessary.
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SB:FE):
This is a standardized test that can be used to measure intelligence and cognitive abilities in children, adolescents, and adults. It can help determine the level of intellectual and cognitive functioning and assist in the diagnosis of a learning disability, developmental delay, and other mental disabilities. Similar to the WISC, this test has a number of subtests then are then converted to a Standard Age Score. On the SB Fifth Edition, the Standard Age Score is based on the chronological age of the test taker and the score is similar to an IQ score.
The scales each have a mean or average score of one hundred and a standard deviation of sixteen. For this test, as with most measures of intelligence, a score of one hundred is in the normal or average range. As referenced above, the standard deviation indicates how above or below the norm a child’s score is. A twelve-year-old who receives a score of eight-four would therefore be one standard deviation below the average score of one hundred.
ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
Wide Range Achievement Test Third Edition (WRAT-3)
This is a screening test that can be administered to determine if a more comprehensive achievement test is needed. Achievement tests refer to skills that individuals learn through direct instruction or intervention. The WRAT-3 measures basic skills in reading, arithmetic, and spelling. The test can be used on both children and adults.
Scoring for this test consists of a 1 for a correct answer and a 0 for an incorrect answer. The raw scores are then converted to standard scores. These are scores that allow the examiner to compare the individual’s score to those of other children of the same age who have taken the test. The average score for each test of the WRAT-3 is one hundred. An examiner can also obtain grade-equivalent scores, percentile ranks, and normal curve equivalents. A poor performance in any of the three areas assessed by this instrument can indicate the need for further testing.
Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (K-TEA)
This test is specifically designed for testing children. It is used to measure school achievement of children enrolled in grades one through twelve. It consists of two parts: the comprehensive and brief. The brief form tests the areas of reading, mathematics, and spelling in a broad overview. The comprehensive form tests specific skills in the area of reading and mathematics The comprehensive form allows the examiner to make a criterion-referenced assessment data to analyze the students’ errors in each subtest content area. Like the cognitive tests above, this test has a standard or average score set at a mean of one hundred. It has a standard deviation of fifteen, which allows it to be compared with other previously administered achievement and cognitive tests.
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-Screener)
This test is a screener and should not be relied upon in itself to determine a learning disability. The latest edition of this test is a very comprehensive screening device and not only tests reading comprehension and mathematical skills but also listening comprehension, oral expression, and writing skills. While this test was designed for children who are in eleventh grade or earlier grades, it is often used with older students who may be enrolling in college to provide an academic assessment. As with all the tests above, this is a standardized test. The standard scores are based on age in most cases, although the examiner can also look to the child’s grade level. The standard or average score is one hundred, with a standard deviation of fifteen.
Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT-R):
The PIAT-R is another achievement test that is designed to provide a wide-ranging screening measure in five different academic areas. It can be used for students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The tests looks at the student’s ability in mathematics, reading recognition, reading comprehension, spelling, and general information. The test produces a score for each area, and these scores are combined for a single score.
Frequently Asked Questions About Evaluations.
Who can request an evaluation?
A parent, a teacher, or an administrator. “A State educational agency, other State agency, or local educational agency [school district] shall conduct a full and individual initial evaluation…either the parent of a child, or a State education agency, other State agency, or local educational agency may initiate a request for an initial evaluation to determine if the child is a child with a disability.” 20 USC 1414(a)(1).
Is there any cost?
Evaluations are free. It is the responsibility of the district, not your responsibility, to evaluate your child. A school district may fulfill this requirement by having its own personnel evaluate the student or by arranging a third-party evaluation at no cost to the parents. However, the district cannot require the parents to obtain their own evaluation. Additionally, the district cannot require the parents to provide any sort of medical diagnosis (such as ADHD), as that again places a cost burden onto the parents. Amusingly, the case that established this in the Ninth Circuit was N. B. and C. B. v. Hellgate Elem. Sch. Dist., 50 IDELR 241 (9th Cir. 2008). Now how is that for the name of an elementary school….
If my child has specific learning disabilities, are there additional important tests that should be administered?
If your child is suspected of having specific learning disabilities, know that IDEA establishes a secondary special evaluation procedure in addition to the general evaluation requirements for all students with disabilities. 34 CFR 300.309(a). The goal is to make sure the school understands the disability fully—there is a big difference between a processing speed issue, dyslexia, or dysgraphia, and different educational models and accommodations will be needed based on that child’s individual issues.
What is the best way to keep track of my child’s test scores?
Keep copies of the full evaluation documents that include the scores and the explanations. It is also helpful to keep a test track worksheet, where you can write down each of your child’s scores. When you keep all of them together, you can often see improvements or lack of progress over a period of time.
How many days does the school have to do an evaluation?
Sixty days or a different timeframe as established by the state. 20 USC § 1414(c).
What should be included in an evaluation?
It should be a full and individualized evaluation. The school should be evaluating your child’s communication, emotional health, IQ scores, learning ability, motor abilities, processing speed, social skills, language abilities, attention, and nonverbal skills and be comprehensive enough to identify any and all of your child’s needs. This evaluation should use a variety of assessment tools and strategies.
What about the classification categories for the evaluation (ex. my child has autism and they want to evaluate for other health impairment)?
First, it should be a complete evaluation. I do not like evaluations that only look for a learning disability or autism. It is essential we get a very good hold on all of the challenges a child may be trying to overcome. Also, don’t worry about labels—which I will also say when we discuss your IEP conference and your child’s classification. Many parents are concerned about how their child’s IEP is “labeled.” The classification system under IDEA and your state law is not related to the services your child will be provided; their IEP must provide for their needs across areas.
Do any of the common intelligence or achievements tests look at perception, memory, and visual skills?
Most of them do not—which is why it is essential that a qualified individual be providing the testing and assessments of your child. A trained school psychologist will look not only at IQ and achievement tests but also other issues that may be affecting your child. Additional tests are available that look at perception, memory, and visual skills. These tests include the Bender Gestalt Test of Visual Motor Perception, the Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test, and the Test of VisualPerceptual Skills, among many others.
If the test is administered by someone who deviated from the “required” testing conditions (in other words, a child is tested in a busy classroom rather than individually in a room), does that mean the entire evaluation is flawed?
It depends. If your child performed well for his or her level and other tests and assessments were relied upon, than the results of the complete evaluation may not be flawed, even if the results from the test may not be entirely accurate. However, it is essential that these tests are appropriately administered by someone trained to administer them with a clear understanding of their results.
Who from the school should evaluate my child?
The school psychologist or an outside psychologist or neuropychologist that has been retained by the school for the purpose of testing. According to the IDEA, a teacher or other personnel member is not an acceptable evaluator. IDEA specifies that “the screening of a student by teacher or specialist to determine appropriate instructional strategies…shall not be considered to be an evaluation.” 20 USC §1414(a)(1)(E).
What if I don’t believe the school can do an adequate evaluation—can I refuse it?
If you disagree with it, consider requesting an IEE subsequent to the school’s evaluation. IDEA provides that, “If the parent of such child refuses to consent to the receipt of special education and related services, or the parent fails to respond to a request to provide such consent the local educational agency (the school) shall not be considered to be in violation of the requirement to make available a free appropriate public education to the child for the failure to provide such child with the special education and related services for which the local educational agency requests such consent.” 20 USC § 1414(a).
What types of tests are performed?
The evaluation must be sufficiently comprehensive to identify all of the child’s special education and related service needs. In every IEP meeting, an individual who can understand and interpret the test results and explain them clearly to you and the other participants must be present. However, many parents don’t have the basic understanding of what these tests are and what an average score would be. Therefore, as a parent, it is important to understand what tests are used for determining eligibility and progress and to get a basic understanding of what the scores mean.
A variety of tests are available depending on your child’s needs and background. There are tests that look for a full spectrum of cognitive ability, and these tests are often known as IQ tests. There are other types of tests commonly known as “achievement tests” that are often used to look at progress. If your child has a learning disability in one area, then a test that looks at a focused area such as reading may be used. There are also a variety of tests available to analyze personality, psychological needs, and speech and language needs.
There are also many assessments available to evaluate children who cannot be tested traditionally. Sometimes, you have to look at behavior and other independent factors. Two of the common behavioral tests often used with children with autism are the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the Scales of Independent Behavior. In many situations a child’s present level can be accessed by forms filled out by parents, teachers, and physicians, and then the child’s progress can be tracked.