Assessment

Definition

• Assessment is the ongoing process of gathering educationally relevant data to determine an educational plan.

AcademicsBehaviorSocial

Steps in the Assessment Process

• Screening

• Determining eligibility

• Planning the program

• Monitoring progress

• Evaluating the program

Sources of information

• Observation

• Interviews

*parents and other family members

*professionals

• Tests

*criterion referenced assessment

*norm referenced assessment

Teacher’s Role

• Qualifications

• Natural environment

• Comfortable setting

• Observer

*objective

*systematic

Avoid

• Making a diagnosis

• Using labels

• Raising parent anxiety

• Telling parents what to do

• Jumping to conclusions

Components of the IEP

• Present level of development• Statement of measurable annual goals and short term

objectives• Statement of specific special education and related

services• The extent to which the child is not able to participate in

the regular education program• Projected date of initiation and anticipated duration of

services• Appropriate objective evaluation criteria• LRE

Writing An IEP!

An IEP has• A Vision• Present Levels of Performance• Clearly Defined Needs• Goals• Objectives• Criteria• Procedures

The Vision

• Addresses the future planning of your child

• Varies depending upon the age of your child

• Expresses the hope of the IEP team

• Is a snapshot of the future

Present Levels of Performance

Present Levels in:• Academic Performance• The Area of Behavior Needs• The Area of Social Needs

What are the student’s strengths

What are the student’s interests

How the student’s disability affects their participation in the general educational curriculum

Needs

• Where are the areas that the student is struggling in?

• All of these areas must be addressed

• Information is taken from present levels of performance

• There must be a goal to match every area of need

Goals

• 300.347 (ii) (2) A statement of measurable annual goals

• A goal is something that can be attained in one school year

• A goal must reflect back to what was stated in present levels of performance

• If there is no present level then there is can not be a goal written

• A goal must be educationally relevant

Objectives

• Are small steps toward the annual goal

• Can be written in grading period intervals (This is helpful when sending out progress reports)

• Are not to be lesson plans

Criteria(for each objective)

• Understandable to all

• Everyone Agrees

Procedures(For Each Objective)

• Understandable to all

• Something written will help to prevent misunderstandings later

• Should be agreeable to everyone in the meeting

Who Is Responsible?(Understandable to All)

• Speech Therapist

• Occupational Therapist

• Physical Therapist

• Regular Educational Teacher

• Special Educational Teacher

Least Restrictive Environment

• Understandable by all

• Where services are going to be provided

• How much time the child will not participate with non-disabled peers in regular classes or non-academic activities

Services

• Modifications

• Supplemental Aids

• Assistive Technology

• Related Services

• Amount of Services

Accommodations

• Accommodations are support services provided to help the student progress in the general education curriculum and demonstrate their learning. These do not mean big changes in the instructional level, content or standards. Rather, support is provided so that students have an equal opportunity to learn and demonstrate what they have learned.

Modifications

• Modifications change the content and performance expectations for what a student should learn.

Questions to Ask when Adapting the General Education Curriculum

Can the student participate:

• Just like classmates• With environmental

adaptations• With instructional

adaptations• With adapted

materials• With adapted

expectations

Adaptation Menu:• Environmental• Testing• Instructional• Materials• Task• Content

Planning for Diagnostic and District wide Assessment Programs

Testing Conditions:• will take test without IEP accommodations• will take test with IEP accommodationsReason for excusing the student from any high

stake consequences associated with not passing the test:

• Will take the test without IEP accommodations• Will take the test with allowable IEP

accommodations• English limited• Will participate in alternate assessment