Standardized testing and special educati

Standardized testing and special education : 

Standardized testing and special education “Standardized tests have been used to evaluate America’s schools since 1965, when the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) became law.” (George Lucas Educational Foundation)

Standardized testing is a subject that many people feel strongly about. : 

Standardized testing is a subject that many people feel strongly about. It is a great tool for educators The best way to assess students’ abilities It is ineffective It is a stress-invoking nightmare for everyone involved Most people think that it is either:

We need to be effective with results!!! : 

We need to be effective with results!!! Standardized testing has both positives and negative aspects and when used effectively can play a significant role in bettering the education of our students. They key, of course, is using the results effectively.

So what is standardized testing? : 

So what is standardized testing? “Standardized testing” refers to giving and scoring tests in a standard way. A test is given and scored the same way each time it is used. It almost always refers to norm-referenced tests (tests that compare the performance of the test-taker to the average performance of a overall group of individuals who have taken the test previously) The same procedures should be followed with all students, unless there is a clear reason to do otherwise, such as a student's special needs. But if the test is a norm-referenced test, altering the standard procedures would invalidate the scores derived from using the test's norms, right?

So really we are looking at 2 issues: : 

So really we are looking at 2 issues: The use of standard procedures for giving norm-referenced test and scoring it when it is used with students that have special needs The norms themselves must be considered, especially when the test is given to students with special needs. If students with special needs are not even represented in the norm group, then using the test to determine how well a student with special needs performs compared to the norm group would be an unfair comparison.

Slide 6: 

We should avoid tests that do not include (among its “norm” group members) the correct ratio of students with special needs. So if we want a true "national average”, then we need norm groups that honestly represent the nation's population of students with special needs.

Slide 7: 

The resulting standard scores provide data to compare the student's abilities to others his or her age

Perhaps A Better Approach For Students With Special Needs … : 

Perhaps A Better Approach For Students With Special Needs … Criterion-referenced tests!!! Does not tell us how well one student does compared to a previous group It tells us if a student can demonstrate specific knowledge or skills If a student is above average (when the average might be pretty low) or if a student can demonstrate specific knowledge or skills? What matters more?

A Bit About Standardized Tests: : 

A Bit About Standardized Tests: Standardized tests are given to all students to determine how they are doing in comparison to their peers across the nation School districts are especially interested in standardized test scores because they are indicators about how the district is faring with No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

No Child Left BehindNCLB : 

No Child Left BehindNCLB President George Bush's "landmark education act." Put into effect in 2001 Through standardized testing, students' progress is measured in reading, math, science, and other academic content Test scores are broken down to show how specific racial and socio-economic groups are performing Makes schools and teachers accountable for how well their students are learning Goal is to prevent schools from teaching to the middle-class white children, while "leaving behind" children from other ethnicities who may learn differently Schools who meet federal standards are rewarded with funding and schools which fall short are penalized

No Child Left Behind… : 

No Child Left Behind… The key to President Bush's claim is that NCLB does not impose on local control of how students are taught In fact, the law specifically prohibits "federally controlled curriculums.”

NCLB Revisions : 

NCLB Revisions Students with disabilities are included in the standardized testing of NCLB, but with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) working in partnership, requirements have been slightly revised. ? Students with disabilities are allowed certain accommodations during test-taking and alternate kinds of assessments are also available. Standards themselves for academic achievement have been revised for special-needs children, along with the measurement of their functional performance The annual yearly progress (AYP) of special-needs children is now assessed as an accepted subgroup

So, what happens when the child with a disability takes a standardized test? : 

So, what happens when the child with a disability takes a standardized test? The answer largely depends on the student’s IEP (Individual Education Program) When the IEP team meets for a student’s Annual Review, testing accommodations (among many things) are discussed:1. Is the student able to take the standardized test used by the school district? In most cases, the answer will be yes. In a few cases, students will be given Alternate Assessment. 2. Will the student need accommodations for testing? Typically, if the student is given accommodations during routine testing in class, they will also be given accommodations for standardized testing. If not, accommodations will be listed for standardized testing

In closing… : 

In closing… Personal Notes My observations: Standardized testing is an inescapable part of modern education; however, these tests often fail to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities, and we should be doing more to make it effective for everyone