The paper presents 12 guidelines for special education assessment. Among proposed guidelines are that parents should be involved, that classroom observation should be part of the process, and that all evaluations should be fair and nondiscriminatory. (Author/CL)

Though curriculum-based assessment (CBA) is considered a valuable evaluation procedure, areas of concern exist, including: assumptions regarding content of the CBA instrument, appropriateness of CBA as the only information source for individualized education programs, and recognition of CBA's limitations as a procedure/model under the current…

Three procedures that help to determine the degree of confidence we can place in any raw score are discussed: computing the standard error of measurement, computing the estimated true score, and constructing confidence intervals. These three procedures are easy to use and require only elementary mathematical skills. (Author/CL)

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is defined and described through a case study of a fourth-grade student. CBM is suggested as a system for monitoring goal appropriateness, adjusting instructional programs, and formulating instructional improvements. Potential contributions of CBM to special education practice are outlined, and areas of needed…

This article addresses the use of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) techniques within regular education settings. Specific CBM decision-making strategies in the areas of mathematics operations are described. Successful application of these strategies in 40 elementary classes, each with at least 1 student with a learning disability, is also…

Resolution of serious behavior problems requires individual functional assessment of the events that predict and maintain the challenging behavior and identification of contextual factors that are relevant to effective behavioral support. Functional assessment can involve review of school records, interviews, rating scales, direct observation, and…

Scores on the Einstein Assessment of School-Related Skills for 164 elementary-level children were correlated with reading and mathematics test scores, teacher ratings, and presence/absence of school-diagnosed learning difficulty. Results showed the Einstein was significantly related to achievement and generally predicted learning difficulty as…

There are several points to be considered to prevent misuse when integrating microcomputing into the assessment process. Computerizing an activity does not automatically improve that activity. Computer use is appropriate for computing test scores and storing student data but not for interpreting data. (JDD)

The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) and an expressive language measure were administered to 114 children (aged 24 to 74 months) suspected of developmental difficulties. The DDST did not identify the majority of children who failed the expressive language screening, even after cutoff scores were made more rigorous. (Author/JDD)

This article describes both portfolio assessment and curriculum-based measurement; offers a rationale for using these two assessment strategies together; and gives specific steps for combining these two approaches, using a case example of a learning-disabled boy with difficulties in written expression to illustrate the synthesis. (DB)

A 1980 study of special education teachers' reports on the availability and usefulness of several types of assessment information for emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered students was replicated and results compared. Overall progress was found, with notable increases in availability for types that teachers consider educationally relevant,…

This article discusses ways teachers may vary and modify teacher-made tests to better facilitate prescriptive programing for special education students. Formats featuring statements, object identification, gestures, and writing are discussed, as are item alterations in terms of both item presentation and student responses. (PB)

Outlined are the weaknesses of traditional, norm-referenced tests which fail to help in making instructional decisions. Presented is a step-by-step series of operations for analyzing and categorizing arithmetic errors, for selecting corrective strategies, and for applying peer-referenced standards to judge the performance of special needs…

A five-step hierarchy for problem solving in mathematical word problems, called SOLVE, involves Study the problem, Organize data, Line up a plan, Verify plan, and Evaluate the match. Implementing the SOLVE strategies enables teachers to assess and teach skills needed by students with mild disabilities and improves students' success rates.…

Providers of psychoeducational assessment services for hearing-impaired children, from infants to adolescents, were surveyed concerning their educational and experiential background, communication modes used, problems encountered, and educational placements of assessed children. Frequency of use scores and rankings are reported for psychological…