This dissertation was prepared to determine if a correlation existed between a student's poverty level and an educational diagnosis of serious emotional disturbance. I hypothesize that students at or under the United States' definition of poverty are more likely to exhibit signs and symptoms of a serious emotional disturbance and therefore be…

Due to lack of consistency among diagnosis practices of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in the state of Texas, as well as other legal matters regarding diagnoses of SLD, there is a divide among eligibility criteria for students around the state. Currently, the three models that have received the most attention of SLD…

This phenomenological study (Moustakas, 1994; Peoples, 2020) uses critical disability theory (Devlin & Pothier, 2006) and intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) as a lens for investigating the experiences of caregivers in a borderland community in Texas during their child's dyslexia identification process. I used Interpretive Phenomenological…

The role that educational diagnosticians play in the educational process can vary across settings. In Texas, the Texas Education Agency oversees the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC). SBEC certification standards outline knowledge and skills that are required for educational diagnosticians to practice in Texas. The Texas required…

Universal screening is the first mechanism by which students are identified as at risk of failure in the context of multitiered systems of supports. This study examined the validity and diagnostic accuracy of a reading computer-adaptive test as a screener to identify state achievement test performance for third through fifth graders (N = 1,696).…

Educational diagnosticians in the state of Texas serve multiple roles across various districts (National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education [NCPSE], 2011). Due to the increased accountability requirements in the area of special education, much more time is required to complete the procedural requirements set forth by state and…

In recent years, with support from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded various developmental education initiatives, including research and evaluation efforts, to help Texas public institutions of higher education provide more effective programs and services to underprepared students. Based on evaluation…

Assessment personnel are those individuals who work in the capacity of evaluation of students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, educational diagnosticians, educational examiners, psychometrists, and instructional specialists. These professionals are responsible for identifying strengths and weaknesses and for providing teachers…

This article summarizes the results of a study involving 42 educational diagnosticians from North Texas. The study was conducted to determine diagnosticians' perceived understanding of early literacy development and their ability to effectively choose and interpret assessments of phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and reading fluency. The…

With a national shortage of special education personnel, including assessment personnel (Caranikas-Walker; Shapley, Cordeau, 2006; Karr, 2005), rural communities face serious challenges in retaining and recruiting highly qualified special education staff due to limited access to university training programs (Hausman & Hausman, 2003; Knapczyk,…

Now that all 50 states and the District of Columbia are building statewide longitudinal data systems, the next step is to ensure that the information in these systems is used to improve student learning. The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has identified 10 actions that states can take to ensure that the right data are available and accessible and…

A statewide survey of Texas secondary school English teachers and their administrators was conducted to identify in-service needs expressed by teachers and perceived by administrators. Questionnaires were mailed to randomly selected teachers, principals, and central-office administrative personnel. An analysis of the responses indicated that the…

Described is the development of the Educational Based Appraisal System, a model whereby educational diagnosticians and teachers in Collin County (Texas) could work together in developing effective individual educational programs for exceptional children. Sections cover the following topics: statement of the problem, conceptualizing a solution,…

In 1971-72, 1,045 school districts in the State of Texas provided supplementary instruction and/or services to educationally/economically disadvantaged children through the use of Federal funds made available under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The number of pupils who have participated in these projects has…

As the population of minority pupils continues to increase, the need for special education personnel to identify and educate culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students will also rise. Continuing shortages of qualified personnel in special education have been declared a national emergency, with "diagnostic staff" ranked as…