The federal definition of emotional disturbance (ED) has been heavily criticized as vaguely defined and poorly operationalized yet there has not been a formal analysis of the reliability of the ED criteria. This study examined the reliability of the federal criteria for a special education designation of ED. A total of 179 school psychologists…

This study is intended to enhance our understanding of the dramatic increase in autism prevalence rates across the United States. A robust national and multistate sample of children and youth (5-22 years of age) was gathered and analyzed, using visual and statistical analysis of autism eligibility over a 15- to 17-year period. Although the impact…

A fundamental assumption of multi-tiered systems of support is the bidirectional movement of students between tiers. In comparison to research on when to intensify instruction, less attention has been paid to the validity of decisions to exit students from supplemental supports. We used data from 554 third-grade students who met the criteria to be…

In this article, we discuss conflict between law and science relative to the presumption in special education law that multidisciplinary teams and others identify the causes of problems giving rise to special education needs. First, we explain eligibility criteria, highlighting ambiguities therein and why criteria constitute a mandate for causal…

This article addresses measurement issues in the examination of resiliency within school settings. The Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents is described as an example of an instrument developed specifically for this purpose. This description identifies developmentally sound factors of personal resiliency that are relevant for youth in…

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of scores from six early literacy probes developed for use with preschool-age children. The literacy probes were administered to 84 preschoolers at three time points over a 6-month period. Also, a criterion measure of early literacy skills was administered to a subset of…

This article reviews the results of a survey of the Fellows of the American Academy of School Psychology (Academy; AASP) regarding the independent educational evaluation (IEE) for a specific learning disability (SLD). Academy Fellows were asked about important components of the IEE, desirable evaluator qualifications, and recommended criteria for…

In efforts to clarify ambiguity in the scoring directions for part of the WISC, 100 children were given the test which was scored by two sets of criteria. Four sets of data were analyzed, with significant discrepancies apparent only between Verbal-Performance correlations secured by Wechsler in his standardization of the WISC and those secured in…

Assessed effects of the choice of achievement standards on mathematics performance among 201 students evenly divided by sex and school level (elementary, junior high, and high) in conditions where they chose standards, had standards imposed, and had no standards. Results showed that choice of standards led to increased mathematical performance in…

Reviews research on major behavior disorders in children for school psychologists who are required to evaluate severity of such disorders. Review suggests five criteria by which severity of children's behavior disorders can be evaluated: age of onset, number of settings in which problem occurs, number of coexisting disorders, pattern of problem,…

S.G. Little (1997) reported the top contributors to the school psychology literature from 1987 to 1995. The present study represents a follow-up by examining the top contributors from 1996 to 2005. Similar to Little, a list of the top 50 contributors was developed using a point system that assigned more credit based on fewer coauthors and higher…

Aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) studies that used handicapped students as subjects were reviewed to determine the validity of the ATI concept. Since only four of the studies resulted in significant disordinal aptitude-treatment interactions, it was concluded that the ATI concept is nonvalidated. Areas for further research are discussed.…

Examines identification of learning-disabled students, comparing advantages and disadvantages of most common discrepancy formulas and multiple regression discrepancy method. Contends that educational and statistical significance of test scores should be taken into consideration during identification process, and consonance between…

Describes and defines dimensions of program evaluation--target, purpose, and stage--relevant to school psychologists, combining them into a conceptual framework indicating 48 different types of program evaluation. Incorporates relevant aspects of existing program evaluation strategies and action research, affording practitioners a strategy for…

Surveyed 325 school personnel to examine the content validity of the Light's Retention Scale (LRS), assessing the use of selected retention criteria from the scale. Results indicated that several criteria were not typically considered in retention decisions and the remaining criteria varied widely in their use. (Author/JAC)