Blumberg Center for
Interdisciplinary Studies in Special Education

Project for responsive educational systems

Assessment

General Description

A comprehensive system for collecting and analyzing data on students' academic skills and behavioral performance forms an essential component of a tiered, or response to intervention, framework and serves as a tool to measure achievement and to guide decision making. While various approaches for assessing student performance in academic, behavioral, and social/emotional domains exist, educators select the method/tool most appropriate for their students and the purpose for the use of the tool.  The assessment system includes the following:

* Evidence-based assessment and progress monitoring tools implemented with fidelity
* Universal screening tools to establish baselines, to identify student needing further diagnostic assessment, and to evaluate curricula/instruction
* Systems for collecting schoolwide behavior/discipline and student achievement data
* A variety of common and other curriculum based formative assessments
* A procedure for progress monitoring
* Summative assessments
* Assessment of the instructional environment concerning expectations, strategies, adjustment of practices, etc.

Educators and families use comprehensive assessment data to determine instructional needs, student progress, and effectiveness of curriculum and instruction, as well to guide flexible grouping and to adjust the instructional environment to support student learning.

Related Resources

Electronic:

 Academic Record Keeping
 softwaresysinc.com/ark

 Aims Web
www.aimsweb.com

Colorin Colorado: Assessment and Placement
 www.colorincolorado.org/educators/assessment

 CTB/McGraw-Hill - Yearly Progress Pro
 www.ctb.com/mktg/ypp/ypp_index.jsp

 Curriculum-Based Management: A Manual for Teachers
 www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbaManual.pdf

 Curriculum-Based Management: A Manual for Teachers
 progressmonitoring.org

 ETS: Guidelines for Constructed Response and Other Performance Assessments
 www.ets.org/Media/About_ETS/pdf/8561_ConstructedResponse_guidelines.pdf

 Houghton Mifflin Education Place: Methods of Assessment
 www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/badders.html

 Indiana High School Survey of Engagement
 www.indiana.edu/~ceep/hssse/

 Intervention Central CBM Warehouse
 www.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs/interventions/cbmwarehouse.php

 Iowa DOE: Structured Observations
 www.iowa.gov/educate/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=1375&Itemid=99999999

 Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium: Student Assessment and Testing
 maec.org/educate/11.html

 NASP Position Statement on School Psychologists' Involvement in the Role of Assessment
 www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/pospaper_assess.aspx

 National Center on Progress Monitoring
 progressmonitoring.org

 Pearson School System: SASI
 www.pearsonschoolsystems.com/products/sasi/index.htm

 RTI Action Network: Progress Monitoring Within a Multi-Level Prevention System
 www.rtinetwork.org/Essential/Assessment/Progress/ar/MutlilevelPrevention

 Scholastic: Self-Assessment Checklist
 teacher.scholastic.com/professional/selfassessment/checklist/index.htm

 Using Curriculum Based Assessment to Address Academic and Behavioral Needs www.ccbd.net/documents/bb/BB16(3)%20Payne.pdf

Printed:

Black, P. J., Harrison, C., Lee, C., Marshall, B., & Wiliam, D. (2007). Assessment for learning: Putting it into practice. Berkshire, GB: McGraw-Hill International.

 Brown-Chidsey, R. (2005). Assessment for intervention: A problem-solving approach. New York: Guilford.

 Espin, C. A., & Deno, S. L. (1995). Curriculum-based measures for secondary students: Utility and task specificity of text-based reading and vocabulary measures for predicting performance on content-area tasks. Diagnostique, 20(1-4), 121-142.

 Fielding, L., Kerr, N., & Rosier, P. (2007). Annual growth for all students: Catch-up growth for those who are behind. New York, NY: New Foundation Press.

 Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2007). Checking for understanding:  Formative assessment techniques for your classroom. Baltimore, MD: ASCD.

 Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. L. (1994). Strengthening the connection between assessment and instructional planning with expert systems. Exceptional Children, 61(2), 138

 Fuchs, L. S., Hamlett, C. L., & Fuchs, D. (1999). Monitoring basic skills progress (MBSP) (2nd Ed). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

 Good, R. H. III, & Kaminski, R. (1996). Assessment for instructional decisions: Toward a proactive/prevention model for decision-making for early literacy skills. School Psychology Quarterly, 11(4), 326-336.

 Hosp, M & Hosp, J. (2003). Curriculum Based measurement for reading, spelling and math: How to do it and why. Preventing School Failure, 48(1), 1017.
Hosp, M. K., Howell, K. W., & Hosp, J. L. (200&). The ABCs of CBM: A practical guide to curriculum-based measurement. New York, NY: Guilford Publications, Inc.

 Howell, K.W., & Nolet, V. (2000). Curriculum-based evaluation: Teaching and decision making (3rd ed.). Wadsworth.

 Jenkins, T. (2006). When a child struggles in school: Everything parents & educators should know about getting children the help they need. Charleston, SC: Advantage Media Group.

 Lane, K. L., & Beebe-Frankenberger, M. (2003). School-based interventions: The tools you need to succeed. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Allyn & Bacon, Inc.

 Popham, W. J. (2008). Transformative assessment. Baltimore, MD: ASCD.

 Rhodes, R.L., Ochoa, S.H., & Ortiz, S.O.(2005). Assessing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. New York: Guilford Press.

 Shapiro, Edward S. (2004). Academic skills problems: Direct assessment and intervention. Third Edition. New York: Guilford Press.

 Shinn, M. (1989). Curriculum-based measurement: Assessing special children. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

 Shinn, M. R. (Ed.). (1998). Advanced applications of curriculum-based measurement (Guilford School Practitioner Series). New York: Guilford Press.

 Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right, using it well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Sugai, G., Sprague, J. R., & Horner, R. H. (1999). Functional-assessment-based behavior support planning: Research to practice to research. Behavioral Disorders, 24 (3), 253-257.

 Tindal, G., & Nolet, V. (1995). Curriculum-based measurement in middle and high schools: Critical thinking skills in content areas. Focus on Exceptional Children, 27 (7), 1-22.