chapter 1: an overview of assessment in early childhood assessment in early childhood education...
TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER 1:An Overview of
Assessment in Early Childhood
Assessment in Early Childhood EducationFifth Edition
Sue C. Wortham
Chapter Objectives
1. Understand the purposes of assessment in early childhood
2. Understand different meanings of the term assessment
3. Understand the history of tests and measurement in early childhood
4. Develop an awareness of issues in testing young children
“Assessment is the process of gathering information about children from several forms of evidence, then organizing and
interpreting that information.”
Assessment Concerns In Early Childhood
• Developmental change in young children is rapid• a need to assess whether development is progressing
normally
• Assessment methods must be matched with the level of mental, social, and physical development at each stage
Appropriate AssessmentPurpose 1:Assessing to promote children’s learning and development Purpose 2: Identifying children for health and social services
Purpose 3: Monitoring trends and evaluating programs and services Purpose 4: Assessing academic achievement to hold individual students, teachers, and schools accountable
Standardized Testing• Public schools expanded to offer 12 years of education • Tests grew out of the need to sort, select, or make decisions
about both children and adults
• Objective tests were developed to determine the level and pace of instruction; and the grouping of students without regard for socioeconomic class
Basic Concepts
• Testing versus Assessment• Assessment to measure
progress (pre and post)• to evaluate program• Assessment for determining
strengths and weaknesses- academic- behavioral
Describing people with differences • Labeling - used to identify people who differ from
the accepted norm.
– Disability- a loss of physical, academic, or social functioning that interferes with typical growth and development.
– Handicap- a limitation imposed on the individual by environmental demands; an ability to adapt or adjust to these demands.
– Exceptional - an individual who substantially deviates, either higher or lower, from the norm
Why are labels still used?
• To distinguish those who are eligible for services from those who are not.
– Funding may be dependant upon the number and types of individuals who are deemed eligible.
• Labels help professionals communicate
Special Education -
• Specially designed instruction• no cost to parents• meets the unique needs of a child with a
disability
Related Services
Physical and occupational therapy
Speech-language pathology services
Psychological services
Interpretation services
Transportation
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
Supplementary Aids and Services
• provided in regular education classes or other settings– word prediction software– Preferential seating– Paraprofessional
Disability Litigation Begins
Extended the right to special education to children of all disabilities
1972Mills v. District of Columbia
Tests used for eligibility for special education must be non-discriminatory; class placement parallel to “Diana” for African American – only in Ca.
1972Larry P. v. Riles
Guaranteed special education for children with mental retardation
1972PARC (Pa Association for Retarded Citizens)
no segregation by race - (education - a right and not a privilege)
class placement – students tested in primary language
1954
1970
Brown v. Board of EducationDiana v. State Board of Education
ImportanceDateCase
Federal Special Education Laws
• 1975 – Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) amended as P.L. 94-142
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
Refinements to the Law1986 - Services to infants and young children• 1990 – Name changes to Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)– Autism and Traumatic Brain Injury added• 1997 – Additions– Discipline of students with disabilities– Parent participation expanded– Assessment of all students with disabilities• 2004 – Name changes to Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act– Conflict resolution strategies included– Evidence-based practices for instruction required
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
Accomplishments and Disappointments
• Development of inclusive practices
• Overrepresentation of some ethnic groups
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
• Initial referrals for evaluation may be made• by the parent or by the school.• parents must give informed consent to
evaluations.• Evaluations must take place within 60 days
or within the timeframe established by the state.
Who Receives Special Who Receives Special Education?Education?
Visual impairment
Traumatic brain injuryOther health impairments
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Orthopedic impairmentMultiple disabilities
Mental retardationHearing impaired
Emotional disturbanceDevelopmental delay (3-9)
Deaf-blindnessAutism
Traditional Assessment Model
General Education Classroom InstructionStudent Not Progressing As Expected
Student Referred to Multidisciplinary Team
Team Completes Assessment
Team Meeting Determines Student Found Eligible for Services
Difficulties With Traditional Assessment Practices
• Lack of Prereferral Interventions
• Lack of Integrity of Prereferral Interventions
• Bias in Referral Process
• Lack of Consistency in Eligibility Decisions
Contemporary Assessment Model
General Classroom Instruction with Frequent MeasurementsAnd Statewide Assessments
Student Not Making ProgressGeneral Education Teacher Assesses Skill/Task Using
Frequent Measurements, Probes, Error Analysis of Student Products and Performance
Interventions Implemented by Classroom Teacher
Interventions Not SuccessfulGeneral Classroom Teacher Meets with Problem-Solving Team
Team Members Analyze Data and Generate HypothesesTeacher and Team Design Additional Interventions
Interventions Implemented and Monitored for IntegrityTeacher Takes Frequent Measurements and/or Observations
Interventions SuccessfulStudent Continues in General Classroom
Student Continues to Have Difficulty with Academic Progress and/or Behavior
Team Meets to Analyze DataTeam Determines if Additional Assessment is Needed or
Additional Interventions
Additional Interventions Implemented and
Monitored for Integrity
Team Designs Assessment
Plan
Interventions Successful Student Remains in General
Classroom
Student Receives Comprehensive Evaluation
Team Meets to Determine Student’s NeedsStudent Receives Accommodations for Educational and/or
Behavioral NeedsInterventions Monitored for Success
Student Found Eligible for Special Education SupportReceives Services in General Education Classroom or
Special Education SettingInterventions Monitored for Success
Core Principles of IDEA• Zero Reject (Zero exclusion principle)• Free Appropriate Public Education• Least Restrictive Environment• Nondiscriminatory Evaluation• Parent and Family Rights to Confidentiality• Procedural Safeguards
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
Major provisions of IDEA • The Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• The team responsible for developing the IEP include: the student’s parents special education teacher, general education teacher representative of the local education agency.
• The IEP team must also include a person who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results.
Required Components of the IEP
Present levels of performance
Annual goals and short term objectives
Special education and related services
Supplementary aids and services
Assistive technology
Participation with nondisabled peers
Participation in state/district testing
Additional IEP Components
• Dates and locations of service • Placement decision• Transition services needed at age 16• How progress will be measured and reported to
parents
The Continuum of Placements for Least Restrictive Environment
• General Education• Resource Class• Separate Class• Separate School• Residential Facility• Home or Hospital
“Copyright© Allyn & Bacon 2006”
Major provisions of IDEA • Nondiscriminatory and Multidisciplinary
Assessment
• Testing students in their native or primary language.
• Using valid tests and evaluation procedures prevent cultural or racial discrimination.
• Utilizing several pieces of information.
Major provisions of IDEA Parent and Family Rights to Confidentiality &
Procedural Safeguards
• Informed Consent for testing and placement.• Participate on the committee.• To inspect and review educational records.• To request a copy.
PL 99-457 Early Childhood
Set forth the guidelines for services for infantsand toddlers.
Many of these guidelines were incorporated into the 1997 Amendments of IDEA.
Family provides direction for the assessment plan.
Individual Family Service Plan must be designedfor each infant or toddler.
Terry OvertonAssessing Learners with Special Needs, 5e
Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
All rights reserved.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004
• Highly Qualified Special Ed. Teachers
in every core subject they teach
• May use response to intervention (RTI) as part of evaluation procedures
• Amendments can be made to an IEP for minor changes without a meeting
Other Legislation
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973– Civil rights for all people with disabilities– Prohibits discrimination based on
disability• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
– Extends protections to both public and private sectors, regardless of federal funding
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
How are Disagreements Resolved?
• Mediation– Impartial professional meets with
each party to try to resolve the dispute
• Due process hearing– Formal procedure often
resembling a trial
– Impartial hearing officer makes decision
– Decision may be appealed
Recommended Practices
• Inclusion
• - Universal Design for Learning - Evidence-based practices - Assistive Technology
• Positive Behavior Supports• Collaboration
Chapter 1: Key Concepts for Understanding Special Education
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001PL 107-110
• Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act– All pupils will demonstrate proficiency in
mathematics, reading and science
– Annual testing will show adequate yearly progress (AYP)
– Consequences for lack of AYP= parent may transfer their child to another school
– Highly qualified teachers and aides
Trends in the New Century
Concerns about testing young children
• mandates for the increased testing that is standards-based will continue in spite of concerns of their relevance for young children
Continuing effort to advocate appropriate assessments
• Standardized tests and other measures used inappropriately to determine admission, promotion and retention of young children
• Fairness of existing tests to evaluate culturally and linguistically diverse children
• Early and appropriate assessment for children with disabilities
Concerns about testing young children with disabilities
• Assessments are based on multiple sources of information that will reflect the child’s capacities and competencies – play-based assessment and – structured tests are a part of an integrated approach
Authentic and Performance Assessment
Rather than being narrowly defined as testing, assessment should link curriculum and instruction with program objectives for young children.
Authentic and performance assessments are used that benefit the child, parents, and caregivers and teachers.
Authentic Assessments
Allows the teacher to observe progress;
• have a connection to the real world
• emerge from the child’s accomplishments
• include the child’s natural interactions with materials or play activity