Eligibility Procedures
Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Used to describe a student whose primary language is other than English and whose English language skills are such that the student has difficulty performing ordinary classwork
Informal Assessment
Unofficial evaluation to monitor the student's progress Guided practice Warm-Up Exit Ticket Conference Parent-provided information
Criterion-referenced test
A criterion-referenced test is a style of test which uses test scores to generate a statement about the behavior that can be expected of a person with that score. Most tests and quizzes that are written by school teachers can be considered criterion-referenced tests.
diagnostic-prescriptive method.
A diagnostic-prescriptive method adjusts learning paths according to students' needs, so each student may be working on different skills according to their current levels and abilities.
Achievement Test
A standardized test designed to measure levels of knowledge, understanding, abilities, or skills acquired in a particular subject already learned State assessments
Which is the best example of an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher conducting a work sample analysis?
A teacher reviews a writing sample to identify types of grammatical errors. By reviewing the writing sample, the teacher can identify the student's current strengths and deficits.
Formative Assessments
Assessment for learning. Usually mid-instruction assessment with the purpose of assessing student progress and informing the teacher so instruction can be altered as needed.
Summative Assessments
Assessment of learning. Given at specific points in time in order to determine what students know and don't know. Summative assessments are generally formal.
The LEA has the responsibility to identify, locate, and evaluate all students who reside in the state of Texas who are in need of special education or related services, including students enrolling in private schools. At what age can children begin receiving services?
Birth This is the correct answer. Children can receive services as soon as they are identified which can be at birth.
Ms. Smith's third-grade class was academically screened for reading and several of her students' scores fell below district level benchmark. Following Response to Intervention (RTI) procedures, what should Ms. Smith do first?
Continue to collect data on reading performance using curriculum-based measures. This is the correct answer because in RtI, Tier 1, a student's progress is closely monitored using a validated screening system such as curriculum-based measurement for at least 8 weeks of data collection.
Summative Assessment
Cumulative evaluation of the student's progress. The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student progress, application, and understanding of specific student expectations as indicated in the state's educational standards or Common Core standards. State Mandated Tests End of Course Exams Final exams Semester exams Achievement Test
How can a special education teacher develop a lesson plan for an inclusion classroom that demonstrates appropriate knowledge of using an approved curriculum to plan lessons?
Develop a post-assessment that includes questions aligned with state standards.
A special education teacher is developing an end of unit test for her students. Which of the following considerations is most important when developing items on the test?
Do the test questions adequately reflect learning objectives that were taught throughout the unit? An end-of-unit assessment should appropriately capture students' level of mastery of skills that were taught throughout the unit and build upon skills taught in previous units.
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
Evaluation conducted by independent qualified assessment personal not associated with the local education agency
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
Evaluation conducted by independent qualified assessment personal not associated with the local education agency. Parents can request this to be done if they disagree with a re-evaluation. Medical Tests Psychiatric Tests Outside testing
there is a review of existing data (REED) every...
Every three years where the committee determines if dismissal from the specialized services is appropriate. A student may meet their goals and continue to need services or new goals for the next school year and would remain in special education. They may also have mastered the skills needed to function independently in a general classroom and can be dismissed. The REED is a mandated review of all existing evaluation data including the initial evaluation, any re-evaluations, classroom observations, and standardized testing to determine if dismissal of services is necessary.
When discussing a student's performance in a research-based reading intervention program at an IEP meeting, team members may ask, "Is the student making progress?" Which of the following questions is most important to consider when discussing progress in the program?
Has the student increased reading fluency and/or reading comprehension skills?
Multimodal learning
Multimodal learning is teaching a concept through visual, auditory, reading, writing, and kinaesthetic methods. It is meant to improve the quality of teaching by matching content delivery with the best mode of learning from the student.
Formative Assessment
Periodic review of the student's assignment to monitor his progress. The goal of formative assessment is to provide progress monitoring and focus targeted instruction on specific student expectations to increase the student's knowledge and skills. Weekly quiz/test Writing or reading conference Math homework
A mother notices her three-year-old child does not respond to her voice and is concerned it is a symptom of a hearing disability. The mother expresses this concern to the social worker at the child's daycare. Of the following, which would be the best response from the social worker?
Recommend the mother to contact the LEA for an evaluation. Recommending the mother to a professional diagnostician is the best approach as this specialist can provide further, more accurate assessment of the child's hearing.
Response to Intervention (RtI)
RtI is a scientifically research based instructional intervention delivered in the general education classroom. RtI is a process to monitor and measure student progress in the general education curriculum. It is also a systematic process for students who are experiencing learning and behavior difficulties and may not meet the grade level achievement standards. If the child does not make progress in the curriculum through RtI, then the referral process to special education services would begin. The referral can come from the parents, teacher, or other school official. Parents must consent to the evaluation regardless of who requests it.
Self-Assessment
Self-review of one's progress with the assignment Rubric Exit Ticket
Which of the following is the best rationale for using formative assessment?
Students will show what skills they have mastered and what skills still need to be practiced.
A new student began at Spring Memorial Middle School a month ago and has qualified for special education services for a specific learning disability in reading and writing. She recently moved from Mexico and her special education testing was done in Spanish. During the initial ARD committee meeting, they address accommodations for the classroom and STAAR test. What other test should be included in the IEP documents for accommodations?
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Because she is a student with limited English proficiency, she will take the TELPAS test and her accommodations should be provided.
Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee
The IEP committee that determines the eligibility for specialized services, based on the assessment of the data and the goals to be set for an eligible student
Which of the following statements outlines the responsibility of the Local Education Agency (LEA) with assessing children with limited English proficiency?
The LEA must administer a state identified English language proficiency assessment to kindergarten through 12th-grade students who demonstrate limited English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)
The Texas-mandated language proficiency assessment, designed to evaluate the English language development of limited English proficiency (LEP) learners.
Which of the following scenarios indicates a situation in which a parent has the right to request an independent educational evaluation (IEE)?
The parent disagrees with the district's re-evaluation which found a student only eligible under specific learning disability (SLD) when the student previously had a secondary disability qualifier also.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
The state foundation curriculum developed by the State Board of Education, that requires all students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to read, write, compute, problem solve, think critically, apply technology, and communicate across all subject areas
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)
The state-mandated language proficiency assessment TELPAS was designed to evaluate the English language development of limited English proficiency (LEP) learners. The local education agency must administer TELPAS to all kindergarten through twelfth grade students who demonstrate limited English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, or writing.
Which of the following scenarios indicates that a student may meet certain eligibility criteria for a specific learning disability?
The student has received Tier 3 reading interventions but continues to read below grade level. Students who fail to make progress despite receiving research-based interventions may be eligible as having a specific learning disability.
pre-assessment
The teacher is using a pre-assessment to determine students' current reading levels and assign reading levels and interventions accordingly.
True or False: The transition plan for a high school student is reviewed and updated every year during the annual Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting.
True, this is a requirement of the IDEA and the Texas Education Code As required by IDEA and the Texas Education Code, the ARD committee must discuss, review, and update the transition plan annually. The special education teacher implements the procedures needed to facilitate the transition process.
Review of Existing Data (REED)
a mandated review of all existing evaluation data including the initial evaluation, any re-evaluations, classroom observations, and standardized testing to determine if dismissal of services is necessary
Response to Intervention (RtI)
a process to monitor and measure student progress in the general education curriculum after instructional intervention is provided
When evaluating a second-grade student for a learning disability, the diagnostician will look at a variety of work samples. Work from class, teacher-created tests, and an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) will be considered. What other summative assessment might be considered in the evaluation?
achievement test An achievement test is summative and compares the child's performance to others at the same age.
After an evaluation for special education services, the results must be presented to which of the following individuals:
administrators parents or guardians of the child only classroom teachers of the student
A student was recently found to be eligible as having an emotional disability. The parents disagree with the eligibility determination and feel that the evaluation was not comprehensive. What may the parents requests if they disagree with the school's evaluation?
an independent educational evaluation Parents have the right to one independent educational evaluation after every school-based evaluation if they disagree with the results of the school's evaluation.
Which of the following best describes an example of a criterion-referenced test?
assessing a ninth grade student's knowledge and application of the parts of a cell after completing a plant and animal cell unit in biology This is the best example of a criterion-referenced test since students are asked to demonstrate mastery of a specific area of content they have received instruction in.
The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) is most likely to be used for consideration of identification in the area of:
attention deficit disorder (ADHD). A behavior rating scale may be used as part of a multi-disciplinary process when determining eligibility for other health impairment (OHI) which includes the classification of ADHD. Children are often rated by both parents/guardians and teachers/staff.
Benchmark tests
can assist with monitoring progress and ensures that the student knows their accommodations and how to use them This periodic check allows for intervention if a student is not making adequate progress towards their goals.
The IEP team has proposed an initial evaluation for a student who is suspected of having an educational disability of autism. Which of the following areas of evaluation may be recommended?
communication assessment achievement assessment cognitive assessment
A fifth-grade inclusion science class is completing a mid-unit activity of building models to represent ecological biomes to demonstrate knowledge of what they have learned so far. Which of the following instructional strategies would be best to facilitate all students' participation?
cooperative learning Cooperative learning will facilitate student participation since students will have the opportunity to work in small groups to share knowledge and build models of biomes. Students are typically grouped with mixed abilities.
A kindergarten teacher planning number sense activities for the year must ensure that the activities match the continuum of skill development. Which of the following lists demonstrates the correct order of skill development?
counting a set number of objects, understanding basic addition or subtraction problems, solving basic word problems with manipulatives, solving basic word problems involving measurement and data Students must first be able to count a set of objects before completing addition and subtraction problems. Next, students need to learn how to solve word problems using manipulatives before moving on to higher level applications such as measurements, without the use of manipulatives.
Which of the following types of assessment provides information about how a student is progressing in academic areas such as reading and math classes and may provide periodic updates for parents?
curriculum-based assessment A curriculum-based assessment provides periodic updates on how a student is progressing in academic areas at school.
A teacher is preparing for an annual review IEP meeting. Which of the following assessments is most beneficial to determine current levels of academic performance?
curriculum-based assessment Curriculum based assessments will provide the most current information about how the student is performing with the current services. This will help the IEP team to determine whether what is currently in place is working well or if revision is needed.
The Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee
determines the eligibility for specialized services based on the assessment of the data. The assessment data determines the disability. If a disability and an educational need for specialized services are determined, then with parental consent, the student is eligible to receive specialized services (i.e. special education).
A teacher who identifies strengths and weaknesses for each student, designs instruction according to students' areas of need, uses varying instructional strategies according to each students' needs, and develops custom learning paths for each of the students is using:
diagnostic-prescriptive method.
Informal strategies
exit tickets and journal checks inform instruction
When a student is referred for special education services, data must be collected from a variety of sources including
family, teachers, and academic records
Mr. Waller begins an English lesson on the structure of sentences. After a few example sentences, Mr. Waller asks each student to list the parts of a sentence. As the students write down the parts of a sentence, Mr. Waller walks around the room looking at their answers. After a few minutes, Mr. Waller returns to the front of the class and resumes instruction. Which type of assessment is being used by Mr. Waller?
formative Formative assessments focus on qualitative feedback. Examples would include an oral examination over a reading assignment or having students brainstorm information related to an instructional activity before beginning an activity so that the teacher can her best to scaffold information.
Which of the following would be an appropriate summative assessment for fourth grade students who are learning about parts of speech?
having students independently label each part of speech for words in a given sentence A summative assessment individually tests students' knowledge of a subject. Asking students to label parts of speech independently is a summative assessment which can be used to determine whether students grasp the concept of parts of speech.
The general process in Texas
identification, assessment, admission, and dismissal. - A general or special education teacher, caretaker, or parent observes the student's lack of progress in the general education curriculum, or in social or behavioral interactions based on all assessment data. - The general education teacher follows the response to intervention (RtI) process. RtI is a scientifically research based instructional intervention delivered in the general education classroom. It is a process to monitor and measure student progress in the general education curriculum. - If both the instructional and behavioral interventions are not sufficient for the student to progress in the general education curriculum, the special education teacher observes the student's progress in the classroom. Based on that observation and review of the assessment data, the special education teacher begins the initial process of evaluation. - The Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee determines the eligibility for specialized services based on the assessment of the data. The assessment data determines the disability. If a disability and an educational need for specialized services are determined, then with parental consent, the student is eligible to receive specialized services (i.e. special education). - The ARD committee then designs the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). The purpose of the IEP is to note the student's present level of performance, measurable annual goals including local education agency (LEA), and the district and state assessments to determine and monitor progress within the general education curriculum as supported by the modifications. The ultimate goal of the IEP is student progress within the general education curriculum as set forth by Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The implementation of the IEP is a collaborative effort between the general and special education teacher. - Every 12 months there must be an ARD meeting to evaluate a student's progress towards goals. A meeting can be called at any point by any member of the committee, but it must occur at least once per year. - Every three years, there is a review of existing data (REED), where the ARD committee determines if dismissal from the specialized services is appropriate. A student may meet their goals and continue to need services or new goals for the next school year and would remain in special education. They may also have mastered the skills needed to function independently in a general classroom and can be dismissed. The REED is a mandated review of all existing evaluation data including the initial evaluation, any re-evaluations, classroom observations and standardized testing to determine if dismissal of services is necessary.
Which of the following is the primary reason that teachers administer formative assessments?
identifying mastered skills and skills in need of further development A formative assessment is used to provide feedback on students' progress and identify which areas in which students need further instruction so that teachers can develop lesson plans to address these skills.
The pre-referral process
is mandated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as Response to Intervention (RtI).
Which of the following may be a component of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process for a student who is struggling in reading?
periodic meetings with parents and school staff to review progress or lack of progress Students who are in the RTI process will have periodic meetings, typically every 6-8 weeks, to review progress or lack of progress. The team may consider other interventions or strategies at these meetings.
Additional ways to evaluate progress are through...
portfolio work, task/work analysis, and functional assessments. This allows a student to display skills that will help them reach their goals, but are not direct representations of knowledge learned.
formal strategies
quizzes or conferences go into the gradebook. Formal assessments will result in data that can be compared to other students' scores. The teacher must understand percentile rank, standard scores, and age/grade equivalents.
In order for a special education teacher to monitor IEP progress on reading goals on fluency and accuracy for a small group of fourth-grade students, which is the best assessment procedure?
record each student's accuracy and speed on a weekly graph This is the correct answer because a weekly basis is essential to providing feedback, evaluating a student's progress so that the intervention can be adjusted if needed.
A third-grade student with learning disabilities requires constant redirection when working in collaborative groups. The teacher requests the special education teacher begin the initial evaluation process. What is the best response to provide the general education teacher?
refer the teacher to the RtI process
A special education co-teacher is addressing multiplication skills with a group of fourth-grade students. Which of the following activities could be used to determine whether the students are ready to begin instruction on word problems involving multiplication?
responding to a sample real world prompt involving multiplication The sample prompt can be used to collect pre-assessment data to determine the students' levels of understanding and topics with which to begin instruction.
Which of the following considerations would NOT be included in the process of determining whether or not a student is eligible as having an emotional disability?
student's adherence to a medicine and therapy regime While medicine and therapy may be beneficial for some students, the IEP team cannot require a student to take medicine or pursue therapy outside of school, and this cannot be used as a basis for whether or not the child is eligible for services.
Mrs. Price has just completed a two-week instructional unit. She gives the students a unit test over this material. The test consists of multiple choice, short answer, and true/false questions. Which of the following types of assessments is Mrs. Price using?
summative Summative assessments focus on how much a student has learned during a particular period. The goal is to assess a student over a particular period of time, not against a preset standard (as with formal assessments). Examples would include mid-term or year-end exams
It is imperative that the correct assessment tools are used and the chosen ones are sensitive to
the culture and background of the student.
Local Education Agency (LEA)
the education agency responsible for the school
During the evaluation process
the special education teacher has the responsibility of gathering data from a variety of sources. An educational diagnostician will provide formalized testing and results, but things such as classroom observations, report card grades, and behavior incidents are gathered by the special education teacher.
If the summative evaluation reveals that the student progress is continually below grade level content standards
the special education teacher uses pre-referral intervention procedures before considering special education services
Limitation of formal assessments
they are strictly written to the state standards. If a student has an IEP, their goals will align with state standards, but they will be learning it on a level that is appropriate to the student. They will not be responsible for knowing the entire curriculum and the tests will not provide valid results for these students.
What is the purpose of an achievement assessment?
to measure academic ability An achievement assessment tests how well an individual responds to questions in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics and may be used to identify deficits related to a specific learning disability (SLD) or other disability.
Each Local Education Agency (LEA)
will have its own identification, assessment, admission, and dismissal process. However, each LEA is legally required to adhere to all the federal and state laws regarding students with a disability.