Selecting Appropriate Assessments

When deciding which standardized test to use to evaluate students, the evaluator—whether the teacher or the individualized education plan (IEP) multidisciplinary team member—needs to be informed about the reliability, validity, suitability, and objectivity of the tests being considered. The evaluator should also determine if the assessment will provide an appropriate measure for the information that is being sought. It is important to remember that assessments are given to collect information that will impact decisions about a student's education.

Some of the reasons for testing:

• determine the student’s proficiency or mastery of specific content

• compare the student’s performance with that of other students

• evaluate progress over time.

Different types of tests:

• norm-referenced - standardized

• criterion-referenced - standardized or non standardized

• alternative measures (e.g., curriculum based, authentic, performance based, portfolio)

Norm-Referenced

• used for accountability, record keeping measures, screening purposes, and monitor progress

• generally multiple choice format

• provides little information to develop specific learning instruction

• assigns student with a percentile rank

Criterion-Referenced

• designed to gain information about about specific behaviors and skill levels

• closely related to instruction