Assessment and evaluation in special education

Accurate and effective special education assessment is the first step in helping a student flourish, both in the classroom and outside it. Giving a student a customized education plan or the right support services enriches their learning experience, whether they have a learning disability or a behavioral disorder.

Read on for an overview of special education assessments and evaluations, as well as a discussion of how these tools help students.

Types of assessments in special education

The assessments used to determine if a student requires special education or Response to Intervention (RTI) services range widely. Intervention plans should not be based on singular assessments. It is essential to employ a variety of special education assessments to ensure comprehensive coverage of student needs.

• Formal Assessments: Standardized tests with written, oral, physical, or online components, evaluated based on a grade or scale
• Informal Assessments: Alternative forms of assessment, such as classroom observations to identify repetitive and restricted behaviors, academic portfolio reviews, or progress monitoring¹
• Standardized Assessments: Usually formal assessments that can be scored and compared to baseline results
• Individualized Assessments: Individualized assessments that measure a student's unique strengths and weaknesses

Formal, informal, standardized, and individualized assessments are all necessary to paint a complete picture of a student’s abilities.²

Key evaluation methods

Some special education evaluation methods focus on academic aptitude and intelligence. Others evaluate behavior, including social engagement, adaptability, and communication patterns. Below are the common ability categories and assessments used to evaluate each one:²

• General Intelligence/IQ: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities (WJ-III), Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (CTONI-2)
• Individualized Achievement/Academic Performance: Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement, Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
• Social, Emotional, Behavioral: Behavior Assessment System for Children 1-21 years
• Adaptive Behavior/Functional Skills: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Adaptive Behavior Assessment Scale (ABAS), Scales for Independent Behavior (SIB-R)
• Communication: Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF), Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS), Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL)
• Motor (Gross/Fine): Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT), Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Gross Motor Development Test
• Sensory Processing: Sensory Profile, Sensory Processing Measure
• Transition: Enderle Severson Transition Rating Scale, Casey Life Skills (CLS)
• Assistive Technology: AT Evaluation

The role of IEPs in assessment and evaluation

An IEP, short for Individualized Education Program, is a document that sets special goals for a student, tracks progress, and lays out the best path toward success.

IEPs must contain the following:³

• Current academic and functional performance scores
• Annual goals
• Progress toward goals
• Assessment and evaluation strategies
• Individual accommodations, modifications, supports, services, and/or aids
• Services start date, frequency, location, and duration

Assessment results inform the components of a specific IEP, and routine assessments and evaluations help monitor progress, revise goals, and modify services to ensure the student receives continued and productive support that meets their unique needs.

Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams

No single individual can comprehensively assess a student. To create an effective IEP, it’s important that you collaborate with the student's teachers, doctors, and parents or guardians, as well as any counselors or therapists the student works with.

The multidisciplinary team that collaborates on the assessment phase and IEP development can include people the students see daily, as well as experts in a specific academic or behavioral area. However, it’s necessary to have a team that sees the student in different settings and situations, as student behaviors and needs can vary. A student might struggle with behavior in the regular classroom, for example, but easily remain on task in a music lesson, or might have serious difficulties in one subject but not others.

Challenges in special education assessment

Special education assessments come with challenges like:

• Systemic biases and racism⁴
• Time constraints
• Financial hurdles
• Community attitudes and stigma
• Access to technology
• Access to special education experts
• Effective communication between team members
• Lack of supportive policies⁵

Assessments may not account for a child’s race, experiences, or upbringing adequately. You may also be constrained by factors like a rushed timeline, a tight school budget, or uncooperative family members. These challenges can skew assessment scores, resulting in a misaligned IEP, or they may derail the assessment and IEP development process altogether.

Using data to drive instruction

Assessment and evaluation results provide you with data that informs your approach to educating a specific child. Leveraging data allows you to tailor the learning experience to meet individual needs.

First, you must analyze the results to determine the applicability of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which includes disabilities like autism, speech or language impairment, deafness, emotional behavioral disorder, and more.⁶

If they meet the criteria for one or more disabilities, you can use the assessment results to collaborate with the multidisciplinary team on an IEP. This plan could be as simple as giving a child extra time to complete tests, or as involved as a plan that limits interaction with mainstream students and requires a dedicated aide.

Technological tools in special education assessment

To streamline and enhance the process, you can use mobile apps, recording devices, and progress monitoring software to help you collect and manage your data. However, you'll want to make sure that any technology you use for students' confidential educational and medical information has strong privacy protections in place.

For students, specialized learning platforms and assistive technology can enrich their education. Modern pattern analysis using AI and data analytics tools has also made it easier to determine what works in a specific learning platform, allowing educators to customize and deliver more effective and targeted learning experiences.

With the right technological tools, you can efficiently and accurately assess a student, develop an effective IEP, and make learning more accessible to every student.⁷

Make a difference in special education

Assessment and evaluation can make a key difference in the lives of students receiving special education services. The University of Kansas offers specialized degree programs that can help you gain the knowledge and skills needed to help students in special education succeed.

At the University of Kansas, you can earn an online Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in special education with an emphasis in high incidence disabilities, an online M.S.E. in special education with an emphasis in autism, or an online M.S.E. in special education with an emphasis in secondary special education and transition. We also offer an online graduate autism certificate and an online graduate certificate in secondary special education and transition, providing another route to enhancing your knowledge of key special education topics.

Making a difference in the world of education starts here. To learn more, review our admissions process and schedule a time to connect with one of our admissions outreach advisors today.