Assessment in Special Education (D003)

Correct Answer: A. Are measurable based on evaluation standards

Explanation

In an Individualized Education Program (IEP), goals and objectives must be measurable, meaning they can be objectively evaluated through assessment data. The primary purpose is to track a student’s progress and ensure that educational strategies are effective. Measurable goals allow for consistent monitoring and adjustments as needed to help the student achieve success.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B. Consider the student's chronological age

While it is important to understand the student's chronological age, the goals and objectives should be based on the student's present level of performance, abilities, and needs rather than solely on age. A student’s educational goals should reflect their capabilities and growth potential, not just their age.

C. Approximate what the student is able to do

Goals and objectives should be tailored to be specific and measurable, not just approximate what the student can do. They need to be clear, observable, and based on evaluation standards to effectively guide teaching and assess progress.

D. Are all curriculum-based assessments

While curriculum-based assessments are an important tool in evaluating a student’s progress, they are not the sole determinant when writing goals and objectives. Goals in an IEP should incorporate a variety of assessment data and considerations, including academic, social, and behavioral factors.

Correct Answer: A) Targeted

Explanation

Targeted interventions are designed for students who are identified as needing additional support due to their performance falling slightly below expected academic standards. These interventions are typically aimed at small groups of students and focus on specific academic skills that need improvement. Targeted interventions are generally more individualized than universal support but are not as intensive as those provided for students in need of intensive intervention.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B) Universal

Universal interventions are implemented for all students, aiming to provide support at a general level. These are not specifically for students who need additional help, but rather for everyone to ensure that basic academic expectations are met.

C) Intensive

Intensive interventions are designed for students who show significant academic difficulties and require a high level of support. These interventions are more personalized and often provided on a one-on-one basis, which is a step beyond targeted support.

D) Supplemental

Supplemental interventions are additional supports provided to all students in general education to support academic success. However, this term is typically used in a broader sense and may not specifically refer to the level of intervention for students performing slightly below expectations.

Correct Answer: B) Adjust to new routines and relate to people and unexpected events

Explanation

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlines that students diagnosed with an emotional disturbance often have difficulties adjusting to new routines and relating to people or unexpected events. These difficulties are characteristic of emotional disturbances and can impact a student's ability to engage in typical school activities and social relationships.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

A) Reason abstractly and perform self-care, social, or physical tasks

This option refers more to intellectual or developmental disabilities, which may affect abstract reasoning and self-care. Emotional disturbance primarily impacts emotional regulation, behavior, and social relationships, rather than intellectual or self-care abilities.

C) Learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

This description pertains more to learning disabilities, where students struggle with learning despite having average intellectual and sensory abilities. Emotional disturbances are not necessarily related to learning disabilities, but rather to difficulties with emotional regulation and behavior.

D) Achieve in school because of limited strength, vitality, or alertness in daily life

This description is related to students with health impairments, such as chronic illness or physical disabilities. It does not fit the context of emotional disturbances, which affect emotional and behavioral functioning rather than physical strength or vitality.

Correct Answer: A. They may be misclassified as having a disability when they do not.

Explanation

Relying solely on standardized testing for identifying disabilities in students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can lead to misclassification. These tests may not accurately reflect the students' true abilities, as they are often not designed to accommodate cultural and language differences. This can result in students being incorrectly identified as having a disability when their struggles may stem from language barriers or cultural differences, rather than a true disability.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B. They may excel in standardized tests due to their diverse experiences.

This option is incorrect because students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may actually struggle with standardized tests, which are typically designed with a specific cultural context in mind. These students may not be familiar with the language, references, or test formats, leading to poor performance rather than excelling.

C. They may be overrepresented in gifted programs because of their backgrounds.

This option is incorrect because standardized tests do not tend to overrepresent students from diverse backgrounds in gifted programs. In fact, these students are often underrepresented in gifted programs due to biases in the tests and a lack of culturally relevant measures.

D. They may receive appropriate support based on their unique cultural perspectives.

This option is incorrect because relying solely on standardized testing does not take cultural perspectives into account. Without a more comprehensive evaluation that considers cultural and linguistic differences, students may not receive the support they need, and their unique cultural perspectives may not be properly addressed.

Correct Answer: A) Predictive

Explanation

Predictive validity refers to how well a test or measure can predict future outcomes. In this case, the ACT scores are being used to predict a student’s GPA in college, making it an example of predictive validity.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B) Concurrent

Concurrent validity measures how well a test correlates with a known measure of the same construct at the same time. Since the ACT is predicting future GPA (not correlating with it at the same time), this option is incorrect.

C) Construct

Construct validity refers to how well a test measures the concept it is intended to measure. The ACT is not necessarily measuring GPA, but rather the ability to predict it, so this is not construct validity.

D) Face

Face validity refers to whether a test appears to measure what it is supposed to measure based on its content, but it doesn’t involve any actual prediction of future outcomes, so this option is incorrect.

Correct Answer: A) Request consent from the student's parents or guardian to begin an evaluation for possible disability.

Explanation

The first step in initiating a referral for special education services is to obtain informed consent from the student's parents or guardian. This consent allows the district to conduct an evaluation to determine whether the student has a disability and requires special education services.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B) Draft and implement an initial IEP for the student to see if her academic performance improves.

An IEP is not drafted until after the evaluation is completed and it is determined that the student qualifies for special education services. This option suggests premature action before proper assessment and consent.

C) Convene an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting to discuss relevant data and possible interventions.

While an ARD committee is involved in decision-making after an evaluation, this step cannot happen until parental consent is obtained and the evaluation process is completed.

D) Contact the student's parents or guardians to request that they seek an outside diagnosis of any possible disability.

It is not the responsibility of the school to request an outside diagnosis before initiating the formal referral process. The district conducts its own evaluation once parental consent is provided.

Correct Answer: A. Present levels

Explanation

The "Present Levels" section of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes the current academic and functional performance of a student with disabilities. This section is critical because it provides a baseline from which progress can be measured. It includes specific details about the student's strengths, challenges, and needs in both academic and functional areas.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B. Annual goals

Annual goals describe what the student is expected to achieve within a year. These goals are based on the present levels but do not specifically address the current performance or needs of the student.

C. Service delivery

The service delivery section outlines the special education and related services the student will receive. It details how services will be provided, but it does not describe the student’s current academic and functional performance.

D. Evaluation criteria

Evaluation criteria are used to measure progress toward the annual goals, not to describe the current performance of the student. This section is more focused on assessing progress rather than outlining current performance.

Correct Answer: A) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

Explanation

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 gives parents the right to review their child’s educational records, request corrections, and have access to these records until the child reaches the age of majority (usually 18). Once the child reaches the age of majority, these rights transfer to the student. FERPA is designed to protect the privacy of student education records and ensure that parents and students have access to these records for review and correction.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

B) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004

IDEA governs special education services and ensures that students with disabilities receive free appropriate public education (FAPE), but it does not specifically focus on the rights of parents to review and request changes to educational records. FERPA covers these rights.

C) Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, but it does not grant parents the specific rights to review and request changes to educational records. This is the responsibility of FERPA, not the Rehabilitation Act.

Correct Answer: B) Portfolio

Explanation

A portfolio is a collection of various samples of a student's work, collected over time, that provides a comprehensive picture of the student's growth and development. Portfolios allow teachers to assess progress in multiple areas and understand how a student’s skills and understanding have evolved.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

A) Anecdotal records

Anecdotal records are brief, informal accounts of specific incidents or observations made by a teacher, but they do not offer a broad, ongoing assessment of a student's progress. They are typically used for capturing individual events rather than showing cumulative development over time.

C) Running record

A running record is a detailed and continuous account of a student’s behavior or reading during a particular event or period. While useful for specific assessments, it does not typically provide a holistic view of the student’s development across a range of skills over time.

D) Grades

Grades represent a summary of a student’s performance, often based on assignments or tests, but they do not necessarily reflect the student’s growth and development over time as portfolios do. Grades may not always provide the depth and breadth of information needed to track student progress effectively.