Good academic testing measures

I can’t answer the question as those are the only two tests I know much about, but I just want to say how very refreshing it is for you to be asking this question!!!

One other thought, try to give two different tests as we were just discussing that a child may not qualify using one test but may on another. I have already given a recent example on one of these boards. But another time, I had a hearing impaired student who I felt was LD math. At that time, if you were labelled LD math, you could exempt the Algebra requirement for graduation. Well, this child was given the WJ and barely missed the discrepancy and was told she would not qualify. I called the psychologist and asked if she would please give one other test. I believe she used the Key Math the second time and the child DID qualify. So I’d just urge you when scores are close but not quite enough to qualify, please give another test to be sure.

Janis

Yes, that’s a good idea- this whole discrepancy formula is such a limited way of looking at LD. When I KNOW there is an LD, but the kid isn’t meeting the numbers, I always do what’s necessary to get the kid services. This is especially true in the earlier grades when discrepancies are harder to attain- kid hasn’t had time to fall behind enough!

Certainly it may depend upon what state you’re in and what your practice calls for but you may want to take a look at the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children as well as the BASC. I assume like most in private practice you have some variation of an ADHD battery you like. Hang on to your old Stanford-Binet for testing gifted kids as well.

I am biased AGAINST the KABC being used to measure intelligence. We do not use it in my district. Some do. I have had several kids move in who were very low, pretty much across the board (not appearing to e LD in any way) who were classified LD because of a discrepancy between the KABC and achievement testing. I have had these three cases where the KABC yielded an average score (near 100), when the profile was strongly LOW average (typcial pattern of strengths and weaknesses in low average ability child and no LD indicators) and one other of hydroencephaly where the child was found to have IQ in borderline to low average range on KABC, when in actuality the child came across more like mild MR (hydroencephaly usually causes death, sometimes brain damage).

Please do not use this test or every low functioning child will have a 22 point discrepancy.

Hi,

Nice to see you here. I am a mom not a professional, but I am getting closer to being one.

Anyway, the pyscologist in this area that I and others have the highest opionin of uses WISCIII as one test. I also, took my son to Kennedy Krieger Institute and they use WISCIII.

I would consider having a place like Kennedy using it they must consider it really good. Neither the psycologist nor Kennedy relied solely one one test for total evaluation.

I am a school psych and agree with you on the exclusionary use of discrepancy formulas. How a child approaches a task can be just as important as how well they did overall. Unfortunately I’m not aware of any comprehensive achievement tests that cover all areas and span the school ages other than the WIAT -II and WJ-III. (except for some brief measures). In addition to the WISC and WJ, you may find it helpful to also accumulate more specific focus tests, as suggested with the Key Math, to be able to look deeper into the areas raised by the referral question. Some offhand include the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests, Gray Oral Reading, OWLS, CTOPP, TOWL-3. These may allow you to gain more insight into why a child is having difficulty and provide good direction for remediation needs. The Educational Evaluators on the board can probably give you more suggestions.

Best of Luck.

yup, the WISC-III is a great IQ test and I frequently use it. I’ve used the KABC in the past. It has been helpful from time to time, but would not use it as a sole measure for IQ. I know the right thing to do is to order tests for each academic area… it just gets so expensive! Eventually I do want to get to that point- for now I am just eyeing measures in the catalogs that promise almost everything and wonder if maybe they would be a good place to start…

I was just browsing looking for ideas and strategies of teaching reading fluency and stumbled on you post….I am a sp ed tchr at elementary school in AZ…our school psych uses a cross battery of test to determine eleigibility….we use wcjIII for academic testing…she gets information on short and long term memory, processing speed, different intelligences, working memory, auditory and visual….I can’t tell you the names of the tests she uses…sorry….
She is the only one out of 5 in our district that uses this type of testing…it really give the pareent and teachers of strengths and weaknessess of that student! if you want more info respond and I will see what I can do. Connie Courmier
Yuma AZ

Thanks for your reply. I do like the WCJIII. I have resisted buying it because it is often used in school districts around here (RI, MA)- and as a private psychologist, I often need to use an different test than was used in a school eval. But I will keep it in mind- it really is the most comprehensive academic evaluation measure out there, I think. Thanks.

Most of the private psychs in my area have both the WIAT-II and WJ-III and when doing an independent eval to counter the school eval give the one not already given. If you believe these are soild instruments you should get them reagardless of the cost, as well as some of the more narrow spectrum tests recommended from this board. I understand the expense involved, but am a bit concerned with some of your posts that suggest that you are mainly concerned with cost and not with providing an independent evaluation that is valid and comprehensive to address the student’s referral concerns. You also commented that you KNEW when a student was learning disabled and would do anything to make them so. That concerns me as well. How is it that you just know? I promise, I’m not trying to be nasty to you. I just think that you have a responsibility to use the most researched and valid instruments available to assess kids, and not what looks good in the catelogue because it is cheap or not used by the schools. You should also be aware that getting into the business of independent evals for special education concerns will ultimately place you in the position of testifying for due process hearings and you will need to be able to defend your choice of instruments as well as your interpretations and recommendations. Believe me, it can get really hairy. Protect yourself and only use instruments that you personally have confidence in as well as having solid data to support your conclusions.

I know I’m coming off as a jerk, but think you really need to know this, for your own sake.

Best Wishes.

SP