Obtaining Data for an Evaluation-Leslie Oeftering

          Gathering information on a struggling student is an important step in the process of assessment.  The child’s history both medically and academically is usually the first step. Secondly, an observation is made by someone other than the classroom teacher.  Formal and informal assessments are the final components. By using as many sources as possible leads to a better outcome.

            Getting a complete case history on a student is the best place to start, often even before   requesting a referral.  The history should include the prenatal history, birth, and developmental milestones.  When I was teaching kindergarten I had a student who was demonstrating problems in long term memory and would not be promoted to first grade.  When I shared my concerns with the parents I found out the girl was adopted and that her birth mother had been a drug addict.  Her natural sister, who had also been adopted, had learning disabilities that the school had not recognized until the third grade. The family thanked me for the early referral. A family history will also include asking about disabilities in other family members.  Some disabilities run in families.

            While conducting the interview, usually with the mother, you will also want to ask about adaptive behavior skills that involve daily living skills, socialization, communication, safety, leisure, and independent behavior.  Life changes in the family such as death and divorce need to be considered, but remember on these issues one must be sensitive to the family.

            A case history should include the health history past and present.  Ear problems as a child may affect language skills, asthma drugs can make a student hyper and other medication, such as sinus medications, may have a drowsy affect. Most evaluations will require an eye exam and hearing test. This search most likely will involve the school nurse.

            A member of the Collaboration team will make an observation of the student in a classroom setting.  The observer should be as discreet as possible so the child acts as they normally would.  The observer is looking and asking questions: How are their gross and fine motor skills and coordination? Do they have a correct pencil grasp and write legibly? Has the student adjusted to the class and its schedule and procedures? Does the child attend to a task and for how long? Does the student respond to the teacher and his/her peers? Are they organized and have materials ready? How does the child react to a problem? Are they independent or wait to be prompted? While you are there to observe the student you may need to note how the teacher responds to the student as well.

            Standardized tests can give useful information toward an indication of a problem especially when looking at the subtests, but be careful not to over generalize.  Standardized tests do not give enough information alone and needs to be used in combination with other information. It is important to know the test norms, how it was standardized, the reliability and validity when looking at the results and what they mean.  Standardized tests can be biased to certain cultures, and they do not assess class learning.

            Informal assessment measures probably provide the greatest source of information on student ability.  Informal assessment can come in several forms, from criterion-referenced test that show growth through mastery level testing to curriculum-based measurements that test over a boarder sample and more frequently, to portfolio assessment that tracks growth over a time period and through various stages of development.  Informal assessments measures students in natural setting with natural materials.  Individual levels are assessed during informal assessment not against group levels as in standardized tests. 

            Case history, observation, and standardized and informal testing all provide information in the process of assessing a student.  If one is left out a key component may be missing in helping to identify the problem.  While the process may be time consuming it is important to be thorough. While the information may not be needed during the actual assessment it may be relevant when deciding on accommodations and services.  The sources of information will be numerous from parents, students, teachers, counselors, and the school nurse.