The market-leading professional resource in the field, this text offers basic assessment information and a handbook of actual reviews of the tests most often administered in K-12 schools. Assessment is recognized for its honest and even-handed reviews of common standardized tests administered by assessment personnel in the areas of achievement, intelligence, language, math, and reading. The text also helps teachers and school psychological personnel become more informed consumers and users of these tests. Comprehensive coverage includes both standardized (formal) and classroom (informal) assessment, such as portfolio assessment, outcome-based assessment, observation, ecological assessment, and teacher-made tests.

John Salvia is professor of special education at The Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of the Curriculum-Based Assessment text (Allyn and Bacon) and numerous articles on the assessment of exceptional children. He is interested in the extent to which exceptional students receive appropriate educational assessments. His research focuses on using assessment information to plan and evaluate educational programs and the impact of regular education reforms on assessment practices with exceptional students.Jim Ysseldyke is professor of educational psychology and associate dean for research in the college of education and human development at the University of Minnesota. From 1990-1999 he served as director of the National Center of Educational Outcomes. His research and writing focus on issues in assessing and making instructional decisions about students with disabilities. He is an author of five major textbooks and has published many book chapters and articles in professional journals, as well as an instructional environment and teacher evaluation scale. He received awards for his research from the School Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, and the Council for Exceptional Children. The University of Minnesota presented him a distinguished teaching award, and he received a distinguished alumni award from the University of Illinois. From 1986-1992, he served as editor of Exceptional Children, the main journal of the International Council for Exceptional Children.

Each chapter concludes with a Summary, Questions for Chapter Review, a Project, and Resources for Further Investigation. I. Assessment: An Overview 1. Assessment of Students Testing Is One Part of Assessment Types of Decisions Making Assessment Decisions Assessment Domains Assessment and Society 2. Assessment Processes and Concerns The Process of Assessment Assessing Instruction Assessing Learners Assessment Concerns 3. Legal and Ethical Considerations in Assessment Laws Ethical Considerations Pupil Records: Collection, Maintenance, and Dissemination II. Basic Concepts of Measurement 4. Descriptive Statistics Scales of Measurement Distributions Basic Notation Measures of Central Tendency Measures of Dispersion Correlation Causality 5. Quantification of Test Performance Scores Used in Norm-Referenced Assessment Scores Used in Criterion-Referenced Assessment A Word About Global Ratings 6. Norms Representatives Technical Considerations Using Norms Correctively Concluding Comment: Caveat Emptor 7. Reliability The Reliability Coefficient Factors Affecting Reliability Determining Which Reliability Method to Use Standard Error of Measurement Estimated True Scores Confidence Intervals Difference Scores Desirable Standards 8. Validity Methods of Validating Test Inferences Factors Affective General Validity Responsibility for Valid Assessment 9. Adapting Tests to Accommodate Students with Disabilities Why Be Concerned About Testing Adaptations? The Twin Issues of Participation and Accommodation in Testing Factors Affecting Accurate Assessment Environmental Consideration Legal Consideration Recommendations for Making Participation Decisions Current Practice in Testing Accommodations Recommendations on Making Accommodation Decisions 10. Testing Students with Limited English Proficiency The Diversity of Students With Limited Proficiency in English Legal Protections in Testing Linguistic Considerations Alternative Ways to Test Students with Limited English Proficiency Making Entitlement Decisions Without Testing Other Considerations in Testing Students with Limited English Proficiency III. Assessment in Classrooms 11. Assessing Behavior Through Observation Why Do Teachers Observe Behavior? General Considerations Defining Behavior Sampling Behavior Targeting Behavior for Observation Conducting Systemic Observations Criteria for Evaluating Observed Performances 12. Assessing Instructional Ecology What Is Instructional Ecology? The Importance of Home-School Connections for Learning Factors that Contribute to Academic and Behavioral Problems in School Approaches to Gathering Data on Instructional Ecology 13. Teacher-Made Tests of Achievement Why Do Teachers Assess Achievement? Advantages of Teacher-Made Tests Testing Formats Used by Teachers Considerations in Preparing Tests Response Formats Assessment in Core Achievement Areas Potential Sources of Difficulty in the Use of Teacher-Made Tests 14. Portfolio Assessment Addressing Criticisms of Norm-Referenced Tests Portfolio Assessment Issues and Concerns to be Resolved Improving Portfolio-Assessment Practices Concluding Comments IV. Assessment Using Formal Measures 15. How to Evaluate a Test How Do We Review a Test? Making a Summative Evaluation 16. Assessment of Intelligence: An Overview Intelligence Tests as Samples of Behavior The Effect of Pupil Characteristics on Assessment of Intelligence Behaviors Sampled by Intelligence Tests Factors Underlying Intelligence Test Behaviors Commonly Interpreted Factors on Intelligence Tests Assessment of Processing Deficits Dilemmas in Current Practice 17. Assessment of Intelligence: Individual Tests Why Do We Give Individual Intelligence Tests? Diagnostic Systems General Intelligence Tests Nonverbal Intelligence Tests Dilemmas in Current Practice 18. Assessment of Intelligence: Group Tests Why Do We Administer Group Intelligence Tests? Specific Group Tests of Intelligence Dilemmas in Current Practice 19. Assessment of Sensory Acuity Why Do We Assess Sensory Acuity? Visual Difficulties Vision Screening and Assessment Hearing Difficulties Dilemmas in Current Practice 20. Assessment of Perceptual and Perceptual-Motor Skills Why Do We Assess Perceptual-Motor Skills? Specific Tests of Perceptual-Motor Skills Dilemmas in Current Practice 21. Assessment of Academic Achievement with Multiple-Skill Devices Considerations for Selecting a Test Why Do We Assess Academic Achievement? Specific Tests of Academic Achievement Dilemmas in Current Practice Getting the Most out of an Achievement Test 22. Assessment of Reading Why Do We Assess Reading? The Ways in Which Reading is Taught Skills Assessed by Diagnostic Reading Tests Oral Reading Tests Diagnostic Reading Tests Measures of Reading Comprehension Criterion-Referenced Testing in Reading Dilemmas in Current Practice 23. Assessment of Mathematics Why Do We Assess Mathematics? Behaviors Sampled by Diagnostic Mathematics Tests Specific Diagnostic Mathematics Tests Dilemmas in Current Practice 24. Assessment of Language Terminology Why Assess Oral and Written Language Observing Language Behavior Oral-Language Tests Written-Language Tests Language Tests That Assess Both Written and Oral Language Dilemmas in Current Practice 25. Assessment of Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers Why Do We Assess Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers? Tests Used with Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers Dilemmas in Current Practice 26. Assessment of Social and Emotional Behavior Ways of Assessing Problem Behavior Why Do We Assess Problem Behavior? Specific Rating Scales of Social-Emotional Behavior Dilemmas in Current Practice 27. Assessment of Adaptive Behavior Defining Adaptive Behavior Assessing Adaptive Behavior Why Do We Assess Adaptive Behavior? Specific Tests of Adaptive Behavior Dilemmas in Current Practice V. Decision Making 28. Teacher Decision Making Decisions Prior to Referral Prereferral Decisions Decisions Made in Special Education 29. Making Entitlement Decisions Official Student Disabilities Entitlements Definitions of Disabilities Under the IDEA Establishing Emotional Need for Special Education Determining That a Student Is Disabled Determining Eligibility Problems in Determining Special Education Eligibility 30. Assessing Response to Instruction RTI Conceptualizations Fundamental Assumptions in Assessing Response to Instruction Measurement Concepts in RTI Models Dimensions of Assessment of RTI The Purposes of Assessing Response to Intervention Examples of RTI Assessment Models Issues and Considerations Technology-Enhanced Progress-Monitoring Systems Concluding Comments 31. Making Accountability Decisions Legal Requirements Important Terminology It's All About Meeting Standards Developing Standards-Based Accountability Systems Important Considerations in Assessment for the Purpose of Making Accountability Decisions Best Practices in High-Stakes Assessment and Accountability Technology-Enhanced Assessment and Accountability Systems Epilogue The Evolution of Assessment Practice: Where Are We Headed? Assessment as a Dynamic and Dynamite Practice Expansion of Assessment Practices Increased Focus on Prevention and Early Identification The Significant Push for Accountability Standards for All and All for Standards Diversity and Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Being Responsive and Responsible The Promise of the Problem-Solving Model Thinking About Assessment Practice