ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Jessie Johncock

Mod. 2 SPE 536

October 7, 2012

“Assessment in special education is the process used to

determine a student’s specific learning strengths and needs

and to determine whether or not that student is eligible for

special education services (Pierangelo & Giuliani, 2008).”

ASSESSMENT

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

Summary statistics such as percent, averages and

measures of variability that are calculated on a

specific group of individuals.

Descriptive statistics are used to define groups of

numerical data such as test scores, number or hours

of instruction or the number of students enrolled in a

particular classroom setting. (Farflex, 2012)

Variable (x) - A measurable characteristic.

Individual measurements of a variable are

called varieties, observations, or cases.

Population (X) - All subjects or objects

possessing some common specified

characteristic. The population in a statistical

investigation is arbitrarily defined by naming

its unique properties.

Parameter - A measurable characteristic of a

population. A measurable quantity derived

from a population, such as population mean or

standard deviation.

Sample - A smaller group of subjects or

objects selected from a large group

(population).

Frequency graph - A picture depicting the

number of times an event occurred.

DIMENSIONS OF DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

Bar graph or histogram - A frequency graph with number of

blocks or length of bar representing the frequency of

occurrence.

Frequency polygon - A modification of the bar graph with

lines connecting the midpoints of the highest point on each

bar.

Frequency curve - A modification of a frequency polygon with

the sharp corners rounded. The area under the connecting

line of the bar graph, frequency polygon, and frequency curve

are equivalent and represent frequency of occurrence.

Mean (µ) or () Arithmetical mean - A number having an

intermediate value between several other numbers in a group

from which it was derived and of which it expressed the

average value. It is the simple average formed by adding the

numbers together and dividing by the number of numbers in

the group (Keys, 1997)

RELIABILITY

Reliability is used to

describe the overall

consistency of a measure.

A measure is said to have a

high reliability if it

produces similar results

under consistent

conditions.

Validity is the degree

to which the evidence

supports the

interpretation of test

scores.

VALIDITY

(AERA, 1999)

NORM-REFERENCED TESTS (NRTS) VS. CRITERION-

REFERENCED TESTS (CRTS)

These two tests differ in their proposed

purposes, their content selection and the

scoring process that is used to define how the

test results should be interpreted.

To rank each student

with respect to the

achievement of others in

broad areas of

knowledge

To discriminate between

high and low achievers.

To conclude if each student has

achieved specific skills or concepts

and determine students’ initial

background knowledge on specific

content.

The goal with these tests is to

decided if a student has displayed

mastery performance of a certain

skill or set of skills.

PURPOSE

NRT CRT

(Huitt, 1996)

Measures extensive

skill areas taken from a

variety of textbooks,

syllabi and the

judgments of curriculum

experts.

Measures particular skills

which make up a

designated curriculum in

which theses skills are

identified by educators and

each skill is expressed as

an instructional objective.

CONTENT

NRT CRT

(Huitt, 1996)

Each individual is

compared to other

examinees and

designated a score

(typically expressed as a

percentile or a grade

equivalent score).

Each student is compared

with a specific standard for

acceptable achievement. The

performance of other

examinees is not taken into

consideration.

Student achievement is

reported for individual skills.

SCORE INTERPRETATION

NRT CRT

(Huitt, 1996)

CONCLUSION

In order to properly assess a student’s abilities and

comprehension, teachers themselves need to make

sure that they are aware of different types of

assessment, how to properly determine the results

from the assessment and determine what the proper

response for a student should be from the attained

evidence (i.e. should the student receive special

services).

REFERENCES

 American Educational Research Association, Psychological Association, & National Council on

Measurement in Education. (1999). Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.

Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association

Huitt, W. (1996). Measurement and evaluation: Criterion- versus norm-referenced

testing. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved

October 1, 2012 fromhttp://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/measeval/crnmref.html 

Key, J. P. (1997). Descriptive Statistics. Research Design in Occupational Education. Oklahoma City,

OK: Oklahoma State University. Retrieved October 1, 2012 from

http://www.okstate.edu/ag/agedcm4h/academic/aged5980a/5980/newpage22.htm

Pierangelo, R. & Guiliani, G. A. (Eds.). (2008). Understanding Assessment in the Special Education

Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBM

13:9781412917919

Popham, J. W. (1975). Educational evaluation. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.