Subtitle
Utility of School & Private Special Education Evaluations
Document Type
Article
Department (Manual Entry)
Special Education
Abstract
This investigation examined the relationship between school-based evaluations and private-agency educational evaluation (IEEs) written reports regarding the identification of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Analyses included determining the level of agreement between evaluations, and the procedures used to evaluate the special educational needs of the students assessed. Satisfactory agreement between evaluations was found when a broader spectrum of disability categories was compared, while less agreement was indicated when identifying SLD. The private agency used almost twice as many assessment tools than school-based evaluators to determine eligibility. The need for definitive assessment criteria, and the importance of collaboration among evaluators to enhance student achievement and family understanding of need were noted as implications. The utility of evaluation reports for schoolbased practitioners as they determine eligibility for special education services, which affects educational programs/interventions designed to support children/adolescents in school, was viewed as additional implications of the study.
Relation
Is Part Of:
Relation Data
Dissertation
Source
Originally Published As:
Source Data
SCHOOL & INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL EVALUATIONS
Citation
Lynch, Marie A., "Determining Eligibility" (2009). Faculty Publications. 258.
https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/facultypublications/258
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons
Comments
This investigation examined the relationship between school-based evaluations and private-agency educational evaluation (IEEs) written reports regarding the identification of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Analyses included determining the level of agreement between evaluations, and the procedures used to evaluate the special educational needs of the students assessed. Satisfactory agreement between evaluations was found when a broader spectrum of disability categories was compared, while less agreement was indicated when identifying SLD. The private agency used almost twice as many assessment tools than school-based evaluators to determine eligibility. The need for definitive assessment criteria, and the importance of collaboration among evaluators to enhance student achievement and family understanding of need were noted as implications. The utility of evaluation reports for schoolbased practitioners as they determine eligibility for special education services, which affects educational programs/interventions designed to support children/adolescents in school, was viewed as additional implications of the study.