SPED 325 Introduction to Assessment
FALL 2011
Instructor: Peggy L. Tarpley
Office Hours: M – F by Appointment (2324)
Class: T- TH 12:30-1:45 pm Hull 247
Office: Room 263 Hull Building
Phone: 395-2337- Office
E-mail: tarpleypl@longwood.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to introduce students to the assessment process in special
education by addressing foundational knowledge and issues surrounding the
construction of IEPs, curriculum-based measurement and assessment (CBM & CBA),
and teacher-made tests. In addition, state assessments, such as SOLs, will be discussed
as they relate to special education students. (3 credits)
TEXTBOOK:
Pavri, S. (2012). Effective assessment of students: Determining responsiveness to instruction.
Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The following teacher candidate competencies along with the professional standards of the
Council of Exceptional Children guide the planning and delivery of instruction in this course.
Specific course objectives reflect this framework as they focus on the needs of the teacher
candidates for developing skills as educators who will be knowledgeable, caring, and ethical
decision-makers. As the College of Education and Human Services’ vision statement affirms, we
train Educators as Reflective Citizen Leaders.
Teacher Candidate Competencies:
TC 1 – Plan for Instruction
TC 2 – Implementation and Management of Instruction
TC 3 – Evaluation and Assessment
TC 4 – Knowledge of Subject
TC 5 – Classroom Behavior Management
TC 6 – Communication Skills
TC 7 – Professional Responsibilities
TC 8 – Technology
TC 9 – Diversity
CEC Special Education Content Standards:
Standard 1 - Foundations
Standard 2 – Development and Characteristics of Learners
Standard 3 – Individual Learning Differences
Standard 4 – Instructional Strategies
Standard 5 – Learning Environments & Social Interactions
Standard 6 – Language
Standard 7 – Instructional Planning
Standard 8 – Assessment
Standard 9 – Professional & Ethical Practice
Standard 10 - Collaboration
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:
Knowledge
1. Identify the mandatory components of an IEP. (TC 1, 4, 7;CEC 1, 7, 9)
2. Distinguish between CBM & CBA and the appropriate ways to use each. (TC 3, 4; CEC 1,
7)
3. Delineate the IEP team’s responsibilities concerning assessment and evaluation of student
progress. (TC 3, 4, 7; CEC 1, 8, 9, 10)
4. Be familiar with the scope and sequence of the general education curriculum in the form of
Standards of Learning (SOLs) and the requirements for state testing for students with
learning needs. (TC 1, 3, 4, 8; CEC 1, 7, 8, 9, 10)
5. Identify different types of "teacher-made" tests. (TC 3, 4; CEC 1, 8)
6. Describe assessment tools that are classified as “authentic assessment.” (TC 3, 4; CEC 1, 8)
Skills
1. Demonstrate the use of assessment, evaluation, and other information to develop and
implement individual educational planning and group instruction with students with disabilities
who are accessing the general education curriculum across the K-12 grade levels.
(TC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; CEC 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10)
2.Devise, administer, evaluate, and interpret results from a curriculum-based assessment
(CBA) tool to monitor an objective from an IEP and to monitor teaching effectiveness.
(TC 1, 3, 4; CEC 4, 7, 8,)
3. Use appropriate procedures to develop, provide, and evaluate instruction on material from
SOL taking into consideration the unique needs of students with learning needs. (TC 1, 3, 6;
CEC 5, 6, 8)
Dispositions
1. Understand the need for frequent monitoring of the progress of students with unique learning
needs and the relationship between achievement data and instructional decision-making.
(TC 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9; CEC 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
2. Discuss the ethical issues and responsibilities in the assessment of individuals with
disabilities (TC 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
3. Understand the appropriate use of technology as a tool in assessment and evaluation of
student progress. (TC 8;CEC 4, 8, 9)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Teacher Work Sample Points Summary, Due Dates, & Instructor Grading
(Note: Due dates may change depending on teacher/student need. Also, please note that
15 points of the TWS count for Dr. Meese’s SPED 323 class and 15 points count for Dr.
Tarpley’s SPED 325 class)
Point Guide 3=Exemplary 2=Indicator Demonstrated 1=Indicator Not Demonstrated
Assignment
Points
Due Date Instructor
Contextual Factors
3
Meese
Pre-Assessment Design and
Tarpley
Summary of Results (with
10/4
Tarpley
Protocols and data charts)
3
Learning Goals
3
10/6
Tarpley
Design Assessment Plan
3
10/6
Tarpley
Design for Instruction
3
Meese
Lesson Plans with Reflections
3
Meese
Instructional Decision Making 3
11/29
Tarpley
Analysis of Student Learning
3
12/1
Tarpley
(Post-Assessment with charts/
Graphs and Protocols)
Reflection and Self-Evaluation
3
Meese
Daily Summaries of Activities
3
Meese
(Appendix)
Total TWS points = 30 Tarpley Points 15
2. Students will complete 3 tests during the semester.
3. Homework Assignments
4. Take-Home final exam
Grading Scale:
A = 95-100% B = 89-94% C = 83-88% D = 77-82% F = 76% or below
Points Summary:
Test I
15 points
Test II
15 points
Test III
15 points
Homework Assignments
15 points
TWS
15 points
Final Exam
45 points
120points
Anyone needing accommodation to the expectations and requirements should meet with the
instructor early in the semester to discuss possible solutions.
Attendance is expected. Students finding it necessary to be absent will be responsible for getting all notes and
handouts from the missed class and for any assignments due. If you must be absent for legitimate purposes (i.e.,
death in the family, a college-sponsored activity, or a recognizable illness or emergency), notify the instructor before
the class session in question whenever possible. A grade of "F" will be assigned if you miss more than 25% of the
class sessions for any combination of excused and unexcused absences. If you miss more than 10% of the class
sessions for unexcused absences, the instructor may lower your grade by one letter.
Honor Code: Students are expected to abide by the Longwood University Honor Code.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
Note: The following is a tentative schedule subject to change as some topics may require
additional time.
Date
Topics
Chapter
8/23
Introduction/Overview
Pavri 1
8/25
Assessment in Special Education
Pavri 2
8/30
IEP Goals & Objs./ CBA/CBM
9/1
Test I ( Pavri 1, 2) /CBA
Pavri 5 pages 65-78
9/6
CBA (continued)
Assigned Readings
9/8
CBA Probes/Graphing
9/13
Legal & Ethical Issues in Assessment
Pavri 3
9/15
Alternative & Informal Assessment
Pavri 5 pages 79-88
9/20
QRI-4 Reading Assessment
9/22
QRI-4 (cont.)
9/27
Reading Assessment
Pavri 11
9/29 Pre-Assessment Design Due (TWS)/Reading (cont.)
“
10/4 Summary of Pre-Assessment Results/Universal Design Pavri 6
10/6 Assessment Plan & Learning Goals /Universal Design (cont.)
10/11 Fall Break – No Class
10/13 Test II in class (Pavri chapters 5, 6, & 11)
10/18
Written Language & Spelling Assessment
Pavri 12
10/20
Selected-Response Items
10/25
Constructed- Response Items
10/27
Table of Specifications Instruction
11/1
Table of Specifications Instruction
11/3
Practice with Table of Specifications
11/8
Assessment of Mathematics
Pavri 13
11/10
Assessment of Mathematics (cont.)
11/15 Test III in class (Pavri chapters 12 & 13 and test construction)
11/17
Assessment Issues in an RTI Approach
Pavri 14
11/22
Assessment Issues in an RTI Approach (cont.)
11/29 CBA /TWS Instructional Decision Making Due /Overview Pavri 4
12/1 Analysis of St. Learning/ Eval. Teaching & Grading
12/5 Monday 8-10:30 am - TWS Presentations
12/6 Take-Home Final Exam due by 5:00 pm
SPED 325 CBA Unit Assessment Rubric
Rating
Indicator
CEC
Stan.
Indicator Not
Demonstrated
(0-1)
Indicator
Demonstrated
(2)
No SOL identified
Inappropriate SOL
identified, Not all
appropriate SOL’s
identified
All appropriate SOL’s
identified
Some, but not all,
prerequisite or component
skills listed; skills not
sequenced correctly
All prerequisite and all
component skills listed
and sequenced correctly
2
SOL
1
Task
Analysis
Objective
Probes/
Formative
Assessment
No task analysis completed,
7&
8
8&
9
Uses all 3 parts of
objective: Clear
condition; one
measurable student
behavior; clear and
sensible criterion
No objective given;
Behavior is not measurable,
Criterion not sensible
2 of 3 parts of objective
clearly written; contains
all 3 parts but lacks
clarity; more than one
measurable student
behavior
Probes (assessment tools)
created without
consideration of the culture
and/or language needs of
the student; 7 or fewer
probes conducted; Probes
tied to only one or no parts
of objective; Probes
conducted unsystematically
(making data ethically
difficult to interpret) ;
Materials contain multiple
errors and appear sloppy
Probes (assessment tools)
created with consideration
of the culture and/ or
language needs of the
student/ or one without the
other; 8-9 probes
conducted, Probe tied to
two of three parts of
objective; Probes not
scheduled for maximum
data collection; Materials
contain one error or are
not neatly constructed
Probes (assessment tools)
created with
consideration of the
culture and/or language
needs of the student
Minimum of 10 probes
conducted, Probe tied to
condition, behavior, and
criterion of objective;
Probes scheduled
systematically to permit
maximum data
collection; All materials
constructed neatly and
without errors
No chart or table used
during Probes for noting
student responses both
correct and incorrect
Chart or table not clearly
constructed; Chart or table
does not include both
correct and incorrect
responses; Chart used
sporadically during Probes
Consistent use of clearly
constructed chart or table
during Probes for noting
student correct and
incorrect responses
No graph constructed; x &
y axis incorrectly labeled
Some parts of graph
incorrectly labeled; No
aim line or incorrectly
drawn aim line; Not all
data points correctly
plotted; No clear
understanding from the
graph where adjustments
to instruction were made
because of the data
Graph correctly
constructed with an x & y
axis and an aim line; All
parts of graph correctly
labeled; All data points
from the table or chart
correctly plotted on graph
and clear understanding
from the graph where
adjustments to instruction
were made because of
the data
8
Data
Collection
Exemplary
(3)
9
Graph
Score
Variance
3,4,7, 9
Use of
Data
Does not use data from
graph to reflect on and
explain student progress or
does not use graph to reflect
on and adjust instructional
practices
Inconsistently uses data
from graph to reflect on
and explain student
progress and/or
inconsistently uses data
from graph to a reflect on
and adjust instructional
practices
Consistently uses data
from graph to e reflect on
and explain student
progress and Consistently
uses data from graph to
reflect on and adjust
instructional practices