Program Assessment 8: Special Education Assessment Work Sample Folio
Description of Assessment: In CSP 545, candidates prepare a folio that demonstrates an
understanding of assessments systems in the State. The folio contains an individual
assessment case study. Candidates collect descriptive data, draft an assessment plan, conduct
norm-referenced and curriculum-based assessments, describe accommodations and
modifications of the assessments, and write an assessment report. The folio is rated on a 4point rubric.
Alignment to standards: The folio consists of six sections. All sections refer primarily to CEC
Content Standard 8 and specifically to the following Major Elements.
Case Study Component
CEC Content Standard Major Element
I. State Assessment systems:
II. Individual Assessment plan:
III. Norm referenced assessment
IV. Curriculum based assessment
V. Accommodations in assessment
Analysis of Data: In the 2007-08 academic year, CSP 545 was only offered in the Fall
semester. Twenty-one of 24 candidates (88%) met the overall standard. The same number, 21
of 24 (88%), met the standard for all sections of the folio.
Special Education Assessment Work Sample Folio Directions
I. State Assessment Systems (Describe the State Assessment System for general and
special education)
Task: Describe the characteristics of the students being studied: grade, placement, and
disability category. Include previous interactions for each student with general education and
special education assessment systems including pre-referral
Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 Ethical considerations in IDEIA related to assessment that will guide you in the process
 State regulations for pre-assessment, comprehensive assessment and follow up in
special education
 State assessment system requirements for children in this grade
Essay 1 (Response to prompt on State Assessment)
Write an essay responding to the prompt in the overview to this section. Your essay should be
based on a study of three children in the classroom setting being studied. Your goal is to
connect the characteristics of these 3 children to the overall assessment system in State. In
other words, how does it look when assessment in special education and general education is
being fully implemented?
You essay should be 1000-1500 words. Use APA style for citations. Write a 100 word abstract
of your essay in this space. Submit your full essay, with a reference page (APA style) as an
attachment.
II. Individual Assessment Plan (Create an assessment plan, using norm referenced and
curriculum based assessment with accommodations)
Task: Create an assessment plan for one of the students in your group. Include a list of
recommended norm referenced assessments, curriculum based assessments, and allowable
accommodations. Suggest a timeline for conducting the assessments, a system for analyzing
the results and a format for reporting results to relevant parties.
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Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 What assessment information is already available for the child, and how will you gain
access to that information?
 What assessments will be routinely administered to each student in this class this year
as part of the state assessment system? How will you use that information?
 What additional assessments will you need to conduct and why?
 What will your timetable be for these assessments? Who will be responsible for the
administration, scoring and reporting of results?
 What allowable accommodations will be used? Where is it stated that these
accommodations are allowable?
 What type of records will you keep of the assessment process? How will you analyze
these records and report them to others?
Essay 2 (Response to prompt on Individual Assessment)
Write an essay responding to the prompt in the overview to this section. Your essay should
address the needs of one of the children in your response to the previous section. Your goal is
to show how individual assessment connects to group assessment in State classrooms for
children being served in special education.
Your essay should be 1000-1500 words. Use APA style for citations. Write a 100 word abstract
of your essay in this space. Submit your full essay, with a reference page (APA style) as an
attachment.
III. Norm Referenced Assessment (Administer, score and interpret results from an
individualized norm referenced assessment.)
Task: Administer one of the following norm referenced tests to the student you selected in the
previous section: Woodcock Reading Mastery, Key Math, or PIAT. Score the test and write an
assessment report with recommendations. Include the test protocol, fully scored. Also include a
video segment of your administration of one subtest.
Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 Testing setting, student demeanor and behavior during the testing
 Test chosen, why it was chosen, how it is appropriate for the disability ruling (if
applicable), what it tests (validity), reliability of the test
 Test results
 Interpretation of results
 Recommendations based on results
 Relationship of results to the child’s disability ruling and current IEP present level of
performance
Assessment Report 1 (NRT Assessment Report)
Write an assessment report on the test administered, responding to the prompt in the overview
to this section. Your report should be formatted as demonstrated in class and in pertinent
handouts. Your goal is to write a formal assessment report.
In this space, write a 100 word summary including what test you administered, why you choose
the test, and overview of the results. Submit a formal assessment report as an attachment.
Submit a hard copy of the test protocol, fully scored, to your instructor. Submit a video clip using
the video tab in this section
IV. Curriculum based assessment (Administer, score and interpret results from a
curriculum based measure.)
Task: Continue assessment of the student in the previous section. Administer one curriculum
based measure which is parallel in content and level to your norm referenced measure. Include
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the test protocol, fully scored. Also include a video segment of your administration of one
subtest.
Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 A description of the measure chosen and why it was chosen
 If it is teacher made, how it was developed
 Relationship of this measure to the norm referenced testing conducted
 Relationship of measure to State Curriculum Frameworks
 Test results
 Interpretation of results
 Recommendations based on results, including suggestions for instruction and for further
assessment
 Relationship of results to the child’s disability ruling and current IEP goals
 Relationship of results to current classroom instruction, group and individual
Assessment Report 2 (CBA Assessment report)
Write an assessment report on the CBA administered, responding to the prompt in the overview
to this section. Your report should be formatted as demonstrated in class and in pertinent
handouts. Your goal is to write a formal assessment report.
In this space, write a 100 word summary including how you developed your CBA and an
overview of the results. Submit a formal assessment report as an attachment. Submit a hard
copy of the test protocol, fully scored, to your instructor. Submit video clip using video tab in this
section.
V. Accommodations in assessment (Make accommodations in assessment where
appropriate)
Task: Describe what accommodations you made in the norm referenced and curriculum based
assessments you conducted. Discuss how these accommodations were related to the child’s
disability and current performance levels. Suggest how these accommodations are allowable
according to state standards and standardization requirements of the norm referenced tests.
Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 List the assessments conducted.
 For each assessment, describe allowable accommodations according to state standards
or standardization procedures.
 Describe which accommodations you made and why you chose the accommodations
you used.
 Discuss whether your accommodations were adequate and appropriate.
Essay 3 (Essay on Accommodations in Assessment)
Write an essay responding to the prompt in the overview to this section. Your essay should
address accommodations you made in your NRT and CBA sessions. Your goal is to show how
your decisions were made about accommodations in instruction and how these decisions align
with standardization of the tests given and state regulations related to testing accommodations.
Your essay should be 1000-1500 words. Use APA style for citations. Write a 100 word abstract
of your essay in this space. Submit your full essay, with a reference page (APA style) as an
attachment.
VI. Analysis of results (Write an assessment report and conference with parent and/or
colleagues on results of assessment)
Task: Write a report summarizing the results of your assessments, interpreting the results and
making recommendations. The summary should include the results of both your NRT and your
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CBA. Include a video of a real or simulated conference with you explaining the results to a
parent or colleague
Prompt: In your response, address the following:
 A description of each test given
 Why the test was selected
 Accommodations made in administration of the tests
 Results of each individual test
 Interpretation of each tests
 Overall results as related to general education
 Recommendations
Analysis of assessment (Analyze and report results)
Write an assessment report on the all tests administered, responding to the prompt in
the overview to this section. Your report should be formatted as demonstrated in class and in
pertinent handouts. Your goal is to write a formal assessment report.
In this space, write a 100 word summary describing the whole assessment process undertaken
with the student you selected. Submit the formal assessment report as an attachment. Submit a
video clip using the video tab in this section.
Assessment Work Sample Rubric
I. State Assessment
systems: The teacher
describes the
elements of the State
Assessment System
for general and
special education
which are applicable
to the group of
students being
studied
II. Individual
Assessment plan:
The teacher creates
an assessment plan
for the students in
the selected group,
including norm
referenced
assessment,
curriculum based
assessment and
accommodations in
assessment.
III. Norm referenced
4- Achieving
Adequacy
Clearly describes
the characteristics of
all the students in
the class. Relates
characteristics of
each student to
State assessment
system for general
and special
education; describes
legal and ethical
considerations in
assessment at this
level.
Creates an
assessment plan for
each of the students
in the group.
Includes a list of
recommended norm
referenced
assessments,
curriculum based
assessments, and
allowable
accommodations.
Suggests a time line
for conducting the
assessments, a
system for analyzing
the results and a
format for reporting
results to relevant
parties.
Test selected was
3- Developing
Adequacy
Clearly describes
the characteristics of
most of the students
in the class. Relates
characteristics of
some students to
State assessment
system for general
and special
education; describes
legal or ethical
considerations in
assessment at this
level.
Creates an
assessment plan for
each of the students
in the group.
Includes at least one
recommended norm
referenced
assessment, one set
of curriculum based
assessments, and
some allowable
accommodations.
Time Lines for
conducting the
assessments , a
system for analyzing
the results and a
format for reporting
results to relevant
parties are lacking in
detail.
Test selected was
2- Emerging
Adequacy
Lists characteristics
of students in
sample; describes
assessment system
for general or
special education in
State. Does not
clearly connect
characteristics of
this group of
students to the
assessment
standards
1- Inadequate
Description of
students inadequate
or missing.
Description of
assessment
systems incomplete,
incorrect or
missing.
Creates an
assessment plan for
some of the
students in the
group. Includes
norm referenced or
curriculum based
measures, but not
both.
Accommodations
are mentioned, but
not in detail. Time
Lines for conducting
the assessments, a
system for analyzing
the results and a
format for reporting
results to relevant
parties are lacking in
detail or missing.
Creates a generic
assessment plan
which does not
target specific
students. Includes
norm referenced or
curriculum based
measures, but not
both.
Accommodations
are not mentioned.
No time lines are
given, a system for
analyzing the results
and a format for
reporting results to
relevant parties are
lacking in detail or
missing.
Test selected was
Test not appropriate
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assessment The
teacher will
administer, score and
interpret results from
an individualized
norm referenced
assessment.
appropriate to
student and setting;
test standardization
followed closely; test
scored correctly.
Interpretation has
sufficient detail, all
recommendations
reasonable, feasible
and expressed
clearly.
appropriate to
student and setting;
test standardization
followed; test scored
correctly.
Interpretation and
most
recommendations
reasonable and
expressed clearly
IV. Curriculum based
assessment The
teacher will
administer, score and
interpret results from
on curriculum based
measure.
Clear connection
between CBA and
norm referenced
measures
administered.
Specific reference to
MS Curriculum
Frameworks.
Results stated in
terms of skills
mastered and not
mastered.
Recommendations
for instruction and
further assessment
specifically
referenced to CBA
results. Results and
recommendations
explained in terms
of child’s disability,
IEP goals, and
current classroom
instruction.
All assessments are
listed. For each
assessment
allowable
accommodations
are discussed.
Rationale is
provided for all
accommodations
considered and all
accommodations
used. Justification
for use of
accommodations is
appropriate to state
standards and
standardization
procedures.
Some connection
between CBA and
norm referenced
measures
administered.
General reference to
MS Curriculum
Frameworks.
Results stated in
terms of skills
mastered and not
mastered.
Recommendations
for instruction and
further assessment
generally referenced
to CBA results.
Results and most
recommendations
explained in terms
of child’s disability,
IEP goals, and
current classroom
instruction.
All assessments are
listed. For each
assessment
allowable
accommodations
are discussed.
Rationale is
provided for most
accommodations
considered and
most
accommodations
used. Justification
for use of
accommodations is
in most cases
appropriate to state
standards and
standardization
procedures.
Assessment report
includes a
description of tests
given, a rationale for
most of the tests
selected, a
V. Accommodations
in assessment
Teacher will make
accommodations in
assessment where
appropriate
VI. Analysis and
reporting of
assessment results
Teacher will write an
assessment report
and conference with
Assessment report
includes a
description of all
tests given, a
rationale for all the
tests selected, a
appropriate to
student and setting;
test standardization
followed in most
cases; Some errors
in test scoring.
Interpretation has
some errors, some
recommendations
are not reasonable
or feasible, and not
expressed clearly
Unclear connection
between CBA and
norm referenced
measures
administered. Non
specific reference to
MS Curriculum
Frameworks.
Results stated in
general terms.
Recommendations
for instruction and
further assessment
not clearly
referenced to CBA
results. Results and
recommendations
are not explained in
terms of child’s
disability, IEP goals,
and current
classroom
instruction.
to child or setting.
Test standardization
violated. Scoring
and interpretation
flawed.
Recommendations
not reasonable or
feasible.
Most assessments
are listed. For some
assessments
allowable
accommodations
are discussed.
Rationale is
provided for some
accommodations
considered and
some
accommodations
used. Justification
for use of
accommodations is
in some cases
appropriate to state
standards and
standardization
procedures.
Assessment report
includes a
description of some
tests given, a
rationale for some of
the tests selected, a
Some assessments
are listed. Allowable
accommodations
are not discussed.
Rationale provided
is weak and
inconsistent.
Justification is
inappropriate to
state standards and
standardization
procedures.
No connection
between CBA and
norm referenced
measures
administered. No
reference to MS
Curriculum
Frameworks.
Results stated in
unclear terms. No
recommendations
for instruction and
further assessment,
or unsound
recommendations.
Results and
recommendations
are not explained in
terms of child’s
disability, IEP goals,
and current
classroom
instruction.
Assessment report
does not include a
description of tests
given, a rationale for
the tests selected,
or a description of
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parent and/or
colleagues of results
of assessment
description of all
accommodations
made in testing, a
detailed summary of
all test results, a
complete
interpretation results
including the
implications of the
results to the
general education
classroom, and a list
of specific
recommendations
for instruction and
support.
description of most
accommodations
made in testing, a
cursory summary of
test results, an
interpretation of
results, and a list of
recommendations
for instruction and
support.
Spring 2008
I. State Assessment systems:
II. Individual Assessment plan:
III. Norm referenced assessment
IV. Curriculum based assessment
V. Accommodations in assessment
VI. Analysis and reporting of assessment results
description of some
accommodations
made in testing.
Summary of test
results is incomplete
or inadequate.
Interpretation of
results, and
recommendations
for instruction and
support are
unjustified or
inadequate.
Met
21
21
21
21
21
21
accommodations
made in testing.
Summary of test
results is incomplete
or inadequate.
Interpretation of
results, and
recommendations
for instruction and
support are
unjustified or
inadequate.
Not Met
3
3
3
3
3
3