Join Together: A Nationwide On-Line
Community of Practice and Professional
Development School Dedicated to Instructional
Effectiveness and Academic Excellence within
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education
Objective 2.4 – Assessment
Submitted by:
Topical Team Leaders – John Luckner, Ed.D. and Sandy Bowen, Ph.D.
Topic – Mathematics and Science K-12
Rationale
Assessment of students plays a vital role in the educational arena. Proper determination of
student ability is at the foundation of the allocation of state monies for education. Teachers in the
21st century are being required to demonstrate progress monitoring of individual student needs,
and their ability to do so provides their school system with a measure of accountability for them.
In fact, progress monitoring is one of the key ingredients in the ever-changing challenges being
added to teachers’ list of responsibilities and they are expected to provide an indication of the
base-line abilities of their students.
In the field of education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, it has historically
been a challenge to locate assessment devices that have been normed for that specific population
of pupils. In the subject areas of math and science assessment, there are virtually no valid or
reliable assessment devices. After a search of the Internet, textbooks, assessment device
inventories, and catalogues from assessment device publishers, 11 mathematics assessment
devices were found, of which only one (the Stanford Achievement Test) had a short section
normed on deaf and hard of hearing students. The search for Science assessment devices turned
up no devices designed to only assess students’ knowledge of science and one (the Stanford
Achievement Test) having a few questions on science topics.
After the search for actual assessment devices was completed, it was thought that another
way to determine the grade level and abilities of deaf and hard of hearing students was to create
checklists and accompanying grids, based on national teaching standards, for both Math and
Science. It is assumed that such checklists will be able to provide teachers with that all important
base-line of their students’ abilities mentioned above. The rationale for doing the current project
was based on the fact that appropriately valid and reliable assessment devices for these subject
areas are basically non-existent and teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing are in
dire need of some device with which to measure the educational levels of their students in these
areas.
Four different files of information were compiled for this project and represent
Elementary and Secondary level Math and Science standards. The information was gleaned from
both National standards websites, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
website and a related website from Berks County Intermediate Unit #14 in Reading,
Pennsylvania. Bibliographical references from all of the above are found below. The National
Standards checklists were developed first, and then Pennsylvania Standards were merged (and
cited) for topical areas not covered by the National lists. That is to say, some of the Pennsylvania
Standards included standards not found in National lists and, therefore, checklists were created
for both Math and Science that were as comprehensive as possible.
Hopefully the checklists and grids which were developed in this effort will provide a starting
point for teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing for the areas of math and science. It
is hoped that over time, and with feedback from teachers of the deaf/hh, these devices will be
updated and changed to serve the teachers’ need for progress monitoring and outcomes
assessment.
General Guidelines – Hearing Students
Assessment of hearing students includes formal assessment devices and listings of standards in
the areas of mathematics and science. As observed below, there are a small number of formal
assessment devices in the area of mathematics and virtually none in the area of science.
 List of Assessment Devices with Mathematics as a Primary Focus:
A. Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GMADE)
B. Keymath Revised: A Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Math
C. Keymath-Revised/NU: A Diagnostic Inventory of Essential MathematicsNormative Update
D. Math Level Indicator: A Quick Group Math Placement Test
E. Sequential Assessment of Mathematics Inventories
F. Test of Early Mathematics Ability- 2nd Edition
G. Test of Mathematical Ability- Second Edition (TOMA-2)
 List of Assessment Devices with Mathematics as a Secondary Focus:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
PIAT-R: Peabody Individual Achievement Test
PIAT-R/NU: Peabody Individual Achievement test-Revised-Normative Update
Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
K-TEA/NU: Kaufman test of Educational Achievement Normative Update
Stanford Achievement Test: Hearing Impaired
 List of Assessment Devices with Science as a Primary Focus:
None
 List of Assessment Devices with Science as a Secondary Focus:
A. Stanford Achievement Test: Hearing Impaired
General Guidelines – Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Formal assessment devices in the areas of mathematics and science normed on students who are
deaf and hard of hearing do not exist.
References
Math Standards
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards for Pre-K-Grade 2
Adapted from http://standards.nctm.org/document/chapter4/index.htm
The national standards are the basis for this work. State and County standards were
incorporated as needed to provide the fullest coverage of all topic areas within
mathematics.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Mathematics, Pennsylvania Department of Education
Adapted from http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/lib/k12/MathStan.doc
Also found in the PA Code, Title 22, Chapter 4 Regulations, Appendix A
This is the document on which the Berks County IU Benchmarks are based. The PA
Academic Standards do not begin until Grade 3, so they were consulted but not included
in this document.
Berks County Intermediate Unit Pre-K-Grade 3 Benchmarks, Reading, Pennsylvania
Adapted from http://www.berksiu.org/benchmarks/pre3math.pdf
The benchmarks were reviewed and included in the final document if they were not
specifically covered in the National Standards. Some sections of this document are
completely from Berks IU because the NCTM did not include them in the national
standards.
Science Standards
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Science and Technology, Pennsylvania
Department of Education. Taken from http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/lib/k12/scitech.pdf
These standards were reviewed and included in the final document if they were not
specifically covered in the Science and Technology Standards and Benchmarks. Some
selections of this document are completely used because the Science and Technology
Standards and Benchmarks did not include them in the national standards.
Science and Technology Standards and Benchmarks, Mid-continent Research for Education and
Learning.
Adapted from http://mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
These standards are the basis for this work. State standards were incorporated as needed
to provide the fullest coverage of all topic areas within science and technology.
Website References
http://www.agsnet.com/Category.asp?nMarketInfoID=31&nCategoryInfoID=2650
http://gri.gallaudet.edu/Assessment/ACADEMIC.html#stanford
Textbook References
Bradley-Johnson, S. & Evans, L. (1991) Psychoeducational Assessment of Hearing-Impaired
Students. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Easterbrooks, S. & Baker, S. (2002) Language Learning in Children who are Deaf and Hard of
Hearing: Multiple Pathways. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Luetke-Stahlman, B. & Luckner, J. (1991) Effectively Educating Students with Hearing
Impairments. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Ross, M., Brackett, D., & Maxon, A. (1991) Assessment and Management of Mainstreamed
Hearing-Impaired Children. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Stewart, D. & Kluwin, T. (2001) Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students; Content,
Strategies, and Curriculum. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn& Bacon.