Introduction to Assessment in Special Education: Historical

School: American College of Education - Course: SPED 5023 - Subject: Accounting

SPED 5023 - Presentation Notes Module 1 - Introduction to Assessment Presentation n#1 - Historical Perspective Assessment in Process Assessment The process used to determine a child's specific strengths and needs and whether or not a child is eligible for special services National Association of Special Education Teachers Not simply giving a test and making a determination based on scores Involves a process Information gain provides us with a picture of the whole child History of Special Education Prior to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965: Children with disabilities were: Not educated in school Educated in expensive private facilities paid for by their families President John F. Kennedy appointed a presidential panel to investigate mental retardation* in 1961 The term "mental retardation" is no longer used and has officially been replaced with the term "intellectual disability" Elementary and secondary Education Act President Lyndon B. Johnson signed ESEA into law in 1965 Provides federal funding for primary education Established research centers to student different types of disabilities Even with its passage, relatively few children with disabilities received a free and appropriate education Amended ESEA In 1966, congress: Amended the ESEA "established the Bureau of Education of the Handicapped and the National Advisory Council for the benefit of students with disabilities" UOM, n.d., p.1 Added Title VI It was the 1966 Amended Elementary and Secondary Education Act which would one day be used as the cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind Act Education of All Handicapped Children Act Zero rejection Free and appropriate public education Nondiscriminatory identification/evaluation of students The development of an IEP Education in the LRE Due process Parental participation Other Stipulations Evaluations need to be conducted by a multidisciplinary team The testing materials, procedures, processes, and administration must be free of racial or cultural bias Testing materials must be valid for the purpose for which they are being used Assessments are to be administered by trained personnel There must be multiple measures/processes for disability determination Tests should be given in the child's native language, and Reports are to be written in the native language of the parent IDEA In 1990, congress reauthorized the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, calling it the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA 2004 Emphasizes accountability and outcomes Focuses on reading, early intervention, programming to meet the needs of the child, research-based instruction, and highly qualified special education teachers Ensures educational services for children with disabilities throughout the United States Provides guidance to states and public entities regarding early intervention, special education, and related services Part A Outlines the purpose of IDEA Defines the use of the document Part B Pertains to the education of children ages 3 to 21 FAPE, or the need for a free appropriate public education The identification of disability categories The requirement that re-evaluation occurs every 3 years The requirement for an IEP and requirement for goals, objectives, and methods to track progress Part C Pertains to the education of children ages birth through 2, including: The required evaluations The description and explanation of Family Service Plans The need for goals for children and families An explanation of in-home services Part D Lists resources and initiatives to improve special education, such as: Parent support centers Personnel requirements Guidelines for the allocation of funds No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Came into being in 2002 Required states to be cognizant of all students Created more accountability for all student success Required data to be broken down into subcategories Put sanctions into place for school failing to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Replaces the current national accountability stance Returns responsibility to state and school districts Focuses on the achievement of all students