ASSESSMENT
When a child is struggling with learning and/or behavior in the academic setting, parents often sense that something needs to be done but don’t know where to begin. In some cases, teachers and school administrators may also be concerned and contact parents first. In other cases, parents are the first to act.
There are several levels and types of assessment that are possible; each has its own purpose. Read below to get an overview of assessment types and purposes.
Screening Assessments
Screening assessments are short tests, typically requiring 20-30 minutes, which are given to determine whether vulnerabilities for learning difficulty may exist. Some may be given in the early grades, K-1, to identify children who may need to be monitored more closely as they adjust to the academic demands of school. Others may be given at any time. Various screening assessments may be done at school and/or privately.
3C Learning, LLC, offers the following screening assessments:
Search
Search is a 20-30 minute assessment given to children in Kindergarten or 1st grade to identify vulnerabilities in processing skills that may cause difficulty in academic settings. If the child is found to be vulnerable, he or she may be recommended for the Teach program, a therapy designed as an early intervention to prevent academic failure. Depending on the level of vulnerability identified, the educational therapist may also recommend further assessment.
Lexercise Dyslexia Screener
Lexercise, though its website, offers a brief online screener to help parents decide whether their concerns about possible dyslexia are warranted. Parents provide contact information in addition to the child’s name, age, and grade, to receive feedback from the site. You will be contacted by a Lexercise clinician to follow up. If you wish to talk directly with me about your results and the possibility of having me provide Lexercise dyslexia therapy, contact me here:
Lexercise also offers brief questionnaires to help parents learn whether their child may be at risk for other learning disabilities. You can access these questionnaires here:
Please note that none of these brief screeners constitutes a full evaluation of potential learning disabilities. They are meant to help parents decide whether they should be concerned about how their child is learning.
School-based Evaluation
A federal law known as IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) stipulates that states are required to identify children who have disabilities and offer services to those who are found to be eligible.
When school-aged children are not performing according to grade-level standards, parents can request an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services. This request must be made in writing to the child’s school or to the district’s special education office. Schools must evaluate in all areas of suspected disability. This request can be made even if a child is already receiving additional instruction through an RtI, or Response to Intervention, process.
Children who are found eligible for special education services will be offered an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to address the areas of disability. Children who are in private schools or are homeschooled are also eligible to be evaluated by the local public-school district. Please note that this evaluation typically does not provide a “diagnosis” of a learning-related disability. Rather, its purpose is to determine the child’s eligibility for special education services and/or accommodations in the classroom.
3C Learning, LLC, can provide guidance to parents regarding this process on a consultation basis for children who are currently enrolled in educational therapy or Lexercise dyslexia therapy or are considering enrolling in an intervention program.
Private Evaluation for Diagnosis
Sometimes a child appears to have multiple challenges related to learning. The child may be significantly below grade level, may have difficult behaviors, and/or appear to have major perceptual or memory challenges. In this instance, it will be helpful for a child to have more in-depth evaluation to help parents understand the child’s developmental strengths and challenges.
These evaluations are done through qualified private providers and may result in an official diagnosis of a learning or developmental disability. Depending on the need, multiple professionals may contribute to the evaluation, either as part of a multi-disciplinary team or through multiple individual providers. These providers may include neuropsychologists, educational psychologists, speech/language therapists, occupational therapists, and others.
3C Learning, LLC, can provide referrals to professionals in the Ann Arbor/Brighton/Plymouth-Canton, MI, areas when the topic arises during an initial discussion about educational therapy services or at any point in the educational therapy process that concerns arise.
Evaluation for Program/Intervention Planning
Yet another purpose for assessment is to assist educators or educational therapy professionals in the creation of an individualized intervention program. Testing may consist of formal, standardized testing; informal tests; or a combination of formal and informal measures. These measures are used to establish pre-intervention baselines. Follow-up assessment, through annual testing or other periodic progress monitoring, is then done to monitor the effectiveness of the intervention.
3C Learning, LLC, conducts this type of evaluation for students whose families are considering or will enroll in educational therapy. The specific assessment tools used include formal and informal measures but will vary depending on the educational therapy services under consideration.
When a student will enroll in full NILD Educational Therapy, the protocol involves at a minimum, the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, a visual-motor integration assessment, an informal reading inventory, and other informal assessments. In addition, the student is required to have cognitive assessment. Typically, for school-aged children, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children V (WISC V) is used. Cognitive testing must be done by a psychologist. If the student has not previously had cognitive assessment, Marie can recommend professionals in her own local area who can complete this test.
Please note that evaluations conducted by 3C Learning, LLC, are done for the purpose of program planning and do not result in an official diagnosis of a learning disability or determination of eligibility for special education. On some occasions, parents have provided the evaluation report to other providers or to schools and the information has been used to assist those professionals in their own evaluation process.