ERIC Number: EJ1293259
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2330-6459
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Academic Assessment of English Learning School-Aged Children with Suspected Learning Disabilities
Cho, EunMi; Kraemer, Robert John
Journal of Leadership, Equity, and Research, v6 n2 2020
The investigators sought to determine whether education evaluators, mainly school psychologists, complied with federal, state, and professional practice guidelines when assessing English learning (EL) school-aged children suspected of a learning disability in three northern California school districts. In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (U.S. Congress, 2004), all intellectual and academic assessments must be selected and administered by properly trained assessors so as not to be racially, culturally, and linguistically inappropriate. The investigators reviewed the academic assessment reports of 88 EL children who, at the time of the study, had been receiving both special education as well as English as a Second Language instruction. We investigated the cumulative files to identify if evaluators consider the student's primary language by using culturally appropriate tests and interpreters, communicating with families, and consideration other important factors such as their attendance, grades, sex, and other factors. The investigators discovered that out of the 88 children, 76 were assessed in English only although all spoke English as their second language. In addition, none of the school psychologists employed the use of an interpreter during any portion of the assessment process. Findings present a compelling case for greater university program and local in-service training on appropriate assessment procedures for school psychologists when assessing EL children for LD.
Descriptors: Student Evaluation, English Language Learners, Learning Disabilities, Educational Assessment, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Disability Identification, Evaluators, Elementary School Students
Center for Leadership, Equity, and Research. 5821 East Rancho Drive, Fresno, CA 93727. Tel: 559-346-8728; Web site: https://journals.sfu.ca/cvj/index.php/cvj/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A