Types of Educational tests

There are many different types of testing that can be done during an evaluations.  They can be done by our school system or independently:

There are about a dozen different intelligence test (WISC being the most common used).
Achievement test for: reading, spelling, written language, and arithmetic/mathematics.

These are assessments listed on this page, click on the type of test or the test acronym, and it will take you to that place on the page.
Educational Diagnose Reading: TERA - young child basic abilities Five areas of Reading: 1. Phonemic Awareness (PA) (PA may also be tested in a Speech and Language evaluation) CTOPP TPAT TOPA LAC 2. Phonics (Decoding) WRMT - word attack & identification WIST - decoding, and spelling (encoding) 3. Fluency DIBELS - phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and fluency RFI - fluency GORT - fluency & comph. TOWRE - accuracy, fluency, sight words 4. Vocabulary (Vocabulary may also be tested in a Speech and Language evaluation) TOLD - spoken language,  vocabulary. PPVT-  receptive vocabulary, verbal ability EVT - expressive vocabulary 5. Comprehension strategies Gates-MacGinitie - reading comprehension,  & vocabulary GRADE - reading comprehension GDRT -  identification, phonetic, vocabulary, & reading meaning GORT-D - decode, comprehension GSRT- silent reading comprehension Writing:           TEWL WPT TOWL TOWE Spelling: KTEA TWS Math: KeyMath TOMA	Speech and Language:           Oral Language: CELF -  oral language TLC- oral language OWLS -  written and oral TNL - oral narrative Problem solving, drawing inferences: TOPS-E - problem solving TOPS-A - problem solving Vocabulary: TOLD - spoken language,  vocabulary. PPVT-  receptive vocabulary, verbal ability EVT - expressive vocabulary Auditory processing: TAPS - auditory processing Articulation: Arizona - articulation Social Pragmatics: TOPL Also check under Social skills, below in it's own section. Phonological Awareness (PA): (To test a child's readiness for reading, see Phonological Awareness Tests):
Achievement: Woodcock-Johnson Kaufmann WIAT Classroom Kindergarten Skills checklist     by Tampa Reads (view the form on their website, in html format) Classroom reading checks: DAR QRI Stanford Diagnostic DIBELS - phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and fluency WADE Reading Programs levels & ratings	Occupational Therapy:   MAP - developmental delays PDMS - Peabody TVPS - Gardner Test of Visual Perceptual MVPT - Motor Free Visual Perceptual TVMS - Test of Visual Motor Skills PVMIA - Preschool Berry-VMI - Visual Motor Integration Bruininks-Test of Motor Proficiency THS-Test of Handwriting skills SI: Sensory Profile SIPT
	Social Skills: SSBS SSRS WMS VABS SIB Also check under Social Pragmatics, listed under Speech and Language.
	Executive Functioning:          D–KEFS          BRIEF

Which Educational Test to use?

Article and book:

An Article: Tests & Measurements
Recommend Book

Program:

A tool to graph your test scores

Charts, diagrams and graphs:

Detailed Tests Scores chart
Full Scale IQ Bell Curve
Detailed Bell Curve (8 type of scores: Standard Deviations (SD), percentiles (%tiles), Z-scores, T-scores, Scaled Scores (ScS), Standard Scores (SS), Staines, etc. )
Less Detailed Bell Curve (3 type of scores: Standard Deviations (SD), Standard Scores (SS), and percentiles (%tiles)

Comprehensive Achievement Assessment of Perceptual Abilities:

Ages:  2.0+, Grades: K.0 - 16.9

Administration time:
Varies; approximately 5 minutes per subtest.

Scores:
SS; GE; AE; PR; RMI; instructional ranges; developmental level bands. Yields individual test scores plus cluster scores.

Purpose:
A diagnostic tools used by evaluators to determine whether a student has learning disabilities.  It is important that both the cognitive and achievement portions of the Woodcock-Johnson test be administered.  Often only the achievement portion is given which points out the student's academic weaknesses. The cognitive test needs to be given to provide a more complete picture of the student's academic functioning and strengths. The combination of both the cognitive and achievement test results gives valuable information concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the student, the student's learning style, the possible presence of visual perceptual difficulties, and the student's aptitude in academic areas.  A student with learning disabilities often scores high in oral language and verbal ability. ( From The Woodcock-Johnson Test: Maximizing Benefits for Students with Learning Disabilities , by Larry Falxa.  Note: The WISC can be used for the   cognitive test instead of the WJ cognitive section.)

The WJ is divided into two sections, Cognitive and Achievement:

The WJ-R Cognitive part has 7 subtest and the supplement battery of the cognitive test are made up of 14 subtest (total 21).  The achievement battery 9 subtest and the supplement battery of the achievement battery test are made up of 5 subtest (total 14 subtest).  Giving us a total of 35 subtests in all.

The WJ-III Has 42 subtests, the Cognitive part has 20 subtests.  The achievement battery 22 subtest.   

For a list of the WJ-R, subtests and clusters, click here.
For a list of the WJ-III, subtest and clusters, click here.

Educators have often reported that when they give WJ to prove what they all ready know, and have found that test does not show the student areas of weakness.  It is important to have your child tested in each area of weakness.  Using standardize tests in their area of weakness (i.e. reading test, spelling, math test).   Publisher: Riverside Publishing Company website

See the list of the different diagnostic tests that are available.

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Achievement Assessment:

The Kaufmann Educational Achievement Tests (KTEA)

Ages:  6-11, Grades: 1-12

Administration time:
Brief Form 20-30 minutes;
Comprehensive Form (Grades 1-3) 30-60 minutes, (Grades 4-12) 50-75 minutes.

Test purpose:
This test is intended to screen students on global achievement skills to determine the need for follow-up testing and evaluation.

Scores/Interpretation:
Age and grade-based standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15), grade equivalents, percentile ranks, normal curve equivalents (NCEs), and stanine.   Provides error analysis for each subtest to help identify a student's strengths and weaknesses.   Provides accurate score comparisons for reading decoding, reading comprehension, and math.

Subtest:

• Reading decoding - The student reads words aloud to the examiner.
• Mathematics application - story type problems printed on easel pages.  The student can use a pencil to figure our the answer, but must answer orally.
• Spelling - given as a typical spelling test.
• Reading comprehension - student reads silently and respond orally.
• Mathematics computation - This subtest includes 60 math problems.

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)

Ages: 5 - 19

Administration time:
30 - 75 minutes

Test purpose:
The educational achievement of the children and adolescents.

Score:
Age and grade-based standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15), composite score, grade equivalents, percentile ranks and stanines.

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Second Edition (WIAT-II), published in 2001, revises the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), published in 1992, by The Psychological Corporation.

Subtests:

• Word reading - naming letters, phonological skills (working with sounds in words), and reading words aloud from lists.  Only the accuracy of the pronunciation (not comprehension) is scored.
• Pseudoword Decoding - reading nonsense words aloud from a list (phonetic word attack).
• Reading Comprehension - comprehension of detail, sequence, cause-and-effect relationships, and inference in very short paragraph.  (Students can look back at the paragraph and find the find the answers.)
  
• Spelling - encoding and spelling ability
• Written Expression - Free writing task.  It assessment of idea development and organization as well as capitalization and punctuation.
• Numerical Operations - the ability to write dictated numerals; counting; to solve basic addition, subtraction, multiplication's, and division problems; to solve problems with whole numbers, fractions and decimals and to solve algebraic equations.  
  
• Mathematics Reasoning - counting, identifying shapes, and problem solving verbally framed “word problems” presented both orally and in writing or with illustrations in geometry, measurement, and statistics.  (Paper and pencil are allowed.)
• Listening Comprehension - Levels of comprehension ranging from understanding of details to make inferential conclusions.
• Oral Expression -  assess the ability to name targeted words, describe scenes, give directions and explain steps in sequential tests.

Educational Diagnostic tests

Reading:

Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA)
Measures of the reading ability of young children age 3 years, 6 months - 8 years, 6 months (does not test the child's readiness for reading).  Assess their mastery of early developing reading skills.  Three subtests: Alphabet - Knowledge of alphabet and uses, Conventions - Book orientation and format, and Meaning - Construction of meaning from print.  Testing time 30 minutes. (Recommend to also test the child Phonological Awareness).  Publisher: Stoelting

Phonological Awareness   

Test of Phonological Awareness (TOPA)

Ages:
The Early Elementary version of the TOPA can be used to determine if first and second-grade students’ difficulties in early reading are associated with delays in development of phonological awareness.
The TOPA is provided in a Kindergarten version suitable for administration any time during the kindergarten year.  The Early Elementary version suitable for first and second-grade children.

Administration time:
Both versions can be administered either individually or to groups of children, with group administration taking about 20 minutes. 

Score:
Age Equivalency, percentile ranks, and standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15).

The TOPA is a nationally normed, standardized, 20-item test that measures awareness of the individual sounds within words. Specifically, children are asked to identify the ending sounds in words. 

The Phonological Awareness Test (TPAT)

Ages: 5-9 and Grades: Kindergarten to 4th grade.

Administration time:

40 minutes

Score:
Age Equivalency, percentile ranks, and standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15).

To view an actual copy of the test protocol on-line:

The Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test® (LAC®)


Test measure:
The LAC helps determine which students will be at risk in reading and spelling.   It measures the ability to (1) discriminate one speech sound or phoneme from another and (2) segment a spoken word into its constituent phonemic units.

Ages:
It may be  administered at any age level.

Administration time:
Testing time is about 10 minutes.

Score:
Criterion-referenced measure, easy to administer, and helpful in identifying younger student may be at risk for reading problems.  Area of need of older students.

The table below shows the recommended minimum scores for high probability of grade-level or above-grade-level spelling and reading performance, on earlier versions of LAC: 

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised (WRMT-R)

For students in Grades K-16, ages 5-0 through 75+.  Measures Word Attack and Word Identification.  The test has two alternate, equivalent forms (G and H), that are used to pre-and post-testing.  Grade equivalent, percentile and standard score are provided.
The Word Attack subtest assesses the students' word-level phonetic decoding skills.  The subtest is comprised of 45 isolated, phonetically regular syllables, nonsense words and low frequency, phonetically regular real words.  The use of phonetic nonsense words and syllables allows us to examine decoding in relative isolation form sight-words and vocabulary abilities.
The Word Identification subtest assess the students "word recognition" skill (the ability to read isolated real words).
Publisher: Pearson Assessments



Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST)

• Word Identification: Measures word reading accuracy, including sight recognition of familiar words and sight recognition or orthographic memory of high frequency words with one or more irregularities.
• Spelling: Assesses the ability to spell words correctly from dictation, including
  (a) recall of correct letter sequences for familiar words and the ability to apply sound/symbol relationships to spell words that are unfamiliar and (b) recall of letter order of high frequency words with one ore more irregularities.
• Sound-Symbol Knowledge: Assesses the ability to associate sounds (phonemes) with specific letters (graphemes).

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Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
Measures of  word reading accuracy and fluency.  It is used to monitor the growth of two kinds of word reading skills that are critical in the development of overall reading ability.  Recognizing familiar words as whole units or sight words, and the ability to Sound out words quickly.   The TOWRE contains two subtests: the Sight Word Efficiency (SWE) subtest assesses the number of real printed words that can be accurately identified within 45 seconds, and the Phonetic Decoding Efficiency (PDE) subtest measures the number of pronounceable printed non-words that can be accurately decoded within 45 seconds.  Each subtest has two forms (Forms A and B) that are of equivalent difficulty, and either one or both forms of each subtest may be given depending upon the purposes of the assessment.  Scores are provided  in percentiles, standard scores, and age and grade equivalents are provided. (1999)

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
A set of standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy development. 


For Students in K - 3th grade and 4th - 6th grade to measure reading fluency and comprehension.  This test can be used for benchmark assessments in the fall, winter, and spring assessments  to monitor progress (more frequent assessment of lower-achieving students).  Scores provided for each grade level,  3 catalogues: At risk, Some risk, Low risk  or  Deficit, Emerging, Established.

The reading comprehension has the student read a very short passage (which may not be an authentic reading comprehension situation for the for 4th - 6th upper grades.)

The fluency measures are designed to be short (one minute) used to regularly monitor the development of pre-reading and early reading skills.

The following are seven fluency measures: Initial Sounds Fluency (ISF), Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF), Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), Retell Fluency (RTF) and Word Use Fluency (WUF).

This test was developed upon the essential early literacy domains discussed in both the National Reading Panel (2000) and National Research Council (1998) reports to assess student development of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and automaticity and fluency with the code.  Each measure has been thoroughly researched and demonstrated to be reliable and valid indicators of early literacy development and predictive of later reading proficiency to aid in the early identification of students who are not progressing as expected. When used as recommended, the results can be used to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level feedback toward validated instructional objectives.  Publisher: University of Oregon

To view a sample of the DIBELS Individual Student Performance Profile for a grade 1 student

Reading Fluency Indicator (RFI)

A brief, individually administered test of oral reading fluency that measures rate, accuracy, comprehension, and prosody.

Age Range: Grades 1 - 12, ages 5 - 18 years 

Administration Time: Approximately 5 - 10 minutes

Scores/Interpretation: Stanine scores and words read correctly per minute for rate, quartile scores for accuracy, cut scores for comprehension, and a miscue descriptive analysis.  Publisher: Psycan Education

The Gray Oral Reading, Third Edition (GORT­3)
Is a popular reading test created by William S. Gray. This version provides an objective measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of oral reading difficulties. The GORT­3 comprises two alternate, equivalent forms, each of which contains 13 developmentally sequenced passages with five comprehension questions.  The GORT­3 provides examiners with a Passage Score that is derived by examining the reader's performance in rate (time taken to read each passage) and deviations from print (errors). The Passage Score is reported in terms of  standard scores, percentile ranks, and grade equivalents. Also provided are standard scores, percentiles, and grade equivalents for Oral Reading Comprehension. Unlike the earlier versions, the GORT­3 adds normative scores for rate and accuracy .  A total score for Oral Reading is also provided. For ages: 7.0 through 18.11, testing time: 15-­30 minutes, administrated individually. (1992)
For the newer version GORT- 4 see below.
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The Gray Oral Reading Test, Fourth Edition (GORT-4) 


Test measures: Reading skills progress in Reading Fluency, Rate, Accuracy and Oral Reading Comprehension.

Ages: ages 6 through 18-11 months

Test purpose: Assesses students who have difficulty reading continuous print and who requires an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness.

Score: All four scores are reported in terms of standard scores, percentile ranks, grade equivalents, and age equivalents.

This is the newest version of this test.  Some educators find student to score higher on this version of the test.
It provides an efficient and objective measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of oral reading difficulties. The test consists of two parallel forms, each containing 14 developmentally sequenced reading passages with five comprehension questions and can be given to students . The GORT has 4 scores: Reading Fluency, Rate, Accuracy and Oral Reading Comprehension .  The Fluency Score that is derived by combining the reader's performance in Rate (time in seconds taken to read each passage) and Accuracy (number of deviations from print made in each passage). The number of correct responses made to the comprehension questions provides examiners with an Oral Reading Comprehension Score.  The Fluency Score and the Oral Reading Comprehension Score are combined to obtain an Oral Reading Quotient.
The test -retest study was conducted with all ages for which the test can be administered and illustrates the stability and reliability of the measure. The validity is extensive and includes studies that illustrate that the GORT­4 can be used with confidence to measure change in oral reading over time. The GORT-4 has many improvements.  Finally, several new validity studies have been conducted, including  an examination of the relationship of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children , Third Edition (WISC­III) to the GORT­4. You can use the GORT­4 in a variety of settings, such as elementary and secondary schools, clinics, and reading centers. The two forms of the test allow you to study an individual's oral reading progress over time. (2001) Publisher: Pro-Ed and Pearson.

 
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The Gray Oral Reading Tests-Diagnostic  (GORT-D)
now called: Gray Diagnostic Reading Tests (GDRT-2)

Test measure: Reading skills progress

Ages: 6 - 13, 11 months

Administration time: 45 - 60 minutes

Test purpose: Assesses students who have difficulty reading continuous print and who requires an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness.

The GDRT-2, a revision of the Gray Oral Reading Tests-Diagnostic (GORT-D),
(There are also the Gray Oral Reading Tests-Fourth Edition (GORT-4) and the Gray Silent  Reading Tests (GSRT), form the Gray reading test battery.)

GDRT 4 core subtests: Letter/Word Identification, Phonetic Analysis, Reading Vocabulary, and Meaningful Reading.
There are 3 supplemental subtests, Listening Vocabulary, Rapid Naming, and Phonological Awareness.  Publisher: Pro-Ed


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Vocabulary

Test of Language Development (TOLD)

Test of Language Development - Primary
Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade An individually administered language battery.
Ages: 4-0 through 8-11
Administration Time: 1 hour
Development­Primary, Third Edition (TOLD-P) has 9 subtests that measure different components of spoken language. Picture Vocabulary, Relational Vocabulary, and Oral Vocabulary assess the understanding and meaningful use of spoken words. Grammatic Understanding, Sentence Imitation, and Grammatic Completion assess differing aspects of grammar. Word Articulation, Phonemic Analysis, and Word Discrimination are supplemental subtests that measure the abilities to say words correctly and to distinguish between words that sound similar.  Publisher: AGS Publishing

TOLD PRIMARY (Ages 4-0 through 8-11)

	SUBTEST	ABILITY MEASURED	CONSTRUCT
1.	Picture Vocabulary	Understanding words	Semantics
2.	Relational Vocabulary	Mediating vocabulary	Semantics
3.	Oral Vocabulary	Defining words	Semantics
4.	Grammatic Understanding	Understanding sentence meaning	Syntax
5.	Grammatic Completion	Understanding sentence formation	Syntax
6.	Sentence Imitation	Repeating sentences	Syntax
7.	Word Discrimination	Noticing sound difference	Phonology
8.	Phonemic Analysis	Segmenting words	Phonology
9.	Word Articulation	Saying words correctly	Phonology

Test of Language Development - Intermediate
Focus on middle school language An individually administered language battery.
Ages: 8-0 through 12-11
Administration Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
The TOLD-I, third edition assesses the understanding and meaningful use of spoken words, as well as different aspects of grammar. This third edition features five subtests.

TOLD INTERMEDIATE (Ages 8-0 through 12-11)

	SUBTEST	ABILITY MEASURED	CONSTRUCT
1.	Sentence Combining	Constructing sentences	Syntax
2.	Picture Vocabulary	Understanding word relationships	Semantics
3.	Word Ordering	Constructing sentences	Syntax
4.	Generals	Knowing abstract relationships	Semantics
5.	Grammatic Comprehension	Recognizing grammatical sentences	Syntax
6.	Malapropisms	Correcting ridiculous sentences	Semantics

   
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Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) 

PPVT measures receptive vocabulary for standard English and a screening test of verbal ability.  Several versions of this test: PPVT-R, PPVT-III, PPVT-IV.
Ages 2-1/2 (2.6) through 90+ years.
Administration Time: 10-15 minutes
Publisher: AGS Publishing

Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT)

The Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT), expressive vocabulary and word retrieval.  The expressive assessment counterpart used in conjunction with the PPVT test (see the description above), and have both been updated (2006).
Ages 2-1/2 (2.6) through 90+ years.
Administration Time: 10-15 minutes
Publisher: Parson

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Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE)

Author: Kathleen T. Williams
Date Published: 2001

For Pre-Kindergarten through Adult (post secondary):

Passage Comprehension -- Student reads a passage of text and responds to multiple-choice comprehension questions (both explicit and implicit).   This subtest is for each grade level, up to adult level.  

This is a link to the GRADE (45 page) marketing brochure, with samples of the different test sections:

 http://www.pearsonlearning.com/content/File/GRADE_GMADE/GRADE_Program_Sampler.pdf

The Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) is not timed.
The administration time for the whole test is 45 - 90 mins.  If the student takes extra time on the Comprehension section it should be noted by the examiner.

This test can be given 4 times a year.  That there 2 forms A and B, used by alternating them.

Scores provided: Percentile ranks, standard scores, grade equivalents, normal curve equivalents, stanines, and growth scale values.

There are six subtests: Word reading (decoding and sight words), Word meaning (decoding and sight words), Vocabulary, Sentence comprehension, Passage comprehension, and Listening comprehension.

To view a sample of the GRADE test report, for Grade 1-3.

Publisher: AGS Publishing

Gray Silent Reading Test (GSRT)
Measures an individual's silent reading comprehension ability ages 7 - 25.
This test consists of two parallel forms each containing 13 developmentally sequenced reading passages with five multiple-choice questions. The two forms of the test allow you to study an individual's reading progress over time.  It can be given individually or to groups. Each form, of the test yields raw scores, grade equivalents, age equivalents, percentiles, and a Silent Reading Quotient.  Publisher: Pro-Ed

Classroom checks


Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR)


Provides individual diagnostic information in the areas of reading and language: word recognition, word analysis, oral reading, silent reading comprehension, spelling, and word meaning. 
Can be used by classroom teacher to get a quick assessment of a child's reading.  Appropriate use requires training.
This test is criterion referenced test, not as reliable as norm referred test.
Grades K - 3 version, another version for grades 4 - 8.  There are two measures of reading skill oral reading (decoding) and comprehension. A reported instructional level is meaningless in DAR for both decoding and comprehension. There is not one score.  Hearing your child is reading at "DAR of level 12" does not give you enough information about student's reading performance.

Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)
Is an informal reading inventories. It provides graded word lists and numerous passages designed to assess the oral reading, silent reading, or listening comprehension of a student. It contains narrative and expository passages at each pre-primer through high school level. All are self-contained selections highly representative of the structure and subject matter of materials found in basal readers and content-area textbooks.  Passages at the pre-primer through second grade levels are presented with and without pictures. Maps and illustrations are part of the high school selection. Prior to reading, knowledge of concepts important to an understanding of the passage is assessed, which allows the examiner to label a passage as familiar or unfamiliar to each student. The QRI–3 measures comprehension in several ways: through an analysis of the student's retelling, through the answers to explicit and implicit comprehension questions, through the use of look-backs that allow readers to search in the text for information to answer questions not previously answered correctly, and through the use of think-alouds to analyze students’ thoughts during reading.  This test allows the user to evaluate a reader's comprehension abilities in light of his or her background knowledge about a subject and whether the text was narrative or expository. The reader's answers to explicit and implicit comprehension questions allow the examiner to assess the reader's understanding of the text. The examiner can also assess the reader's understanding of the structure of the text through a qualitative analysis of his or her retelling. Look-backs and think-alouds can be used to assess a reader's awareness and use of various metacognitive strategies for comprehending text.

Stanford Diagnostic Tests

There two separate test, one for reading and mathematics.  The Standford Diagnostic Reading (SDRT) and Mathematics Test (SDMT).  Both tests a student's reading and mathematics strengths and weaknesses.

Both the Standford Diagnostic tests are for Grades: 2 - 12, The test are colored coded, Red=Grade 2, Orange=Grade 3,  Green=Grade 4, Purple=Grade 5- 6, Brown=Grade 7-8, Blue=Grade 9-12.  There is only one form for the Red, Orange and Green levels - Form J.  There are two forms for the Purple, Brown and Blue levels - Forms J and K.

Publisher: The Psychological Corporation.

STANFORD DIAGNOSTIC READING TEST (SDRT) - 4th edition
The test SDRT is a group administered, norm-referenced multiple-choice test, and has 3 subtests.

Administration time:

The test SDRT is 85 minute test may be given in one sitting or each section may be given on different days or different times.  Each section must be given in one sitting.

Score:

• Above, at, or close to grade level: No more than one year below grade level.
• Below grade level: More than one year below grade level, but no more than three years below grade level at grades 6-10 and two years below grade level at grades 4 and 5.
• Significantly below grade level: More than three years below grade level at grades 6-10; more than two years below grade level at grades 4 and 5.

The Total Reading score is not an average of the three scores on the subtests--weighted, unweighted, or otherwise. It is based on the total number of questions answered correctly on all portions of the test and is derived by comparing how the student performed on the whole test with how students from different grade levels at different times of the year have typically performed on the same test.  

Subtest:
Reading Vocabulary measures the range of words your child knows, based on grade-level expectations;
Reading Comprehension measures how well your child understands and analyzes various types of reading material; and Scanning Skills measures your child’s ability to skim through reading material to find information.

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The table found on West Jefferson Elementary, Colorado school website cross reference the various common reading levels used in different classroom assignments.  It includes a table: reading level term, Guided Reading level, grade level, Reading Recovery, Basal Level and DRA Level.

As part of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, and the “Reading First” Initiative (2001),  The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) has two tables: Core and Intervention reading program that are on the market.  FCRR reports Rating of Reading programs, by the five critical components areas of reading: 

1. Phonemic Awareness
   
2. Phonics
3. Fluency
4. Vocabulary
5. Comprehension strategies

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Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test

Test Purpose: Designed to identify specific mathematical concepts in which a student is lacking.

Population: Grades 1.5 to 6.5.

Scoring: Covering the mathematical content of grades 1 through 8, the test is divided into four levels, (two grades per level).
Has both norm-referenced and content-referenced interpretations.  The three subtests produce raw scores that can be converted into percentile ranks, stanines, grade equivalents, and scaled scores for each of the three subtests and for the total score.

Subtest:  Three areas: Number System and Numeration, Computation, and Applications. It may be administered to single individuals or to groups, and permits both norm-referenced and content-referenced interpretations.

Time: (95-110) minutes, it may be administered to single individuals or to groups.

Description: The Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test (SDMT) was designed to identify those specific mathematical concepts and skills on which a student is making less than satisfactory progress. 

Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI)

Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)

 


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Writing


Test of Early Written Language (TEWL) - There are two forms of this test (form A and B, so the test can be repeated with it being contaminated by memory.)  Two subtest: Basic Writing and a Contextual writing.   For students ages: 4 to 10 years, 11 months.  Publisher: AGS Publishing

Writing Process Test (WPT) - This norm-referenced test is a direct measure of writing that requires the student to plan, write, and revise an original composition. The WPT assesses both written product and writing process. The student’s analysis is elicited via a checklist of quick, easy questions about the composition. The examiner can also gain insight into the student’s awareness of having used metacognitive strategies when planning and recursive behaviors when composing and revising.   The test can be administered individually or in groups for people 8 through 19 years of age (or in Grades 2 through 12), and administration usually takes 45 minutes.  Publisher: Pro-Ed

Test of Written Language (TOWL) - There are two forms of this test (form A and B, so the test can be repeated with it being contaminated by memory.)  Examiners can evaluate student growth in writing using pretesting and post testing that is not contaminated by memory. Composite quotients are available for overall writing, contrived writing, and spontaneous writing.  Eight subtest: Contextual conventions, Contextual language, Story construction, Vocabulary, Spelling, Style, Logical sentences, and Sentence combining.   Details on three of the subtests: Contextual Conventions-measures capitalization, punctuation, and spelling; Contextual Language-measures vocabulary, syntax, and grammar; and Story Construction-measures plot, character development, and general composition.  For students in grade 2 - 12.  Publisher: Pearson Assessments

Test of Written Expression (TOWE)  - Uses two assessment methods to evaluate a student's writing skills. The first method involves administering a series of 76 items that tap different skills associated with writing. The second method requires students to read or hear a prepared story starter and use it as a stimulus for writing an essay (i.e., the beginning of the story is provided, and the writer continues the story to its conclusion).  For students between 6 years, 6 months to 14 years, 11 months.  Publisher: Pearson Assessments



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Spelling

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA) - Accesses the student's ability to spell 50 isolated real words that are organized on order of difficulty.  This test provides standard scores, percentiles  and grade equivalents.

Test of Written Spelling Fourth Edition (TWS-4) - Is a norm-referenced test of spelling administered using a dictated word format. The TWS-4 now has two alternate or equivalent forms (A and B) which make it more useful in test-teach-test situations. The TWS-4 is appropriate for students in Grades 1 through 12 as well as for those in remedial programs. The TWS was developed after a review of 2,000 spelling rules. The words to be spelled are drawn from 10 basal spelling programs and popular graded word lists.   The results of the TWS-4 may be used for four specific purposes: to identify students whose scores are significantly below those of their peers and who might need interventions designed to improve spelling proficiency, to determine areas of relative strength and weakness in spelling, to document overall progress in spelling as a consequence of intervention programs, and to serve as a measure for research efforts designed to investigate spelling.  Can be administered in 20 minutes to either groups or individuals and yields the following educationally relevant information: standard scores, percentiles, spelling ages, and grade equivalents.
 


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Math

Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test - Revised (Key Math-R) - The student "points-to" and uses "paper and pencil".  Takes 30-45 minutes, for ages preschool to grade 6.  There are three major areas consisting of 14 subtest.   Basic concepts -investigates basic Mathematical concepts and knowledge (Numeration, rational numbers and Geometry), Operations -of basic computation process (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and mental computations), and Applications- Functional application using mathematics necessary to daily life (Measurement, time, money, estimation, interpretation of data, problem solving).  Publisher: Pearson Publishing.  

Test of Mathematical Abilities (TOMA) - The TOMA-2 was developed for use in grades 3 through 12. It measures math performance on the two traditional major skill areas in math (i.e., story problems and computation) as well as attitude, vocabulary, and general application of mathematics concepts in real life.  The TOMA-2 has five subtests, four in the core battery (Vocabulary, Computation, General Information, and Story Problems) and one supplemental subtest (Attitude Toward Math).  Publisher: AGS Publishing.   

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Speech and Language

CELF -  Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals
This is a comprehensive diagnostic tool to measure the (oral) language skills of learning-disabled students in the areas of semantics, syntax, and memory.
The 11 Subtests include: Sentence Structure (Receptive), Concepts and Directions (Receptive),  Semantic Relationships (Receptive), Listening to Paragraphs (Receptive), Word Classes (Receptive), Recalling Sentences (Expressive),  Word Structure (Expressive), Formulated Sentences (Expressive), Sentence Assembly (Expressive),  Word Associations (Expressive),  Rapid Automatic Naming (Expressive).  Pragmatics Profile is not administered as a standardized test, it is a profile used to gain information about the student's social performance in the classroom.

Receptive Language:
1. Sentence structure: points to 1 of 4 pictures in response to an orally presented stimulus.
2. Concepts and directions: identifies pictures of geometric shapes in response to orally presented direction.  This subtest evaluates a student's ability to interpret, recall and carry out oral commend as of increasing length and complexity containing specific linguistic concepts.
3. Semantic relations: listen to 4 facts, then select 2 of 4 visually presented options.
4. Word classes: picks 2 out of 3 or 4 words orally presented that go together.
5. Recalling sentences: imitation of orally presented sentence. This subtest evaluates a student's ability to recall and repeat spoken sentences of increasing length and complexity with out changing the words or word meaning and no visual stimuli.

Expressive  Language:
1. Sentence assembly: produces 2 semantically and syntactically intact sentences from visually and orally presented words or word clusters.
2. Word structure: completes orally presented sentences with picture stimuli.
3. Formulated sentences: given target word and picture stimulus and asked to form sentence.
4. Recalling sentences: imitate orally presented sentences.
5. Word associations: lists as many words within given category as possible in 1 minute.

Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS)

Test measure:
Language tasks, there are 3 sections: Written Expression, Oral Expression, and Listening Comprehension.

Purpose:
Written Expression - measures the use of conventions (handwriting, spelling, punctuation), the use of syntactical forms (modifiers, phrases, sentence structures), and the ability to communicate meaningfully (relevance, cohesiveness, organization). The examiner presents oral, written, and pictorial prompts, and examinees write their responses in a booklet.
Oral Expression - requires no reading on the student's part. The examiner reads a stimulus word printed on one side of the convenient easel, and the examinees responds by indicating one of four pictures on the other side.
Listening Comprehension - requires the examinee to answer questions, complete sentences, or generate sentences in response to oral or verbal stimuli.

Ages Range: 3- 21 years  for Oral Expression, and Listening Comprehension.
ages 5 - 21 for Written Expression

Administration time:
Written Expression - 15 to 25 minutes, Oral Expression - 10 to 25 minutes, and Listening Comprehension - 5 to 15 minutes.

Score:
Provides both age-based and grade-based standard scores, grade and test-age equivalents, percentile ranks, normal curve equivalents, and stanines

Test of Narrative Language (TNL)
by Ronald B. Gillam, Nils A. Pearson

The test measures the child's use of proper nouns, actions verbs, temporal adverbs, and causal adverbs within well-formed simple and complex sentences that are contained in script-like stories and fictional stories.

Ages: 5 - 11 yrs.11 mos. , grade K-6

The Narrative Comprehension subtest assesses children's ability to recall and understand information in stories produced by others. It also assesses the ability to make inferences about information that was not explicitly stated in stories.

The Oral Narration subtest assesses children's ability to weave words and sentences into stories that contain characters who engage in goal-directed actions, complicating events, and solutions.
Publisher: Lingui Systems



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Test of Problem Solving - Elementary (TOPS-E)

Test measure: Responses show performance in these areas:  problem solving,  determining solutions,  drawing inferences,  empathizing, predicting outcomes,  using context clues and  vocabulary comprehension.

Ages:  6 - 11 years

Purpose: Assess ability to organize thoughts and express ideas clearly.  To measure a students use language to think and problem solve. Students are asked questions about a series of photographs.

Subtests:
1. Making Inferences - Requires the student to give a logical explanation about a situation combing what he knows or can see to previous experiences and background information.
2. Sequencing  - Requires the student to determine and explain logical, everyday sequences of events, such as what one needs to know or do before taking action in a situation or what one should do first in a given situation.
3. Negative Question - Requires the student to explain why something would not occur or why one should not take a particular action in a specific situation.
4. Problem Solving - Requires the student to recognize the problem, think of an alternative solution, evaluate the options and state an appropriate solution to a given situation.  It also requires him to sate ways to avoid specific problems.
5. Predicting - Requires the student to demonstrate understanding of a presented situation and make a reasonable prediction about what will happen of what would happen if a certain action were taken in the situation.
6. Determine Causes - Requires the student to give a logical reason for some aspect of the situation presented.

Admin. Time: 35 minutes - Individual
Norms: standard score, percentile rank, and age equivalency for total test

Publisher: Lingui Systems

1. Reflexes - 8 items measure a child's ability to automatically react to environmental events.
2. Stationary - 30 items measure a child's ability to sustain control of his or her body within its center of gravity and retain equilibrium.
3. Locomotion - 89 items measure a child's ability to move from one place to another by crawling, walking, running, hopping, and jumping forward.
4. Object Manipulation - 24 items measure a child's ability to manipulate balls by catching, throwing, and kicking. Because these skills are not apparent until a child has reached the age of 11 months, this subtest is only given to children ages 12 months and older.
5. Grasping - 26 items measure a child's ability to use his or her hands. It begins with the ability to hold an object with one hand and progresses to actions involving the controlled use of the fingers of both hands.
6. Visual-Motor Integration - 72 items measure a child's ability to use his or her visual-perceptual skills to perform complex eye-hand coordination tasks such as reaching and grasping for an object, building with blocks, and copying designs.

Sensory Profile - Is comprised of a parent/caregiver and teacher questionnaire that is used to identify typical performance, probable difference or definite difference in a child's behavioral responses to sensory information in their environment.  For Ages 3 to 10 years process sensory information in everyday situations. You can also profile the sensory system's effect on functional performance.  Nine factor groupings characterize children by their responsiveness to sensory input including, Sensory seeking, Emotional reactive, Low endurance/tone, Oral sensory sensitivity, Inattention/distractibility, Poor registration, Sensory sensitivity, Sedentary, and Fine motor/perceptual.  Publisher: Harcourt or  www.sensoryprofile.com
 

Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT): measures aspects of sensory processing and praxis, the ability to form an idea, plan the action and execute it. This test evaluates specifically delineate processing challenges which may be contributing to difficulties in learning or behavior. The SIPT measures visual, tactile, and kinesthetic perception as well as motor performance. A child's performance on each of these tests is compared with the average performance of other children in his or her age group. In addition to these tests, clinical observations are made of muscle tone, postural responses, coordination and hand skill development.  It is composed of 17 brief tests and provides standardized scores.  Must be given by OT who is SIPT certified.  The cost runs between $800-1500.

   
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Social Skills

Scales of Independent Behavior (SIB) -  comprehensive, norm-referenced assessment of adaptive and maladaptive behavior.  It may be administered in a structured interview or by a checklist procedure.  There are 33 items give users a broader measure of the adaptive behavior skills required in everyday living. Simplified scoring: Age-equivalent scoring tables are included in the response booklets for each subscale, allowing examiners to get immediate developmental information.



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Executive Functioning:

Type of Scores

These tests consists of a number of mandatory and optional subtests.  The results obtained by the child on these different subtests are combined into composite or cluster scores.   If we rely on composite, cluster scores, or averaging these scores, without examining the child's scores on the individual subtests, we can easily overlook obvious deficiencies and significant strengths.  Relying on composite, cluster scores, or averaging can lead to faulty educational decision-making, having tragic consequences for children.  To advocate effectively, parents must obtain all of the subtest scores (SS) on the tests that have been administered to your child.

Standard Score (SS) Compares the student's performance with that of other children at the same age or grade level.  For reference, Standard Score of 85-115 fall within normal range.  Standard score of 84 or lower fall below the normal range and scores of 116 or higher fall above normal range.

Stanine Score like the Standard score, reflects the student's performance compared with that of students in the age range on which the given test was normed.  For reference, a stanine of 7 is above average, a stanine of 5 is average and a stanine of 3 is below average  (see the 'detailed bell curve' at bottom page).

The Percentile (PR or %) Score indicates the student's performance on given test relative to the other children the same age on who the test was normed.  A score of 50% or higher is above normal range.  Percentiles are not the same as percent correct!  Percentile is an age-based or grade-based score indicating the percent of the norm group of students tested who scored less than the student. A 85th percentile means that 85 percent of students tested scored lower than the subject, not that the student received 85% of the questions correct.  Percentile scores are correlated to standard score or IQ scores: 75th percentile is the same as standard score or IQ score of 110 (see the 'detailed bell curve' at bottom page).   For tests that use a large populations (nationally normed), percentiles are statically a better way to compare one child to his age or grade peers.

It is not recommend to use of grade & age equivalents scores - they are ordinal measures, terribly inaccurate, they promote inaccurate typological thinking and they're grossly inaccurate for measuring growth. Parents like them, but they can lead to erroneous conceptions.  School curriculum varies and it makes it difficult to determine appropriate grade level.

The Grade Equivalent (GE) score reflects the approximate grade level at which the student is performing in a given skill.   The whole number represents the grade, and the decimal number represents the month within that grade. For example, 4-5 or 4.5 means fourth grade, fifth month. So a student scoring 4.5 scored about the same as the typical score of a fourth graders tested with the same test in January or early February (-5 or.5).  A GE of 2.5 indicates that the student's raw score for the test was as the average (median) raw score for the group of students in the fifth month of second grade on whom the test was normed.


The Age Equivalent (AE) score reflects the approximate age at which the student is performing in a given skill.   The whole number represents the age, and the decimal number represents the additional months. For example, 6-5 or 6.5 means age six, and five months. So a student scoring 6.5 scored about the same as the typical score of a six year old tested with the same test in January or early February (-5 or.5).  A AE of 9.5 indicates that the student's raw score for the test was as the average (median) raw score for the group of students age nine and five months on whom the test was normed.

Read Questions & Answers on "Age vs grade equivalent scores", click here





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Related Resources

For information about the proper tests to use with: Dyslexic and Learning Disabled students; students with Dysgraphia, please click here to visit our Which Test webpage. for list of recommended tests.

Resources used for this page came from the following sources:

The Test company catalogs and websites, Landmark School and other resources stated on this page.

The book, "The Special Educator's Comprehensive Guide to 301 Diagnostic Tests"
 by Roger Ph.D. Pierangelo, George Psy.D. Giuliani (2006)",
 check out our Recommend Book page.


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• The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) , for children ages 6 1/2 to 16 1/2 years
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
• Kaufmann Test Educational Achievement (KTEA)
• Woodcock-Johnson (WJ-III)
  

Wrightslaw, for some additional information and examples of how to make use of your child's testing:
" Understanding Tests and Measurement for the Parent, Advocate and Attorney "
 written by Pamela Darr Wright, M.A., M.S.W.  Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Peter W. D. Wright, Esq.

They also have a slide show "Test and Measurement" (created to view with Internet Explorer).

To view a detailed Bell Curve to help track standard test scores, click here.


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	One of our original webpages, created December, 2003, by Melody Orfei Webpage last modified on January 28, 2008 - V35, by Melody Orfei
o.mel@verizon.net