Assessment of Exceptional Children: Guidelines for Practice

Abstract

Assessment is a process that provides information needed for a number of important decisions in the education of exceptional children. These decisions include eligibility, diagnostic classification, program planning and placement, and program effectiveness. Because assessment contributes so centrally to the educational process and because the consequences of inadequately performed assessment are severe, it is crucial that assessment practice be guided by a clear set of standards. This paper presents twelve guidelines for special education assessment. The guidelines are based on legal and professional codes and on ourrent knowledge of the constituents of good assessment practice. The guidelines are proposed as an initial set of standards from whish a formal series of comprehensive standares atually be developed.