The Assessment Process in Wisconsin: Perceptions of Ebd Teachers

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the evaluation procedures and instruments used for placement decisions in programs for children and adolescents with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), and (b) determine the usefulness of evaluation information in the development of individual education programs (IEPs) and instructional planning. Four hundred fifty of the approximately 1300 teachers of students identified as EBD in Wisconsin were randomly selected to respond to a questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to provide information about two recent referrals, including: (a) whether the student was placed in an ED program, (b) what evaluation instruments/ procedures were used by each member of the multi-disciplinary (M-team), (c) how helpful the evaluation data were in the development of IEPs and as well as for instructional planning, and (d) what factors influenced the choice of evaluation instruments/procedures. The most frequently used evaluation instruments/procedures typically have been the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Revised (WISC-R), student interviews, Behavior Rating Profile (BRP), Behavior Evaluation Scale (BES), and classroom observations, respectively. EBD teachers rated the classroom observations, student interview and behavior rating scales as the instruments most helpful in the instructional planning process. Teachers generally found the evaluation data to be helpful in planning their IEPs. Teachers chose their evaluation instruments and procedures based on the ease of administration and scoring.