pepperidge
New Member
Hi
I got the computer printout for the my son's WJ tests. I know something about statistics and have the wrightlaw page on interpreting test results so I understand much of it. However the Special Education teacher said that we should focus on the SS rather than the GE or AE scores. Just looking at the SS scores, he falls below 86 in several (broad math, brief writing, math calc skills--78). Two questions.
1) what does the 68% band in parantheses mean next to the SS? Does it mean a confidence interval around the SS? for example on math calculation skilss he got a 78 (74-82)?
2) Even for those scores where he falls within one standard deviation, they are towards the bottom of the one standard deviation range. In many things he is at the 4 or 5th grade level (even though he is finishing up 7th grade). This is a kid with above average IQ (verbal of 123 and performance IQ of 107), but with difficulties with persistence, math facts, spelling, writing legibly, reads pretty much ok. Should I be concerned? and what should I be asking for?
3) how concerned should I be that his performance appears to have deteriorated:
in 2nd grade for example his SS in broad reading was 110, now is 100 ; reading fluency has gone down from 111 to 89; his broad math has gone down from 96 to 82 and broad written language has gone down from 103 to 89. We also have WJ testing from 5th grade (school didn't report the broad scores) that suggests on most of the language arts drops occured between 5 and 7th grade.
I can imagine the school district saying that without Special Education intervention he would have done even worse, given that he has not exactly been available for learning (which is true, given his emotional difficulties particularly in 5 and 6th grade). What does one say in response?
4) How to write goals for next year. As I posted before, the goal in his draft IEP is math at 7th grade level next year. First of all, I don't know what that means--whose 7th grade level? state tests, passing grade in his 7/8th grade remedial math class; WJ? Second, and I guess related to that, what measurement to use? What I was pushing for in his IEP meeting was some sense of whether, if he passes the tests in his math class, where that will put him grade-wise level in terms of acquistion of skills. I think that is the correct tack to take. But should we have him tested at end of year in WJ again?
5) What do you all think about having the school district do the achievement testing? I pretty much trust them to adminster the test objectively, but....
thanks again.
P.
I got the computer printout for the my son's WJ tests. I know something about statistics and have the wrightlaw page on interpreting test results so I understand much of it. However the Special Education teacher said that we should focus on the SS rather than the GE or AE scores. Just looking at the SS scores, he falls below 86 in several (broad math, brief writing, math calc skills--78). Two questions.
1) what does the 68% band in parantheses mean next to the SS? Does it mean a confidence interval around the SS? for example on math calculation skilss he got a 78 (74-82)?
2) Even for those scores where he falls within one standard deviation, they are towards the bottom of the one standard deviation range. In many things he is at the 4 or 5th grade level (even though he is finishing up 7th grade). This is a kid with above average IQ (verbal of 123 and performance IQ of 107), but with difficulties with persistence, math facts, spelling, writing legibly, reads pretty much ok. Should I be concerned? and what should I be asking for?
3) how concerned should I be that his performance appears to have deteriorated:
in 2nd grade for example his SS in broad reading was 110, now is 100 ; reading fluency has gone down from 111 to 89; his broad math has gone down from 96 to 82 and broad written language has gone down from 103 to 89. We also have WJ testing from 5th grade (school didn't report the broad scores) that suggests on most of the language arts drops occured between 5 and 7th grade.
I can imagine the school district saying that without Special Education intervention he would have done even worse, given that he has not exactly been available for learning (which is true, given his emotional difficulties particularly in 5 and 6th grade). What does one say in response?
4) How to write goals for next year. As I posted before, the goal in his draft IEP is math at 7th grade level next year. First of all, I don't know what that means--whose 7th grade level? state tests, passing grade in his 7/8th grade remedial math class; WJ? Second, and I guess related to that, what measurement to use? What I was pushing for in his IEP meeting was some sense of whether, if he passes the tests in his math class, where that will put him grade-wise level in terms of acquistion of skills. I think that is the correct tack to take. But should we have him tested at end of year in WJ again?
5) What do you all think about having the school district do the achievement testing? I pretty much trust them to adminster the test objectively, but....
thanks again.
P.