Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses Methodology Karen Apgar School Psychologist PSW Committee Eugene School District 4J

Comprehensive Evaluation Components (Specific Learning Disability 90) #6 Strengths and Weakness Methodology - 4J Evaluation of the child’s strengths and weaknesses in performance and achievement, (or both) relative to age, state-approved grade level standards (or) and intellectual development. 4J and (ODE)

Components of PSW Evaluation of the child’s strengths and weaknesses in: performance, achievement, Relative to: age, state-approved grade level standards, intellectual development.

PSW Components With respect to grade-level expectations With respect to age expectations With respect to intellectual development Academic Achievement Classroom Performance

PSW Components Total: six components Academic Achievement related to grade-level expectations age expectations intellectual development Classroom Performance related to Total: six components Total: six data components

Academic Achievement data Relative to grade-level expectations Criterion-referenced standardized assessments: DIBELS (K-8) EasyCBM (K-4) 4J Reading Assessments (K-9) Relative to age expectations: Norm-referenced standardized assessments: WIAT WJ KTEA OWLS a) DIBELS, EasyCBM and District Reading Assessments are also norm referenced and b) DIBELS and Easy CBM are used as progress monitoring assessments and meet criteria for #4 - ODE Instructional Intervention Progress Monitoring data in reading and math.

Classroom Performance data Relative to grade-level standards OSAT scores Grade-level performance assessments or CBMs Relative to age expectations Grades Anecdotal information Notes - grade level standards/content/curriculum - performance assessments = tests and quiz

Intellectual Development 4J Position Federal Definition: Specific Learning Disability as a “disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes” Requires an analysis of Cognitive and/or Language processing If needed explain that intellectual ability can be viewed as a collection of psychological processes.

Intellectual Development Using Cognitive/Ability Assessments • Do not use Full-Scale (IQ) Scores • Use Index or Area Scores WISC-IV CAS Verbal comprehension Planning Perceptual organization Attention Working memory Simultaneous processing Processing speed Successive processing

Intellectual Development Using Language Assessment TOLD P-3 / CASL / CELF Listening comprehension/Receptive language Oral Expression/Expressive language *Specific subtests of achievement assessments may be used to support language processing data (ex. WIAT/KTEA)

Components of PSW Determining a pattern of strengths & weaknesses With respect to grade-level expectations With respect to age expectations With respect to intellectual development Academic Achievement Criterion-referenced assessments: DIBELS, CBM, Reading Kit Norm-referenced assessments: WIAT, WJ, KTEA, OWLS Norm-referenced cognitive and/or language assessments: WISC/WAIS, CAS, CELF, CASL, TOLD Classroom Performance OSATs, Curriculum-based Grades, Anecdotal/ Observations

PSW - Decision Rule for Initial Eligibility A pattern is demonstrated by THREE “points of evidence” that show a strength or weakness in one of the SLD areas; AND at least one strength and one weakness in cognitive/language processing, with supporting observations.

PSW Cut-offs & Measures Guidance Notes: refer to handout PSW Cut-Offs & Measures Guidance

PSW Cut-offs Criterion-referenced standardized assessments: Strength: above 30th percentile Weakness: below 20th percentile Norm-referenced standardized achievement assessments: *use age-norms when scoring assessments! Strength: above 25th percentile (SS>90) Weakness: below 10th percentile (SS<81) OSATs: Strength: “meets” or “exceeds” Weakness: “does not meet” Notes: Optional

PSW Cut-offs, continued Curriculum-based measurements: Strength: performance is average or above Weakness: performance is below-average Grades: Strength: As/Bs, or “meets,” “exceeds” Weakness: Ds/Fs, or “does not meet,” “unsatisfactory” Anecdotal: Strength or weakness: use professional judgment to compare student’s performance with age-peers Notes: Optional

PSW Cut-offs, continued Intellectual Development Norm-referenced standardized assessment of cognitive or language processing: Strength: index score above 25th percentile (SS>90) Weakness: index score below 16th percentile (SS<85) AND index score is significantly below the mean of the student’s index scores *Weakness = Normative Weakness (compared to population) AND Relative Weakness (within student)

Example: cognitive processing weakness CAS scores Planning = 95 Attention = 78 Simultaneous = 96 Successive =104 Mean CAS score = 93.25 Attention score is <10th percentile AND significantly below the mean score (using tables in CAS manual) Evidence of a cognitive processing weakness in the area of attention Need to use stats in back of manual (or for Wechsler…?) Address statistical validity of using mean score

Example: No cognitive processing weakness CAS scores Planning = 86 Attention = 78 Simultaneous = 83 Successive =87 Mean CAS score = 83.5 Attention score is <10th percentile BUT is not significantly below the mean score (using tables in CAS manual) No evidence of a cognitive processing weakness in the area of attention

PSW Cut-offs & Measures Guidance

Organizing a pattern Example: Math Calculation Relative to grade-level expectations Relative to age expectations Relative to intellectual development Academic Achievement EasyCBM math = 8th %ile weakness KTEA math calculation: 11th %ile inconclusive WISC: V.C. 95 P.O. 91 W.M. 88 P.S. 72 Strength: V.C. & P.O. Weakness: P.S. Classroom Performance OSAT math operations = did not meet Anecdotal: dawdles on math work; only 30% correct on tests Observations: works slowly, makes many references to examples P.S. weakness support

How to determine Specific Learning Disability Using a Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses Methodology

Walking through the SLD Eligibility form 1. Review existing information. 2. Assess and/or review achievement related to Oregon grade-level standards. (OSATs, DIBELS benchmarks, other standards-linked assessment data, etc.) 3. Observe student during instruction in the regular education setting area(s) of concern (Describe relevant behavior and its relationship to academic functioning, e.g., response to instruction and content, and examples of student’s cognitive strategies as strengths/weaknesses for the student).

Walking through the SLD Eligibility form, continued 4. Instructional Intervention Progress Monitoring data - review IIPM data on the Student Profile or similar SST forms. 5. (optional if using PSW). Response-to-Intervention (RTI) methodology: Instructional Intervention/Progress Monitoring Model Demonstration grant schools will integrate both the RTI and Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses methodologies as components of a comprehensive evaluation. All ELL/SpEd Comprehensive Evaluations will utilize both methodologies.

Walking through the SLD Eligibility form, continued 6. Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses methodology: Collect data and administer assessments to evaluate a student’s strengths and weaknesses in academic/ performance and intellectual development: Requires three points of evidence to equal a pattern of strength or weakness. Requires an analysis of cognitive or language processing with a minimum of one index score to identify a strength and one index score to identify a weakness with supporting observations. 7. Collect Developmental History, Medical Statement and/or Other Assessments, if the team determines information necessary.

Walking through the SLD Eligibility form, continued Part B. The team determines that: 1. The student does NOT achieve adequately when compared to age- or grade-level standards in one or more area. (Review part A information/data). 2. There is a pattern of strengths and weaknesses. 3. The student’s lack of achievement is primarily the result of: answer the exclusionary factors questions. (If “yes” to any of these, the child can not be found eligible in this category.) 4., 5., 6. Answer based on the information and data in parts A and B.

Summary 4J Comprehensive Evaluation Components (Specific Learning Disability 90) 4J Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses Methodology

PSW - Decision Rule for Initial Eligibility A pattern is demonstrated by THREE “points of evidence” that show a strength or weakness in one of the SLD areas; AND at least one strength and one weakness in cognitive/language processing with supporting observations.

PSW Committee Membership School psychologists Speech/Language Pathologist Next Steps • Peer Case/Consultant Groups • Work with Learning Center and Building Teams • Pilot 4J Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses • Methodology (Spring 2008)