Understanding Standardized Assessment Tools and Norm-Referenced Scores

1. Now that we have talked about observation and interviewing, let’s move on to the next spoke of the information gathering umbrella, standardized, norm-referenced tools. Assessmenttools are used for evaluation, often part of eligibility determination in Part C programs.These tools provide us with meaningful information related to how children’s performances on tests compare with children their same age and/or with similar characteristics. .

2. Here is some useful information about standardized, • norm-referenced tools …. • These tools sample a children’s behavior under certain conditions and are scored according to specific rules. • Standardized administration and scoring provides a uniform experience for children. This uniformity allows for relative comparisons among children. • Normative sample: children who represent a population of young children on such factors as age, gender, and ethnicity. Children in a normative sample are administered an instrument under certain conditions and their combined performance is used to profile expectations for children at various ages.

3. Let’s review some of the norm-referenced tools used to gather information in EarlySteps. During the intake process, the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) is used to briefly assess children’s motor, problem solving, communication and social-emotional development. This screening tool uses cut off scores to determine what children need to be referred for further evaluation to obtain more information. The Battelle Developmental Inventory 2nd edition (BDI-2), a comprehensive developmental assessment tool also evaluates children’s global development and is used in eligibility determination evaluation.

4. How are norm-referenced instruments scored? Scores on norm-referenced instruments are standard scores, typically reported in means and standard deviations. A mean score is the average score for the normative group; standard scores are used to describe children’s scores above or below the mean score. For example, if children’s scores are well above the average score of the normative group, their standard scores will be 1.5 or more standard deviations above the mean score. Scores more than 1.5 or 2 standard deviations below the mean score usually indicate a significant delay on developmental tests.

5. Why do I need to understand information about standardized instruments and standard scores? In Louisiana, one way children can qualify for services and supports through EarlySteps, is by meeting the Developmental Delay criteria. Remember, with the developmental delay criteria, children’s scores must be 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in one area of development on the (BDI-2) or specified sub-domains. For providers to help families understand these criteria, they need to understand what standard scores mean and how they are derived.

6. What are recommended practices when administering a standardized instrument? • Be qualified to administer the test. • Be familiar with all test items. • Use the standard protocol for administration, scoring and interpretation. • If test items or presentation of the test items can be adapted to elicit children’s best performance on the test (e.g., may change order of presentation of items to engage children and maintain interest their interest), know how to modify the test items.

7. Before administration, interact with the child and family to get to know them so that children’s performance on the test is less impacted by unfamiliarity with the evaluator. Find out whether the normative group is similar to the child being tested. Compare the information you obtain on the standardized instrument with other information gathered (e.g., interviews, observation, health summary, developmental screening).

8. Despite their usefulness related to quantifying developmental delay and comparing a child’s performance with a normative sample, leaders in the field of early intervention have identified several significant drawbacks to using normative standardized instruments with young children. Some of their concerns are listed below….. • Young children, particularly those with disabilities, often do not respond well to the structured, contrived tasks on standardized instruments. • Standardized administration procedures typically are not authentic. • A strange person (the person who administers the instrument) meets a young child in a strange place and asks them to perform tasks that might not be familiar to the child.

9. It is difficult to infer how a child functions in everyday activities and routines based on their performance on a standardized instrument. • The normative sample might not be a good comparison group for an individual infant or toddler, particularly if the infant or toddler has significant learning challenges or her native language or culture differs from those children in the normative sample.

10. Review this quote from Bagnato, Neisworth, & Munson (1997): “[Evaluation and] Assessment of infants and preschoolers remains dominated by restrictive methods and styles that place a premium on inauthentic, contrived developmental tasks, that are administered by various professionals in separate sessions using small, unmotivating toys from boxes or test kits, staged at a table or on the floor in an unnatural setting, observed passively by parents, interpreted by norms based solely on typical children, and used for narrow purposes of classification and eligibility determination”. (p. 69) Bagnato, S.J., Neisworth, J.T., & Munson, S.M. (1997). LINKing: Assessment and early intervention. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Review the next VEE diagram to understand the what, why and how of norm-referenced tests….

11. Norm-Referenced Tests Conceptual Methodological Why am I using norm referenced test? For Eligibility Evaluation Observe child activities in standardized fashion and compare to normative sample Comprehensive Developmental Assessment tool (CDA) In-depth look at child performance in a particular domain (such as expressive language, sensory integration) to gather information about a child’s performance relative to other children to make informed decisions about intervention • How am I conducting the test? • Remember the purpose and limitations of standardized administration of norm referenced tests…… • Compensating for strange experience of test? • Being as flexible as standard administration protocol allows? • Administering and scoring the test accurately? • Using a test that is normed with a sample of children similar to the child I’m testing? • Linking data with other known information about the child for congruence? • Being fair to the child or should I pursue eligibility through the Informed Clinical Opinion procedures? Whatam I assessing? Is child’s performance across developmental domains (motor, cognitive, adaptive, socio-emotional, communication) within or below the expected range?

12. We have reviewed various tools (i.e., observation, interview, standardized, norm-referenced tools) used to gather information to make decisions during the evaluation process of EarlySteps. Now, let’s take a look at the final spoke of the information gathering tools umbrella, curriculum-based assessments (CBA). Curriculum-based assessments, like the Assessment, Evaluation and Programming Systems (AEPS) are referenced to a curriculum. These assessments are based on children meeting a criterion (i.e., scores reflect what items or criteria children can perform rather than how their performance compares with other children his/her age). More confusing terms – oh, no….

13. For example, if a criterion specifies that a child use two hands to hold objects, the child would meet the criterion (and receive a “pass” on the item) if he/she uses two hands to hold a bottle. It does not matter what other children do; only what the child does in relation to the criterion for an item on the curriculum-based instrument. Additionally, CBAs provide meaningful information related to how children function in their natural environments during typical routines and activities. This information is linked easily to intervention planning. Remember that CBAs are not norm-referenced; items on the tool may be referenced to developmental ages at which we might expect children to meet the criterion. However, the emphasis is placed on whether children meet the criterion, not on specified age levels.

14. For example, walking without assistance may be a curricular item that is roughly associated with a 12 month developmental age. That age is determined by published norms and other relevant information in the professional literature – but not by a specific normative group of 12 month old infants. CBAs might provide age-equivalent scores, but these scores are only approximations. For this reason, criterion referenced instruments are not considered useful for making decisions about the extent of children’s developmental delay. CBAs are valuable for making decisions about children’s strengths and needs, as referenced to the items on the CBA and associated criteria. They are one part of authentic assessment and provide information about children’s functioning in their natural environments.

15. Curriculum Based Assessments Methodological Conceptual Why am I assessing? Assessment To link information with IFSP goals and intervention plans Assessment To observe child performance on curriculum based items during routines and activities with emphasis on change in performance Child Outcome Assessment How effective is the assessment? Comprehensive? Authentic? Meaningful to family? Strengths focused? Responsive to individual differences? In familiar context? What is being assessed? How the child performs on items in relation to criteria specified across curricular domains.