standardized testing for special needs kids

[crazycat]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone here has some ideas for us. We are required to submit standardized testing results on our kids in 2nd, 4th, 8th and 11th grades. My oldest is now considered 2nd grade at age 8. He is autistic and totally non-verbal, and really struggles with language - mostly uses pictures and pointing to communicate wants and needs and has a hard time with anything more than very simple, very familiar one-step verbal directions. Academically he is working at a pre-K to K level, but everything must be presented in a very visual manner for him to grasp.

So ... of course the typical standardized tests are not going to be relevant or meaningful. I contacted our local district and they said they didn't know what to suggest, but would try to find out something. I haven't heard back from them. I contacted our state Dept. of Ed. and they also said they had no suggestions for tests, but that whatever standardized test was acceptable to our local district would be acceptable to them, but they emphasized that it should be standardized.

I have no idea what to use. I have asked around in our homeschool groups but found nothing so far - we haven't run across any family that homeschools kids with needs like our son's so they all use the typical standardized tests. One family with an older child uses a test that they are able to modify for their son, but it is for grades 3 and up so wouldn't be appropriate age-wise for our son. The local district person mentioned the Battelle Developmental Inventory, but decided it wouldn't work because it is only for ages up to 8 years, and our son is currently 8 years old, so because of that she nixed that as an option.

I know that if he were in PS he would not be expected to take the regular tests, but I have not found anyone to suggest alternatives - they just say that the ones they use have to be administered by someone who is specially trained, and since they have been very condescending, rude, and almost hostile in our dealings with them in the past I would like to avoid having him tested by their personnel - I am really hoping to find something to use here at home that we can just send in at the end of the academic year.

Any ideas?

[mom2ponygirl]

Which state are you in, the laws will vary. In our state you can file for a permanent exemption from testing. Testing is normally required grades 3-9. You can also place your child in a grade up to 2 years behind standard age/grade. For example a kid who turns 9 by September 1 could still be a 2nd grader. If you find you can hold him back a grade, that would at least buy you some time to figure out the testing. Our state will also allow some outside testing to be substituted. You could probably pay for private testing that would satisfy them, but that could be pricey.

Give us the state and we'll see what we can dig up!
Here's some nonverbal test info, perhaps you can find a private administrator of one of these:http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/gen...dardtests.html
" school psychologists may choose to administer nonverbal intelligence assessments to students with ASD, rather than altering the standardized administration procedures or foregoing the procedure all together. The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, 3rd edition (TONI-3) is a valid and reliable alternative that does not require the examinee to read, write, speak, or listen. The Leiter International Performance Scale- Revised (Leiter-R; Roid & Miller, 1997) is another option. The Leiter-R, which does not require the student to use or to understand speech, has few timed items and will not penalize students for slow responses. While these instruments do minimize the communication difficulties that may interfere with obtaining the student’s true score, they do require social interaction skills, attention to task, and other appropriate test taking behaviors that may be difficult for students with ASD. "

[DaughterOfKali]

I'd be in trouble if standard testing was required here. My son is on the autism spectrum and although he does have language, he's behind in receptive language. He usually doesn't understand what is asked of him until that is explained in a couple different ways. No way could a standardized test work for him.

[crazycat]

Thank you for the replies! We are in S. Dakota. We have to register any child age 6 or over. He's a summer baby, so I registered him as K after he turned 6. Never thought to hold him back, even though he clearly has not mastered K level material. I could check into that for next year, as that would get us an extra year before his 4th grade testing ... I know if he were in PS he would be administered an alternative test - just so frustrating that nobody wants to be helpful here in our local district or at the state level. I could check into an exemption - I did find a small blurb about some kids being exempted due to inability to provide appropriate accommodations ... haven't found anything further to see how we could apply that, though ...

[zebra15]

Why not develop an IEP that has him exempt from testing, or that has him tested but the test is pointless due to his DX? There is no reason a HS can't have an IEP. Trust me in PS there are kids on IEP's that are exempt or that have accomodations.
Are you working with a psychologist or developmental ped? That may also be a place to start

[Jennifer Z]

You might try a University Speech Language Hearing clinic (where they have a grad program for Communication Disorders, training for SLPs, etc) and see if they have any ideas. Ours has a literacy specialist that works with different kinds of educational tests. I don't know if that is because it is her "area" or just because she has a personal interest and is the go-to person for standardized testing, but somebody there is likely familiar with something that might work. Our ST works with other people there when I need testing for Zane, and they are cheaper than most private places because the tests are administered by students learning how to give and score the tests (with supervision).