There are many different types of testing that can be done during an evaluations. They can be done by our school system or independently:

There are about a dozen different intelligence tests (WISC being the most common used).
Achievement test for: reading, spelling, written language, arithmetic/mathematics, comprehensive.

These are assessments listed on this page, click on the type of test or name of test, to take you to that place on the page.

Achievement:

Woodcock-Johnson
Kaufmann
WIAT

Speech and Language:

CELF - oral language
TOPS-R-E - problem solving
TOPS-A - problem solving
Arizona - Articulation

Social Pragmatics:

TOPL

Phonological Awareness (PA):

CTOPP
TPAT
TOPA
LAC

Educational Diagnose
Reading (To test a child's readiness for reading, see Phonological Awareness Tests):

TERA - young child ability
GORT - fluency & comph.
GORT-D - decode,comph.
GSRT- (older test)
TOWRE - accuracy & fluency
WRMT - word Attack & Idef.
DIBELS - phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and fluency

Classroom reading checks:

DAR
QRI

Stanford Diagnostic

Writing:

WPT
TOWL
TOWE

Spelling:

KTEA

TWS

Math
KeyMath:

TOMA

Occupational Therapy:

MAP - developmental delays
PDMS - Peabody
TVPS - Gardner Test of Visual Perceptual
MVPT - Motor Free Visual Perceptual
TVMS - Test of Visual Motor Skills
PVMIA - Preschool
Berry-VMI - Visual Motor Integration
Bruininks-Test of Motor Proficiency

SI:

Sensory Profile
SIPT

Social Skills:

SSBS
SSRS
WMS
VABS
SIB

Also check under Social Pragmatics, listed under Speech and Language.

Related resources:

Comprehensive Achievement Assessment of Perceptual Abilities:

The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery

Test measure:
Cognitive ability, academic achievement, and scholastic interest. provides a co-normed set of tests for measuring cognitive abilities and academic achievement.
Ages: 2.0+, Grades: K.0 - 16.9

Administration time:
Varies; approximately 5 minutes per subtest.

Scores:
SS; GE; AE; PR; RMI; instructional ranges; developmental level bands. Yields individual test scores plus cluster scores.

Purpose:
A diagnostic tools used by evaluators to determine whether a student has learning disabilities. It is important that both the cognitive and achievement portions of the Woodcock-Johnson test be administered. Often only the achievement portion is given which points out the student's academic weaknesses. The cognitive test needs to be given to provide a more complete picture of the student's academic functioning and strengths. The combination of both the cognitive and achievement test results gives valuable information concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the student, the student's learning style, the possible presence of visual perceptual difficulties, and the student's aptitude in academic areas. A student with learning disabilities often scores high in oral language and verbal ability. ( From The Woodcock-Johnson Test: Maximizing Benefits for Students with Learning Disabilities , by Larry Falxa. Note: The WISC can be used for the cognitive test instead of the WJ cognitive section.)

The WJ is divided into two sections, Cognitive and Achievement:

The WJ-R Cognitive part has 7 subtest and the supplement battery of the cognitive test are made up of 14 subtest (total 21). The achievement battery 9 subtest and the supplement battery of the achievement battery test are made up of 5 subtest (total 14 subtest). Giving us a total of 35 subtests in all.


The WJ-III Has 42 subtests, the Cognitive part has 20 subtests. The achievement battery 22 subtest.

WJ-R, subtests and clusters
WJ-III, subtest and clusters

Educators have often reported that when they give WJ to prove what they all ready know, and have found that test does not show the student areas of weakness. It is important to have your child tested in each area of weakness. Using standardize tests in their area of weakness (i.e. reading test, spelling, math test).
See the list of the different diagnostic tests that are available.

Achievement Assessment:
The Kaufmann Educational Achievement Tests (KTEA)
Test measure:
Achievement assessment of core subject areas.
Ages: 6-11, Grades: 1-12

Administration time:
Brief Form 20-30 minutes;
Comprehensive Form (Grades 1-3) 30-60 minutes, (Grades 4-12) 50-75 minutes.

Test purpose:
This test is intended to screen students on global achievement skills to determine the need for follow-up testing and evaluation.

Scores/Interpretation:
Age and grade-based standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15), grade equivalents, percentile ranks, normal curve equivalents (NCEs), and stanines. Provides error analysis for each subtest to help identify a student's strengths and weaknesses. Provides accurate score comparisons for reading decoding, reading comprehension, and math.

Subtest:

Reading decoding - The student reads words aloud to the examiner.
Mathematics application - story type problems printed on easel pages. The student can use a pencil to figure our the answer, but must answer orally.
Spelling - given as a typical spelling test.
Reading comprehension - student reads silently and respond orally.
Mathematics computation - This subtest includes 60 math problems.

Kaufmann report

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
Test measure:
Achievement assessment of core subject areas.
Ages: 5 - 19

Administration time:
30 - 75 minutes

Test purpose:
The educational achievement of the children and adolescents.

Score:
Age and grade-based standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15), composite score, grade equivalents, percentile ranks and stanines.

Subtest:

Basic reading - decoding and sight reading.
Mathematics reasoning - major curriculum objectives in problem solving, geometry, measurement, and statistics.
Spelling - encoding and spelling ability
Reading Comprehension - comprehension of detail, sequence, cause-and-effect relationships, and inference in very short parphgraph. (Students can look back at the parphgraph and find the find the answers.)

Numerical Operations - test ability to write dictated numerals; to solve basic addition, subtraction, multiplication's, and division problems; to solve problems with whole numbers, fractions and decimals and to solve algebraic equations.
Listening Comprehension - Levels of comprehension ranging from understanding of details to make inferential conclusions.
Oral Expression - assess the ability to name targeted words, describe scenes, give directions and explain steps in sequential tests.
Written Expression - Free writing task. It assessment of idea development and organization as well as capitalization and punctuation.


Educational Diagnostic tests

Reading:
Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA)
Measures of the reading ability of young children age 3 years, 6 months - 8 years, 6 months (does not test the child's readiness for reading). Assess their mastery of early developing reading skills. Three subtests: Alphabet - Knowledge of alphabet and uses, Conventions - Book orientation and format, and Meaning - Construction of meaning from print. Testing time 30 minutes. (Recommend to also the child for Phonological Awareness).


The Gray Oral Reading, Third Edition (GORT­3)
Is a popular reading test created by William S. Gray. This version provides an objective measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of oral reading difficulties. The GORT­3 comprises two alternate, equivalent forms, each of which contains 13 developmentally sequenced passages with five comprehension questions. The GORT­3 provides examiners with a Passage Score that is derived by examining the reader's performance in rate (time taken to read each passage) and deviations from print (errors). The Passage Score is reported in terms of standard scores, percentile ranks, and grade equivalents. Also provided are standard scores, percentiles, and grade equivalents for Oral Reading Comprehension. Unlike the earlier versions, the GORT­3 adds normative scores for rate and accuracy . A total score for Oral Reading is also provided. For ages: 7.0 through 18.11, testing time: 15-­30 minutes, administrated individually. (1992)

The Gray Oral Reading Test, Forth Edition (GORT-4)
This is the newest version of this test. Some educators find student to score higher on this version of the test.
It provides an efficient and objective measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of oral reading difficulties. The test consists of two parallel forms, each containing 14 developmentally sequenced reading passages with five comprehension questions and can be given to students ages 6-0 through 18-11. The GORT­4 provides examiners with a Fluency Score that is derived by combining the reader's performance in Rate (time in seconds taken to read each passage) and Accuracy (number of deviations from print made in each passage). The number of correct responses made to the comprehension questions provides examiners with an Oral Reading Comprehension Score. All four scores are reported in terms of standard scores, percentile ranks, grade equivalents, and age equivalents. The Fluency Score and the Oral Reading Comprehension Score are combined to obtain an Oral Reading Quotient.
The test -retest study was conducted with all ages for which the test can be administered and illustrates the stability and reliability of the measure. The validity is extensive and includes studies that illustrate that the GORT­4 can be used with confidence to measure change in oral reading over time. The GORT-4 has many improvements. Finally, several new validity studies have been conducted, including an examination of the relationship of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children , Third Edition (WISC­III) to the GORT­4. You can use the GORT­4 in a variety of settings, such as elementary and secondary schools, clinics, and reading centers. The two forms of the test allow you to study an individual's oral reading progress over time. (2001)


The Gray Oral Reading Tests-Diagnostic (GORT-D)
Asses students who have difficulty reading continuous print and who requires an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness. There are seven subtest in the GORT-D. Subtest 1 (Paragraph Reading requires the student to orally read passages and respond to comprehension questions. If the student perform poorly on the first subtest, the remaining subtest are administered. The other subtests are Decoding (Consonant/Cluster Recognition, Phonogram Recognition, Blending), Word Identification (Word recognition and Vocabulary); Word Attack ; Morphemic Analysis; Contextual Analysis and Word Ordering. (2000)

Gray Silent Reading Test (GSRT)
Measures an individual's silent reading comprehension ability ages 7 - 25. (1991)

Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
Measures of word reading accuracy and fluency. It is used to monitor the growth of two kinds of word reading skills that are critical in the development of overall reading ability. Recognizing familiar words as whole units or sight words, and the ability to Sound out words quickly. The TOWRE contains two subtests: the Sight Word Efficiency (SWE) subtest assesses the number of real printed words that can be accurately identified within 45 seconds, and the Phonetic Decoding Efficiency (PDE) subtest measures the number of pronounceable printed non-words that can be accurately decoded within 45 seconds. Each subtest has two forms (Forms A and B) that are of equivalent difficulty, and either one or both forms of each subtest may be given depending upon the purposes of the assessment. Scores are provided in percentiles, standard scores, and age and grade equivalents are provided. (1999)
Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised (WRMT-R)
Measures Word Attack and Word Identification. The test has two alternate, equivalent forms (G and H), that are used to pre-and post-testing. Grade equivalent, percentile and standard score are provided.
The Word Attack subtest assesses the students' word-level phonetic decoding skills. The subtest is comprised of 45 isolated, phonetically regular syllables, nosensense words and low frequency, phonetically regular real words. The use of phonetic nonsense words and syllables allows us to examine decoding in relative isolation form sight-words and vocabulary abilities.
The Word Identification subtest assess the students "word recognition" skill (the ability to read isolated real words). For ages: kindergarten through college and adult population.


Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
set of standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy development. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of pre-reading and early reading skills.

The measures were developed upon the essential early literacy domains discussed in both the National Reading Panel (2000) and National Research Council (1998) reports to assess student development of phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, and automaticity and fluency with the code. Each measure has been thoroughly researched and demonstrated to be reliable and valid indicators of early literacy development and predictive of later reading proficiency to aid in the early identification of students who are not progressing as expected. When used as recommended, the results can be used to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level feedback toward validated instructional objectives.

Classroom checks

Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR)

Provides individual diagnostic information in the areas of reading and language: word recognition, word analysis, oral reading, silent reading comprehension, spelling, and word meaning.
Can be used by classroom teacher to get a quick assessment of a child's reading. Appropriate use requires training.
This test is criterion referenced test, not as reliable as norm refered test.
Grades K - 3 version, another version for grades 4 - 8. There are two measures of reading skill oral reading (decoding) and comprehension. A reported instructional level is meaningless in DAR for both decoding and comprehension. There is not one score. Hearing your child is reading at "DAR of level 12" does not give you enough information about student's reading performance.
For Oral reading (decoding) scores of 94% or better indicates independent reading level.
Comprehension should be reported as an independent level and the score in the assessment. Adequate comprehension (score 16-21) is considered passing = independent.
Appropriate reporting would be:

Oral Reading Comprehension
Level: Level:
A - 2 Kindergarten 6 - 9 Very little comprehension
3,4,6,8,10,12,14,16 First grade 10 - 15 Some comprehension
18,20,24,28 Second grade 16 - 21 Adequate comprehension
30,34,38 Third grade 22 - 24 Very good comprehension
40,44 Strong third grade



Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)
Is an informal reading inventories. It provides graded word lists and numerous passages designed to assess the oral reading, silent reading, or listening comprehension of a student. It contains narrative and expository passages at each pre-primer through high school level. All are self-contained selections highly representative of the structure and subject matter of materials found in basal readers and content-area textbooks. Passages at the pre-primer through second grade levels are presented with and without pictures. Maps and illustrations are part of the high school selection. Prior to reading, knowledge of concepts important to an understanding of the passage is assessed, which allows the examiner to label a passage as familiar or unfamiliar to each student. The QRI–3 measures comprehension in several ways: through an analysis of the student's retelling, through the answers to explicit and implicit comprehension questions, through the use of look-backs that allow readers to search in the text for information to answer questions not previously answered correctly, and through the use of think-alouds to analyze students' thoughts during reading. This test allows the user to evaluate a reader's comprehension abilities in light of his or her background knowledge about a subject and whether the text was narrative or expository. The reader's answers to explicit and implicit comprehension questions allow the examiner to assess the reader's understanding of the text. The examiner can also assess the reader's understanding of the structure of the text through a qualitative analysis of his or her retelling. Look-backs and think-alouds can be used to assess a reader's awareness and use of various metacognitive strategies for comprehending text.

Stanford Diagnostic Tests

There two separate test, one for reading and mathematics. The Standford Dianostic Reading (SDRT) and Mathematics Test (SDMT). Both tests a student's reading and mathematics strengths and weaknesses.

Both the Standford Diagnostic tests are for Grades: 2 - 12, The test are colored coded, Red=Grade 2, Orange=Grade 3, Green=Grade 4, Purple=Grade 5- 6, Brown=Grade 7-8, Blue=Grade 9-12. There is only one form for the Red, Orange and Green levels - Form J. There are two forms for the Purple, Brown and Blue levels - Forms J and K.

Publisher: The Psychological Corporation.

STANFORD DIAGNOSTIC READING TEST (SDRT) - 4th Editon
The test SDRT is a group administered, norm-referenced multiple-choice test, and has 3 subtests.

Administration time:

The test SDRT is 85 minute test may be given in one sitting or each section may be given on different days or different times. Each section must be given in one sitting.

Score:

Above, at, or close to grade level: No more than one year below grade level.
Below grade level: More than one year below grade level, but no more than three years below grade level at grades 6-10 and two years below grade level at grades 4 and 5.
Significantly below grade level: More than three years below grade level at grades 6-10; more than two years below grade level at grades 4 and 5.
The Total Reading score is not an average of the three scores on the subtests--weighted, unweighted, or otherwise. It is based on the total number of questions answered correctly on all portions of the test and is derived by comparing how the student performed on the whole test with how students from different grade levels at different times of the year have typically performed on the same test.

Subtest:
Reading Vocabulary measures the range of words your child knows, based on grade-level expectations;
Reading Comprehension measures how well your child understands and analyzes various types of reading material; and Scanning Skills measures your child's ability to skim through reading material to find information.

Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test

Test Purpose: Designed to identify specific mathematical concepts in which a student is lacking.

Population: Grades 1.5 to 6.5.

Scoring: Covering the mathematical content of grades 1 through 8, the test is divided into four levels, (two grades per level).
Has both norm-referenced and content-referenced interpretations. The three subtests produce raw scores that can be converted into percentile ranks, stanines, grade equivalents, and scaled scores for each of the three subtests and for the total score.

Subtest: Three areas: Number System and Numeration, Computation, and Applications. It may be administered to single individuals or to groups, and permits both norm-referenced and content-referenced interpretations.

Time: (95-110) minutes, it may be administered to single individuals or to groups.

Description: The Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test (SDMT) was designed to identify those specific mathematical concepts and skills on which a student is making less than satisfactory progress.

Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI)

Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)

Writing

Writing Process Test (WPT) - This norm-referenced test is a direct measure of writing that requires the student to plan, write, and revise an original composition. The WPT assesses both written product and writing process. The student's analysis is elicited via a checklist of quick, easy questions about the composition. The examiner can also gain insight into the student's awareness of having used metacognitive strategies when planning and recursive behaviors when composing and revising. The test can be administered individually or in groups for people 8 through 19 years of age (or in Grades 2 through 12), and administration usually takes 45 minutes.
Test of Written Language (TOWL) - There are two forms of this test (form A and B, so the test can be repeated with it being contaminated by memory.) Eight subtest: Contextual conventions, Contextual language, Story construction, Vocabulary, Spelling, Style, Logical sentences, and Sentence combining. For students in grade 2 - 12.

Test of Written Expression (TOWE) - Uses two assessment methods to evaluate a student's writing skills. The first method involves administering a series of 76 items that tap different skills associated with writing. The second method requires students to read or hear a prepared story starter and use it as a stimulus for writing an essay (i.e., the beginning of the story is provided, and the writer continues the story to its conclusion). For students between 6 years, 6 months to 14 years, 11 months.

Spelling
Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA) - Accesses the student's ability to spell 50 isolated real words that are organized on order of difficulty. This test provides standard scores, percentiles and grade equivalents.

Test of Written Spelling Fourth Edition (TWS-4) - Is a norm-referenced test of spelling administered using a dictated word format. The TWS-4 now has two alternate or equivalent forms (A and B) which make it more useful in test-teach-test situations. The TWS-4 is appropriate for students in Grades 1 through 12 as well as for those in remedial programs. The TWS was developed after a review of 2,000 spelling rules. The words to be spelled are drawn from 10 basal spelling programs and popular graded word lists. The results of the TWS-4 may be used for four specific purposes: to identify students whose scores are significantly below those of their peers and who might need interventions designed to improve spelling proficiency, to determine areas of relative strength and weakness in spelling, to document overall progress in spelling as a consequence of intervention programs, and to serve as a measure for research efforts designed to investigate spelling. Can be administered in 20 minutes to either groups or individuals and yields the following educationally relevant information: standard scores, percentiles, spelling ages, and grade equivalents.

Math

Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test - Revised (Key Math-R) - The student "points-to" and uses "paper and pencil". Takes 30-45 minutes, for ages preschool to grade 6. There are three major areas consisting of 14 subtest. Basic concepts -investigates basic Mathematical concepts and knowledge (Numeration, rational numbers and Geometry), Operations -of basic computation process (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and mental computations), and Applications- Functional application using mathematics necessary to daily life (Measurement, time, money, estimation, interpretation of data, problem solving).

Test of Mathematical Abilities (TOMA) - The TOMA-2 was developed for use in grades 3 through 12. It measures math performance on the two traditional major skill areas in math (i.e., story problems and computation) as well as attitude, vocabulary, and general application of mathematics concepts in real life. The TOMA-2 has five subtests, four in the core battery (Vocabulary, Computation, General Information, and Story Problems) and one supplemental subtest (Attitude Toward Math).

Speech and Language

Phonological Awareness

Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP)
Assesses phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming. There are two version of the test. The first version, developed for children ages 5 and 6, contains seven core subtests and one supplemental test. The second version, for individuals ages 7 through 24, contains six core subtests and eight supplemental tests. The supplemental tests are provided to allow the examiner to more carefully assess specific phonological strengths and weaknesses.
The CTOPP has four principal uses: (a) to identify individuals who are significantly below their peers in important phonological abilities, (b) to determine strengths and weaknesses among developed phonological processes, (c) to document an individual's progress in phonological processing as a consequence of special intervention programs, and (d) to serve as a measurement device in research studies investigating phonological processing. Testing time is 30 minutes, for core subtests.

Test of Phonological Awareness (TOPA)

Test measure:
Measures young children's awareness of the individual sounds in words.

Purpose:
The educational achievement of the children and adolescents. Children who are sensitive to the phonological structure of words in oral language have a much easier time learning to read than children who are not. The TOPA can be used to identify children in kindergarten who may profit from instructional activities to enhance their phonological awareness in preparation for reading instruction.
Ages:
The Early Elementary version of the TOPA can be used to determine if first and second-grade students' difficulties in early reading are associated with delays in development of phonological awareness.
The TOPA is provided in a Kindergarten version suitable for administration any time during the kindergarten year. The Early Elementary version suitable for first and second-grade children.

Administration time:
Both versions can be administered either individually or to groups of children, with group administration taking about 20 minutes.

Score:
Age Equivalency, percentile ranks, and standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15).

Subtest:
There are nine subtest: Rhyming, Segmentation, Isolation, Deletion, Substitution, Blending, Graphemes, Decoding, and Invented Spelling.

The TOPA is a nationally normed, standardized, 20-item test that measures awareness of the individual sounds within words. Specifically, children are asked to identify the ending sounds in words.

The Phonological Awareness Test (TPAT)

Test measure:
Measures young children's awareness of the individual sounds in words.

Purpose:
Same as TOPA, children who are sensitive to the phonological structure of words in oral language have a much easier time learning to read than children who are not. The TPAT can be used to identify children in kindergarten who may profit from instructional activities to enhance their phonological awareness in preparation for reading instruction.
Ages: 5-9 Grades: Kinergarten to 4th grade.

Administration time:

Score:
Age Equivalency, percentile ranks, and standard scores (M = 100, SD = 15).

Subtest:
There are nine subtest: Rhyming, Segmentation, Isolation, Deletion, Substitution, Blending, Graphemes, and Decoding.

The TPAT is a nationally normed, standardized.

the test protocol on-line

The Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test® (LAC®)
Measures the ability to discriminate one speech sound or phoneme from another, and segment a spoken word into its constituent phonemic units. It may be administered at any age level. Because of the importance of these auditory skills to reading, the results are helpful for speech-language pathologists, special educators, and reading specialists. the student must understand the concepts of sameness and difference, be able to number to 4, and be familiar with left-to-right progression. The LAC measures the cognitive ability to distinguish and manipulate sounds, which is required for success in reading and spelling.
The LAC is a criterion-referenced measure, easy to administer, and helpful in identifying why a student may be at risk for reading problems. The LAC helps determine which students will be at risk in reading and spelling. It identifies the student for whom phoneme-grapheme correspondence is limited due to poor perception of phonemes. Testing time is about 10 minutes.

CELF-3 - Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals 3
This is a comprehensive diagnostic tool to measure the (oral) language skills of learning-disabled students in the areas of semantics, syntax, and memory.
The 11 Subtests include: Sentence Structure (Receptive), Concepts and Directions (Receptive), Semantic Relationships (Receptive), Listening to Paragraphs (Receptive), Word Classes (Receptive), Recalling Sentences (Expressive), Word Structure (Expressive), Formulated Sentences (Expressive), Sentence Assembly (Expressive), Word Associations (Expressive), Rapid Automatic Naming (Expressive).

Receptive Language:
1. Sentence structure: points to 1 of 4 pictures in response to an orally presented stimulus.
2. Concepts and directions: identifies pictures of geometric shapes in response to orally presented direction.
3. Semantic relations: listen to 4 facts, then select 2 of 4 visually presented options.
4. Word classes: picks 2 out of 3 or 4 words orally presented that go together.
5. Recalling sentences: imitation of orally presented sentence.
Expressive Language:
1. Sentence assembly: produces 2 semantically and syntactically intact sentences from visually and orally presented words or word clusters.
2. Word structure: completes orally presented sentences with picture stimuli.
3. Formulated sentences: given target word and picture stimulus and asked to form sentence.
4. Recalling sentences: imitate orally presented sentences.
5. Word associations: lists as many words within given category as possible in 1 minute.

The whole battery need not be administered to obtain a norm referenced language score.
Three subtests can be administered to obtain an Expressive Language score, and 3 subtests can be administered to obtain an receptive language score.

Age Range: 6 - 21 years.
Time to administer: individual, 30-45 minutes depending on client.

Test of Problem Solving - Elementary (TOPS-R)

Test measure: Responses show performance in these areas: problem solving, determining solutions, drawing inferences, empathizing, predicting outcomes, using context clues and vocabulary comprehension.

Ages: 6 - 11 years

Purpose: Assess ability to organize thoughts and express ideas clearly. To measure a students use language to think and problem solve. Students are asked questions about a series of photographs.

Admin. Time: 35 minutes - Individual
Norms: standard score, percentile rank, and age equivalency for total test

Test of Problem Solving - Adolescent (TOPS)

Test Measure: There are 13 problem solving passage and open ended questions to reveal abilities in these areas: clarifying, evaluating, fair-mindedness, analyzing, thinking independently, affect

Ages: 12 - 18 years

Purpose: Assess expressive language, thinking, and problem solving skills.
An older students thinking disorders. As student get older their thinking become more obvious. Evaluate teens' thinking and language skills with TOPS - Adolescent and let the results help you design therapy programs.

Admin. Time: 40 minutes - Individual
Norms: standard score, percentile rank, and age equivalency for total test

Arizona Articulation Proficiency Scale, Third Revision (Arizona-3)

The test covers all the major speech sounds in the English language, including initial and final consonants and blends, vowels, and diphthongs.

Ages: 1 - 18 years.

Purpose: A clinical measure of articulatory competence in children and adolescents.
Qualifications to Administer: Completion of graduate training as a speech language pathologist.
The test still uses a simple picture-presentation format that offers complete administration to most children in less than 3 minutes. Scoring involves the easy-to-understand "Total Score" that expresses the child's successful speech production on a scale from 1 to 100.

The Test of Pragmatic Language (TOPL)

Purpose: The student's ability to effectively use pragmatic language. Pragmatic language is language that is used socially to achieve goals, involving not only what is said but also why and for what purpose something is said. The TOPL is solidly built on current research and is derived from the operational framework of the Model of Pragmatic Language.

Ages: kindergarten, age 5 to age 13,
criterion-referenced assessment for junior high school (age 17-18)

Test Measure: 6 core subcomponents of pragmatic language:
physical setting, audience, topic, purpose (speech acts), visual­gestural cues, and abstraction

Admin. Time: 45 minutes - Individual
Norms: standard score, percentile rank, and age equivalency for total test

Occupational Therapy

Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) - For the identification of preschool children with mild to moderate developmental delays across a broad range of content domains, including behavioral, motor, and cognitive. MAP is a short and comprehensive screening instrument for ages 2 years, 9 months - 5 years, 8 months. It requires 20 to 30 minutes administration time and provides data on co-ordination, verbal, nonverbal, and complex tasks.

Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS) - early childhood motor development program that provides both in-depth assessment and training or remediation of gross and fine motor skills. The assessment is composed of six subtests that measure the interrelated motor abilities that develop early in life from birth through 5 years of age. Reliability and validity have been determined empirically.
PDMS-2 has 6 Subtests:
Reflexes - 8 items measure a child's ability to automatically react to environmental events.
Stationary - 30 items measure a child's ability to sustain control of his or her body within its center of gravity and retain equilibrium.
Locomotion - 89 items measure a child's ability to move from one place to another by crawling, walking, running, hopping, and jumping forward.
Object Manipulation - 24 items measure a child's ability to manipulate balls by catching, throwing, and kicking. Because these skills are not apparent until a child has reached the age of 11 months, this subtest is only given to children ages 12 months and older.
Grasping - 26 items measure a child's ability to use his or her hands. It begins with the ability to hold an object with one hand and progresses to actions involving the controlled use of the fingers of both hands.
Visual-Motor Integration - 72 items measure a child's ability to use his or her visual-perceptual skills to perform complex eye-hand coordination tasks such as reaching and grasping for an object, building with blocks, and copying designs.

Gardner Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills - non-motor(NM) - (TVPS): There are two levels of this test. Standard and Upper Level (UL). Both tests assesses seven areas of visual perception not requiring motor responses. Visual discrimination, visual memory, visual spatial relationships, visual form consistency, visual sequential memory, visual figure ground and visual closure.
The Upper level of the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills (non-motor) - (TVPS-UL), used for students ages 12 to 18 years. There are seven areas of visual perception: 1. Visual Discrimination, 2. Visual-Spatial Relationships, 3. Visual Form Constancy, 4. Visual Sequential Memory, 5. Visual Memory, 6. Visual Closure and 7. Visual Figure-Ground. Testing time is 10 to 20 minutes.
Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills (non-motor) - Lower level TVPS, used for Ages 4 Through 13 Years. Testing Time and seven subtests are the same.

Motor Free Visual Perceptual Test (MVPT)- An individually administered test designed to assess overall visual perceptual ability. Perceptual tasks include spatial relationships, visual discrimination, figure-ground, visual closure, and visual memory. Performance in these areas provides a single score that represents the individual's general visual perceptual ability. Ages: 4 - 95, MVPT-3 includes additional test items that permit the assessment of visual perception in adults and adolescents.

Test of Visual Motor Skills (TVMS) - This test assesses visual motor integration skills. Helps assess the extent to which individuals can integrate their visual and motor abilities. Two forms the short and long. Short form is for ages 2 - 8 years old and full form: Ages 2-18 years old. Each test takes as little as 5 mins (Motor Coordination) and as much as 15 mins. (Visual Perceptual).

PreSchool Visual Motor Integration Assessment (PVMIA) - This test specifically devoted to the perceptual abilities of the preschooler. The PVMIA was developed to identify visual motor integration deficits of children 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 years old.
Specific skills addressed: perception of position in space, awareness of spatial relationships, color and shape discrimination, matching two attributes simultaneously, and the ability to reproduce what is seen and what is interpreted.
Consists of 2 subtests: a Drawing subtest (8 items), which examines the ability to recognize and reproduce lines and shapes on paper, and a Block Patterns subtest (25 items), which examines the abilities to recognize color and shape using three-dimensional blocks and to recognize and reproduce patterns created by assembling the same blocks. The drawings used in the Drawing subtest are novel to children and developmental in nature. The Block Pattern Subtest uses parquetry blocks that fit small hands rather than the one inch cubes typically used in other tests. The test items are presented in order of increasing difficulty. In addition, there are two Behavioral Observation Checklists which assist in the interpretation of the test results. Raw scores are converted to Standard Scores and Percentile Ranges for each of the Subtests and for the Total Test. It can be administered in approximately 20 minutes and scored in approximately 25-30 minutes.

Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual Motor Integration (Beery VMI) - Helps assess the extent to which individuals can integrate their visual and motor abilities. The Short Format and Full Format tests present drawings of geometric forms arranged in order of increasing difficulty that the individual is asked to copy. The Short Format is often used with children ages 2-8 years. Full Form with children 2-18 years old.

Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency - This test assesses gross motor and fine motor skills. Assesses the motor proficiency of able-bodied students, as well as students with serious motor dysfunctions and developmental handicaps. The test can also be useful in developing and evaluating motor training programs. For ages 4 years, 6 months - 14 years, 5 months. Takes 45-60 minutes, Short Form: 15-20 minutes. There are three catalogeries and eight subtests:
1. Gross Motor Development: Running speed and agility, Balance, Bilateral coordination, Strength (arm, shoulder, abdominal, and leg).
2. Gross and Fine Motor Development: Upper-limb coordination.
3. Fine Motor Development: Response speed (catching a stick), Visual-motor control, Upper-limb speed and dexterity.

Sensory Intergration

Sensory Profile - Is comprised of a parent/caregiver and teacher questionnaire that is used to identify typical performance, probable difference or definite difference in a child's behavioral responses to sensory information in their environment. For Ages 3 to 10 years process sensory information in everyday situations. You can also profile the sensory system's effect on functional performance. Nine factor groupings characterize children by their responsiveness to sensory input including, Sensory seeking, Emotional reactive, Low endurance/tone, Oral sensory sensitivity, Inattention/distractibility, Poor registration, Sensory sensitivity, Sedentary, and Fine motor/perceptual.

Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT): measures aspects of sensory processing and praxis, the ability to form an idea, plan the action and execute it. This test evaluates specifically delineate processing challenges which may be contributing to difficulties in learning or behavior. The SIPT measures visual, tactile, and kinesthetic perception as well as motor performance. A child's performance on each of these tests is compared with the average performance of other children in his or her age group. In addition to these tests, clinical observations are made of muscle tone, postural responses, coordination and hand skill development. It is composed of 17 brief tests and provides standardized scores. Must be given by OT who is SIPT certified. The cost runs between $800-1500.

Social Skills

School Social Behavior Scales (SSBS) - Used to identify possible at risk students, determine student eligibility for intervention programs, and examine social competence and antisocial behavior patterns of children and adolescents in grades K - 12 or ages 5-18. The assessment is designed to be completed by educators and in school settings. There are 65 items in two major scales (Scale A, Social Competence, 32 items; and Scale B, Antisocial Behavior, 33 items). Scale A, Social Competence, contains three subscales: Interpersonal Skills, Self-management Skills, and Academic Skills. Scale B, Antisocial Behavior, also contains three subscales: Hostile-irratable, Antisocial-aggressive, and Demanding-disruptive.

Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) - A nationally standardized series of questionnaires that obtain information on the social behaviors of children and adolescents from teachers, parents, and the students themselves. Assess children who have problems with behavior and interpersonal skills. Detect the problems behind shyness, trouble initiating conversation, and difficulty making friends. Select behaviors for treatment and assist in planning intervention.
Ages: 3-18; A Student Self Report can be used in Grades 3-12.
Administration Time: 10-25 minutes for each questionnaire.
Scores: Social Skills, Problem Behaviors, and Academic Competence scales-Standard scores and percentile ranks; Scales and subscales-Behavior Levels (fewer, average, and more); Items-Frequency and Importance ratings point to behaviors that may require intervention.

Walker-McConnell Scale - WMS (K-6 / 7-12) - Has two verisons:
ELEMENTARY VERSION is appropriate for use with students in grades K-6. It consists of three, analytically derived, sub-scales (Teacher-Preferred Social Behavior, Peer-Preferred Social Behavior, and School Adjustment) totaling 43 items across the three sub-scales. The Scale relies on teacher ratings of the frequency with which social skills are estimated to occur for each student rated. The 43 items of the Elementary Scale typically require no more than 10 minutes to complete for each student.

ADOLESCENT VERSION is appropriate for use with students in grades 7-12. It contains four, analytically derived, sub-scales (Self Control, Peer Relations, School Adjustment, and Empathy) totaling 53 items across the four sub-scales. The Scale relies on teacher ratings of the frequency with which social skills are estimated to occur for each student rated. The 53 items of the Adolescent Scale typically require no more than 10 minutes to complete for each student.

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) - Used from birth to adulthood in their personal and social functioning. Following Edgar Doll's original conceptualization of adaptive behavior as multidimensional in structure and his measurement of the behaviors by areas, the VABS is organized around four Behavior Domains: Communication, Daily Living Skills, Socialization, and Motor Skills. The assessment has 13 scores.

Scales of Independent Behavior (SIB) - comprehensive, norm-referenced assessment of adaptive and maladaptive behavior. It may be administered in a structured interview or by a checklist procedure. There are 33 items give users a broader measure of the adaptive behavior skills required in everyday living. Simplified scoring: Age-equivalent scoring tables are included in the response booklets for each subscale, allowing examiners to get immediate developmental information.

Type of Scores
These tests consists of a number of mandatory and optional subtests. The results obtained by the child on these different subtests are combined into composite or cluster scores. If we rely on composite, cluster scores, or averaging these scores, without examining the child's scores on the individual subtests, we can easily overlook obvious deficiencies and significant strengths. Relying on composite, cluster scores, or averaging can lead to faulty educational decision-making, having tragic consequences for children. To advocate effectively, parents must obtain all of the subtest scores (SS) on the tests that have been administered to your child.

The Grade Equivalent (GE) score reflects the approximate grade level at which the student is performing in a given skill. The whole number represents the grade, and the decimal number represents the month within that grade. For example, 4-5 or 4.5 means fourth grade, fifth month. So a student scoring 4.5 scored about the same as the typical score of a fourth graders tested with the same test in January or early February (-5 or.5). A GE of 2.5 indicates that the student's raw score for the test was as the average (median) raw score for the group of students in the fifth month of second grade on whom the test was normed.

The Percentile (%) Score indicates the student's performance on given test relative to the other children the same age on who the test was normed. A score of 50% or higher is above normal range.

Standard Score (SS) Compares the student's performance with that of other children at the same age or grade level. For reference, Standard Score of 85-115 fall within normal range. Standard score of 84 or lower fall below the normal range and scores of 116 or higher fall above normal range.

Stanine Score like the Standard score, reflects the student's performance compared with that of students in the age range on which the given test was normed. For reference, a stanine of 7 is above average, a stanine of 5 is average and a stanine of 3 is below average.

Related Resources

Educational Testing is the the major area of testing it will serve as a baseline against which future progress can be measured. There are two types of educational testing Achievement testing and Diagnostic testing.

For information about the proper tests to use with: Dyslexic and Learning Disabled students; students with Dysgraphia, please click here to visit our Which Test webpage. for list of recommended tests.

Resources used for this page came from the following sources:

The Test company catalogs and websites, Landmark School and other resources stated on this page.

The book, "Special Educator's : Complete Guide to 109 Diagnostic Tests"
by Roger, Ph.D. Pierangelo, George A. Giuliani, George Giuliani (2000) ",
check out our Recommend Bookpage.

Some of the most frequently administered test by our schools are:

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) , for children ages 6 1/2 to 16 1/2 years
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
Kaufmann Test Educational Achievement (KTEA)
Woodcock-Johnson

Wrightslaw, for some additional information and examples of how to make use of your child's testing:
" Understanding Tests and Measurement for the Parent, Advocate and Attorney"
written by Pamela Darr Wright, M.A., M.S.W. Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Peter W. D. Wright, Esq.

They also have a slide show "Test and Measurement" (created to view with Internet Explorer).

To view a detailed Bell Curve to help track standard test scores, click here.

Last updated October 12, 2004
By Melody Orfei
o.mel@verizon.net