The goal of Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is to demystify the assessment process and make it less intimidating.

If your child has a disability or you teach children with disabilities, you need accurate information about the child's strengths, weaknesses, and needs before you can make decisions about his educational program.

If you are like most people, you have questions about tests and evaluations. How do tests measure skills? What do the test scores mean? Should you request specific tests?

In this easy-to-read book, you will find clear, concise answers to frequently asked questions about assessments, evaluations, and tests. You will learn about:

• psychological, academic, and neuropsychological tests and what these tests measure
• how to select an evaluator
• how to request a special education evaluation and how to provide parental consent
• speech-language, physical and occupational therapy, processing, adaptive behavior, and functional behavior assessments
• test terms and the realities about tests and assessment
• how small differences between tests can result in large differences in scores

The price is rock bottom - $14.95.

We wanted to make sure that everyone who needs to learn "all about tests and assessments" can afford it.

Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments, (ISBN: 978-1-892320-23-0) by Melissa Farrall, Pam Wright, and Pete Wright, 200 pages, $14.95.

Table of Contents	Introduction	About the Authors
Chapter 6 - Reading Assessments	Updates/Revised Index	Early Reviews
Glossary of Terms (download- 17 pages)	Discounts	How to Order

In Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments, we answer more than 200 questions and guide you through scenarios about the assessment process.

You will learn what to expect, how to prepare, and how to find a good evaluator. Learn how to request an evaluation and how to provide parental consent.

You will learn about common difficulties children have and what tests are used to diagnose these disorders. This book describes types of tests used to evaluate problems and what skills each test measures.

In Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments you will find charts of tests and skills. The charts list tests to evaluate specific problems, the skills your child needs in these areas, and shows which tests measure these skills.

Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments includes endnotes at the end of each chapter. These endnotes are the authority we relied upon in our answers. When you take this book to school meetings (and we hope you will), you will know the law, regulation, article, or publication that supports each answer.

Wrightslaw: All about Tests and Assessments is illustrated, two color, and includes tests and skills checklists, and recommended resources. The book includes a comprehensive master table of tests with test name, author, publisher, publisher website, age range, test type. The book also includes a glossary of assessment terms, a table of questions, and an index.

Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments, Frequently Asked Questions about Tests and Assessments, is an invaluable resource for parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys. You will refer to this book again and again.

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How To Order

Internet: Place your order in the Wrightslaw store at https://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html

To speak with a person who can take your order, please call our toll-free number - 877-529-4332.

Toll-free fax: Download the order form, fill in the fields, and fax your order to 800-863-5348.

Mail: Download the the order form, fill in the fields, including your email address, and send your order and payment to:
Harbor House Law Press, Inc., P. O. Box 480, Hartfield, VA 23071.

Note: Don't forget to include a legible email address!

Discounts

Discounts for bulk orders (units of 20 or more) of Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments are available at discounts of 20% to 50%.

1-9 books: $14.95	10-19 books (20% discount): $11.96
20-99 books (40% discount): $8.97	100 + books( 50% discount):  $7.48

Table of Contents

Chapter 3. Making Sense of Your Child’s Test Scores
Understanding Test Scores
Standardized Norm-Referenced Tests and Criterion-Referenced Tests
The Bell Curve
Test Scores
Subtest Scores, Composite Scores, and Index Scores
Measuring Educational Progress

Chapter 4. Intellectual Evaluations and IQ Testing
Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities
Measuring Intelligence
Tests of Intelligence
Nonverbal Tests of Intelligence
Interpreting Intelligence Test Results
Intelligence Tests: Special Factors

Chapter 5. Academic Achievement Assessments
Assessments of Reading
Assessments of Written Language
Assessments of Mathematics
Formats of Academic Achievement Tests

Chapter 6. Reading Assessments
Assessing Reading Difficulties and Disabilities
Reading Skills
Tests That Measure Reading
Tests That Measure Phonological Processing
Tests That Measure Reading Fluency and Comprehension
Reading Fluency and Comprehension Tests
Answers to Questions About Reading Tests
Assessing Reading: Special Factors

Complete Table of Contents (in pdf)

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About the Authors

Pete Wright, Esq. and Pam Wright MA, MSW are the founders of Wrightslaw and authors of several best-selling books, including Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition, and Wrightslaw: All About IEPs.

Melissa Lee Farrall, PhD, SAIF is an adjunct faculty member in the Language and Literacy Program at Simmons College, and the author of a research-based integrated approach to reading and assessment in Reading Assessment: Linking Language, Literacy, and Cognition.

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Reviews

Synopsis: Comprehensive and "reader friendly' "Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments" offers clear, concise answers to frequently asked questions about psychological, academic, and neuropsychological tests and what these tests measure; selecting evaluators; how to request a special education evaluation and how to provide parental consent; speech-language, physical and occupational therapy, processing, adaptive behavior, and functional behavior assessment; and how small differences between tests can result in large differences in scores. "Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments" demystifies the assessment process and make it less intimidating.

When a child has a disability, parents and caregivers need accurate information about the child's strengths, weaknesses, and needs before making decisions about his or her education. "Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments" provides the information needed to understand tests and assessments that have been completed on our child.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments" is illustrated, two color and includes tests and skills checklists, and recommended resources. Included is a comprehensive master table of tests with test name, author, publisher, publisher website, age range, test type, as well as a glossary of assessment terms, a table of questions, and an index.

Critique: An absolutely indispensable instruction manual that is impressively clear and accessible for the non-specialist general reader needed to understand the why, how and what of all manner of disability testing that can arise from a child's learning disability. Extraordinarily well written, organized and presented, "Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments'" should be a core addition to school, community, college, and university library collections, as well as the reading lists for all parents and caregivers of a learning disabilty child of any and all ages. -- The Midwest Book Review - The Education Shelf

The authors provide good tracking into and out of each chapter to help readers understand where they are and where they're going, a feature we appreciate. One other thing we appreciated was the unequivocal nature of many of the answers. For example, one question is "My child is in RTI. He is not making progress. The school will not refer him for a special education evaluation until he stays in RTI for several months. Is this legal?" The Wrightslaw answer? "No." The authors then supply a straightforward explanation of what the school may and may not do in such a situation. If you expect the journey with your twice-exceptional child to involve tests and assessments-which it almost certainly will - we'd expect this book to be a useful guide. 2e Newsletter - September/October 2014


"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is a wonderful balance among brevity, thoroughness, and clarity. Chapter 3, Making Sense of Your Child's Tests Scores is an excellent chapter. Clear, concise, thorough. Dr. Melissa Farrall carefully and clearly explained the Bell Curve and told us how the standard deviations correspond to percentile ranks. Chapter 4, Intellectual Evaluations and IQ Testing, was a genuine pleasure to read. Such well-written material on a subject that is seldom written about very well. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 are superb. I cannot wait for the whole book." -- John O. Willis, Ed.D., SAIF, Senior Lecturer in Education, Rivier University; Assessment Specialist, Regional Services and Education Center, Amherst, New Hampshire.

"The best information on math testing I've seen in one place! The whole section on Math tests and subtests and the skills they measure is great information and much needed by parents. This is information EVERY parent needs to effectively advocate for their child.  Test data is one of the most powerful tools you will ever have in your tool box. Thank you." -- Debbie Larson, Parent of adult child with autism and special education advocate, Batavia, New York.

"An excellent job, the text is extremely informative and well-organized. The Q and A format is very well done, easy-to-read, and informative. This is an excellent reference point for a parent or advocate who is either considering a specific test, researching an appropriate test, or evaluating the school recommendation for specific tests." -- William B. Reichhardt, Esq., Attorney who represents parents, children, and young adults in issues related to special education and mental health in Fairfax, Virginia.

"Pete and Pam have done it again!Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is another great book to add to your special education library.  It’s a must-read for parents and all educators who work with students with disabilities. Pete and Pam do a great job of presenting the information clearly and so we can all understand it. If you want to understand what a test or assessment is really saying about a student’s needs, this is the book to read." -- Kristin Tassin, Esq., Parent of a daughter with Down syndrome, Co-founder of Father’s Joy, and attorney with Dry & Tassin, PLLC, Missouri City, Texas.

"As always, good solid practical information." -- Sue Nelson Sargeant, M.S., Preschool Speech-Language Pathologist, Spotsylvania County Public Schools, Virginia.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is very parent-friendly and will be a great resource to help parents understand not only how to read the tests and understand what they are assessing, but which tests to request and why." -- Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D., Co-founder, Dyslexia Training Institute, San Diego, California.

"As a parent, there are so many tests in the educational system that it can become confusing at times. I wish I had this guide when my kids were growing up!" -- Karen Putz, Parent of three deaf and hard of hearing children, Chicago, Illinois.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is great. Parents will find answers to all their questions in this book, even the questions they did not know enough to ask. I'm so glad you wrote in such detail about evaluation and tests. In Chapter 3, What do I need to know about subtest scores? – Perfect!" -- Sue Whitney, Special Education Advocate, Research Editor at Wrightslaw, author of the Doing Your Homework column, and co-author of Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind, New Hampshire.

"The information is extensive and extremely helpful to parents of children who may or may not have been already identified." -- Penelope F. Petzold, Esq., Parent Advisor for SpEd Connecticut and advocate for her three children with learning disabilities.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments will aid anyone advocating on behalf of a child who is suspected of, or already diagnosed with, a disability. Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments succeeds in explaining the complexities of assessments in language that is easy to understand, while also clarifying distinctions between learning disabilities and the methods available to support eligibility. In Chapter 7, Writing and Spelling Assessments, the explanation of Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Academic Achievement is great and easy to understand." -- Patty Roberts, Esq., Director of William & Mary Law School’s PELE Special Education Advocacy Clinic, Williamsburg, Virginia.

"The Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition (KTEA-II), Written Expression Subtest – I like these explanations! I love the test charts!" -- Jackie Igafo-Te’o, Parent of two children with disabilities, and website/data consultant for disability-related organizations.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is an easy to understand book that includes all the information you will need to fully understand your rights in the assessment process. This book should be on your 'must have' list if you have a child with a disability or provide services to them. Appropriate assessments are key ingredients to well-written IEPs." --Loni Allen, Advocacy trainer and parent of children with disabilities. Education Specialist, Parents Helping Parents, PTIC in California.

"This book coveys key and crucial information in a clear and concise manner to assist parents and educators in understanding the educational assessment process. As with other books by the Wrights, I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in special education." --Chuck Noe, Education Specialist for Partners Resource Network, the TX Parent Training & Information (PTI) Center, retired Texas special education director.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments is family friendly and will serve educators and advocates well as we work together with and for students." --Treva Maitland, M.S., Advocate & Secondary Transition Trainer & Technical Assistance provider for The Arc Tennessee and parent of twins with disabilities.

"Great resource for parents and advocates so they have a better understanding of their child’s tests and assessments.” -- Lori Wathen, Parent of a child with Down Syndrome, Norman, Oklahoma.

"Wrightslaw: All About Tests and Assessments, Chapter 7, Table 7-2: Written Language Tests and the Skills They Measure.  I love this chart!" -- Marilyn Bartlett, J.D., Ph.D., Professor of Educational Law and Policy at Texas A&M University in Kingsville and Special Education Advocate in Manatee-Sarasota Counties, Florida.

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Revised: 04/21/15
Created: 05/06/14