Standardized testing is based on descriptive statistics and norms. Norm-referenced tests compare a student's performance to the performance of other students in a standardized sample group. Reliability ensures tests produce consistent results, while validity confirms a test measures what it claims to measure, such as language versus IQ. Special educators should use norm-referenced tests that closely match their students' groups when possible. Common standardized tests include CELF, OWLS, TOLD, WPT, and ROVPVT/EOVPVT.

1. Special Education Testing <br />When administering a Special Education test have you ever wondered why the examiner’s manual has so many tables at the back of the manual? There is always information on norms, validity and reliability and scoring instructions. That is because Testing is based on Descriptive Statistics.<br />Norm-referenced Tests are standardized what is Norm Referenced? Consider the scenario of a sample of Special Education students being given a test from one inner city school system in America. The same test will then be given to another sample of students in another inner city school system in America. The same administration of the test and the same scoring methods will be used. The administration and scoring to the sample groups are what make the test standardized. The scores that are obtained from the standardized sample of students that the test is administered to are called the norms. <br />Reliability is one of the most important aspects of standardized testing. Reliability makes sure that the same test that is administered to the same subject under the same testing situations will give reliable test scores that are similar each time that the test is administered. The Owls Test is administered to student X in a quiet office in September. The same test is administered to student X under the same circumstances 2 weeks later the scores should be similar if the test is reliable. Standardized testing has information about reliability in the examiner’s manual.<br />Test validity is based on the degree that the test is measuring what it says it is measuring. The OWLS Test is a language test if it was testing IQ then it wouldn’t be testing what it says it is testing and there would be a problem with validity.<br />Criterion Referenced Tests are based on individual performance as opposed to norm referenced tests which are based on group performances. When testing Special education students norm-referenced tests give the best results.<br />We are Special Educators and the test that we use for the exception of alternate assessments and observations are standardized. Standardized test should be based on reliability, validity and norm references. If a test is not standardized on the norm groups that we are working with then we have a responsibility as professionals to use another test that has been norm-referenced as close to the group that we are working with as possible.<br /> Standardized Tests are usually based on raw scores percentile ranks, age equivalents or grade equivalents. Raw scores percentile ranks are based more on statistical data and are more accurate than age and grade scores.<br /> Some norm-referenced Tests are:<br /> <br /> Rearrange the materials in the order that you wish but I was thinking that you can get seven to eight slides out of this information. <br /> Standardized Testing.<br />Celf-(Clinical Evaluation of Language Elements) is a test of receptive and oral language.

2. OWLS-(Oral and language scales) is a test of auditory comprehension, oral language and written language.