KTEA-3 Formal Assessment Review

Goals/Objectives

• Provides information about an examinees strength and weaknesses in reading, mathematics, written language, and oral language.
• identify patterns within achievement domains.
• Help make eligibility, placement and diagnostic decisions (ex: individualized education program).
• Helps identify examinees instructional level and help inform instructional decisions or accommodations
• Progress monitors academic progress
• Response to Intervention
• Can be used for research

Scoring System

• There are two independent forms (A & B) and 19 sub-tests
• Core Composites: Reading, Math and Written Language
• Q-global or manual scoring
• Computing sub-test raw scores ->on some of the sub-tests the total raw score represents the number of items passed with credit below the basal. Once the sub-test raw scores are calculated they are converted to weighted raw scores. Appendix C has a conversion table for this part of the scoring process. The sub-test raw score, weighted raw score are recorded on the sub-test and composite score computation form. Then the weighted scores are converted to sub-test standard scores. Before this can be done using the norms tables, the administrator has to decide whether to use age-based or grade-based norms. then the composite standard scores are computed. The composite standard scores are based on the sum of the relevant sub-test standard scores. Then the confidence intervals for sub-test and composite standard scores. The confidence interval for a sub-test is the range of scores that is likely to include the examinees true score with 85%, 90%, or 95% confidence. Percentile rants, grade and age equivalents, normal curve equivalents and stanines and growth scale values are also calculated.

Validity and Reliability

• Reliability was determined using a split-half method for all of the subtests, excluding the timed subtests. The reliability coefficients were high, in the .80s and in the .90s. Specifically, the oral fluency composite coefficients were low, in the .70s, although it was stronger for younger students. The folowing subtests had a higher reliability (mid to high 90's): letter and word recognition, nonsense word decoding, reading vocabulary, math concepts and applications, and spelling. The following subtests had lower reliability (.80-low .90s): reading comprehension, phonological processing, math fluency, written expression and listening comprehension.

• Validity was determined based off of test content, response processes and internal sturcture. Because the KTEA-3 was modeled after the KTEA-II, the validity studies still hold true. High correlations were found betwen core academic subtests.

Sub-tests

Composites

• Oral Expression
• Associational Fluency
• Object Naming Facility
• Letter Naming Facility

• Reading
• Math
• Written Language
• Academic Skills Battery
• Sound-Symbol
• Decoding
• Reading Fluency
• Reading Understanding
• Oral Language
• Oral Fluency
• Comprehension
• Expression
• Orthographic Processing
• Academic Fluency

• Letter/Word Recognition
• Reading Comprehension
• Nonsense Word Decoding
• Phonological Processing
• Word Recognition Fluency
• Decoding Fluency
• Silent Reading Fluency
• Reading Vocabulary
• Math Concepts/Applications
• Math Computation
• Math Fluency
• Written Expression
• Spelling
• Writing Fluency
• Listening Comprehension

Testing Session

It is important to note that not all 19 subtests have to be administered to a single student. The examinor can choose to only administer a few of the subtests, based on why the student has been referred for this assessment. The time constraints are as follows: 2-23 minutes per subtest, 10-35 minutes for each of the three core academic composites, and 15-85 minutes for the Academic Skills Battery. It's also important to note that these administration times may vary with the student's age.In each stimulus book, there are directions for administering the sub-tests. The read text should be read aloud by the examiner to the student. When the testing session starts it's important to know that the stimulus book needs to be placed so that student and the examiner can view it. It is also recommended that the examiner keeps the record book on a clipboard. Before giving the KTEA-3 the examiner would have already determined the starting points and discontinue rules for each sub-test. Once the examiner has situated the student, the assessment can begin. Like mentioned before there are directions that are read aloud to the student for each sub-test, as well as an example for each sub-test. The examiner will record the students responses on the record book. Only 8 of the sub-tests require timed administration. The record form has a stopwatch symbol to remind the examiner that a stop watch is needed. The following sub-tests have a time limit: writing fluency, silent reading fluency, math fluency, associational fluency, word recognition fluency, and decoding fluency. Each sub-test has a starting point and some sub-tests have a stopping point. A basal rule is used to determine if the starting point was appropriate for the student. The basal is based on the student's performance on the first few items. The items on each sub-test are ordered by difficulty. Only five of the sub-tests have a basal rule.

Buro's Mental Measurement Yearbook Discussion

• The information that the reviewers shared about this test is a lot of the same information that I have already discussed in previous slides. The reviewers believe that the Kaufmans created a well-researched assessment measure that will be very useful. The reviewers think that the subtests are relevant to the skills that students need to be successful in the classroom and beyond. One noteworthy commentary from the reviewers disccused how useful the error analysis and intervention suggestions were. The reviewers agreed that it is very helpful that goals can be taken directly from the suggestions. This is particulary important because response to intervention is becoming more prevalent in schools and this feature makes this process a more efficient and helps guide teachers in creating appropriate interventions. The reviewers described the KTEA-3 as very user friendly and current in terms of the needs of schools today. These reivews are all seen as strengths for the KTEA-3. The only weakness that the reviewers mentioned was that it may have been helpful to include students that do not speak English as a part of the sample population