As the head of the Special Education department at my high school, I sit in many meetings where we look to determine if the supports and services that the student is receiving are appropriate We rely on current grades, quarterly progress reports, teacher reports, and input from the IEP team. A large part of the decisions that are made are also based on the students score of the Woodcock Johnson IV (WJ IV)Test of Achievement. An overview of this assessment can be seen in the video below:

The WJ IV is a valid and reliable assessment tool of both cognitive abilities and achievement among children and adults (Hamour et al., 2012). Looking at a number of scores in various categories such as long-term retrieval, auditory processiong, processing speed, and quantitative knowledge, these numbers can assist in painting a picture of any particular student.

Score Range

Scores give percentile ranks, precise age scores, grade equivalent scores, and a proficency range. When analyzing the scores of the WJ IV assessment, IEP teams, in conjunction with other data presented at meetings, can help determine where the students strengths and deficits are.

Sample Report

Researchers have shown that this assessment is a good tool in identifying high incidence disabilities such as language impairement, head injuries, ADHD, mild intellectual disability, and reading, math, and written language disabilities (Dalke, 1988; Fidler, Plante, & Vance, 2011; Hoy & Gregg, 1986; Schrank, 2005; Tupper, 2001). However, there is a common theme that is often presented when discussing standardized assessments; bias in testing. The way the scores are interepreted and used to make educational decisions can be problematic and the fairness of the test comes into question. Research has shown us that standardized assessments can be unfairly used agains students from marginalized groups. Socioeconomic status, where you live, and the amount of time a student receives support at home is not factored into the creation of these tests. The Woodcock Johnson test was designed to minimize test bias associated with gender, race/ethnicity, or Hispanic origin (Mcgrew & Woodcok, 2001). When the test was created, items were modified or eliminated when statistical analyses supported an expert's assetions that an item was potentially unsuitable (Edwards & Oakland, 2006).

In one study, where 1,978 Caucasion students and 401 African American students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 were used to determine if the test was indeed able to minimize test bias associated with gender, race/ethnicity, or Hispanic origin as McGrew & Woodcock (2001) stated.

Factor Analysis of Both Groups

Test scores are considered to have comparable meanings across ethnic groups when scores generate similar inferences about examinees who are members of different ethnic groups. Given the current concerns about the use of standardized assessments and placement rates in special education for ethnic minorities, these findings provide some modest support for the integrity of the measure for use with the noted examinee subgroups (Edwards & Oakland, 2006).

References

Abu-Hamour, Bashir, et al. “The Use of Woodcock-Johnson Tests for Identifying Students with Special Needs-a Comprehensive Literature Review.” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 47, 2012, pp. 665–673.

Edwards, Oliver W., and Thomas D. Oakland. “Factorial Invariance of Woodcock-Johnson III Scores for African Americans and Caucasian Americans.” Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, vol. 24, no. 4, 2006, pp. 358–366.

Sloan, Amareeka. Woodcock Johnson IV Tests of Achievement, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqr0mlXbmFQ.