The CESC Regional Virtual Diagnostic Center (CRVDC)

A comprehensive special education evaluation will include formal and informal data within each of the following domains:

• Cognitive

• Achievement

• Communication (speech-language)

• Motor skills

• Adaptive skills

• Social, emotional, and behavioral functioning

• Sensory processing

Common measures of cognitive function (in order of popular us):

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V; 6-16 years 11 months

• Differential Ability Scales-II (DAS-II; 2-17 years 11 months

• Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (2-85+ years)

• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV; 2.6-7.7 years)

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition (WAIS-V; 16-74 years)

Common Measures of Educational/Academic Achievement

• Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement-1V (2-90 years)

The Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement IV (WJ IV ACH) is a standardized, individually administered assessment that measures a wide range of academic skills in individuals from ages 2 to 90+, including reading, writing, mathematics, and academic knowledge in areas like science, social studies, and humanities, allowing for identification of strengths and weaknesses in different academic domains and often used to diagnose learning disabilities or monitor academic progress.

• Wide Range Achievement Test 4(WRAT-4; 5-94 years)

The Wide Range Achievement Test Fourth Edition (WRAT4; Wilkinson & Robertson, 2006) is an assessment tool designed to evaluate academic skills in persons between the ages 5 and 94 years. The WRAT4 consists of four subtests that assess areas including math computation, word reading, spelling, and sentence comprehension.

• Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA)

The Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA) is an individually administered, norm-referenced assessment used to measure a person's academic achievement in areas like reading, math, written language, and oral language, providing insights into strengths and weaknesses across various academic domains, typically used to identify learning disabilities and inform educational interventions for individuals aged 4 years 6 months to 25 years old. 

• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT; 4-50 years 11 months)

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) is a standardized, individually administered assessment tool used to evaluate a person's academic skills across various domains like reading, writing, mathematics, and oral language, allowing professionals to identify potential learning difficulties and compare an individual's academic performance to others of the same age group; it is often used with children, adolescents, and adults to assess their overall academic achievement and pinpoint specific areas of strength or weakness. 

Common Adaptive Functional Measures

Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scales (VABS-4)

The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Fourth Edition (VABS-4) is a standardized assessment tool used to measure adaptive behavior. This refers to the practical, everyday skills needed to function and meet the demands of one's environment. It is commonly used for children and adolescents up to 18 years old. However,  it can also be used for low-functioning adults.

The VABS-4 evaluates adaptive behavior across three main domains:

1. Communication: This domain assesses receptive, expressive, and written communication skills.

2. Daily Living Skills: This domain measures personal behavior, domestic and community interaction skills, and other daily living skills.

3. Socialization: This domain covers interpersonal relationships, play and leisure time, and coping skills.

   
   

There is also an optional Maladaptive Behavior domain that can be used to assess undesirable behaviors.

The assessment is typically conducted through semi-structured interviews with parents or caregivers, making it a flexible and comprehensive tool for diagnosing intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and other developmental delays. It is also useful for planning interventions, tracking progress, and determining eligibility for special education and related services.

Emotional, Behavioral and Social Skills Measures

• Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

An FBA is a comprehensive and individualized method to identify the purpose or function of a student’s problem behavior (s). 

Common Standardized Measures to evaluate social and emotional problem areas

• Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC): There are three forms: Self, Parent and Teacher

The BASC 3 is a comprehensive tool used to assess the behavioral and emotions of children and adolescents aged 2- 25 years. It helps in identifying a wide range of emotional and behavioral difficulties guiding interventions and supporting diagnostic decisions. It is widely used by school psychologists, clinicians and researchers in diagnosing conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, depression and conduct disorders. 

• Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)

The CBCL is a standardized assessment tool used by psychologists, educators and health care professionals to evaluate emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. This questionnaire is designed fo children and adolescents between the ages of 1.5 to 18 years. (1.5 -5 years for preschoolers and 6- 18 years for school aged children and adolescents)

• Conner’s Rating Scales

The Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) is a widely used assessment tool designed to evaluate behavioral, emotional and academic concerns in children and adolescents, particularly symptoms associated with  Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other related disorders.

The Conners' assessment involves parents or primary caregivers completing a questionnaire that rates their child's behavior across various domains, such as:

• Hyperactivity/Impulsivity

• Inattention

• Defiance/Aggression

• Peer Relations

• Emotional Lability

COMMON MEASURES OF COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V; 6 -16 years 11 months). The WISC-V is a standardized intelligence test designed to assess cognitive abilities in children. It is individually administered and it is used to evaluate intellectual functioning, identify learning disabilities, and support educational planning. The WISC-V focuses on the following areas of cognitive functioning: Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Visual Spatial Index (VSI), Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and the Processing Speed Index (PSI).

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• Differential Abilities Scales- (DAS-11; 2.5-17 years 11 months)

The "DAS-II" (Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition) is an individually administered cognitive assessment tool used to evaluate a child's cognitive abilities across various domains like verbal reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, spatial abilities, and processing speed, providing insights into their strengths and weaknesses in learning by generating a General Conceptual Ability (GCA) score, along with cluster scores for specific cognitive areas

• Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (2-85+ years)

The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5) is an individually administered intelligence test used to assess cognitive abilities in individuals aged 2 to 85 years old, measuring five key cognitive factors: Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, and Working Memory; it provides a comprehensive picture of an individual's intellectual strengths and weaknesses through various subtests, including both verbal and nonverbal components, allowing for accurate assessment across a wide range of abilities, including giftedness and intellectual disability. 

• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-!V; 2.6-7.7 years)

The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV; Wechsler, 2012) is an individually administered, norm-referenced instrument for assessing the intelligence of children aged 2 years, 6 months through 7 years, 7 months. The WPPSI-IV includes short, game-like tasks that engage young children. Scores yielded include a Full Scale IQ, as well as three Index scores (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, and Working Memory) for children up to 3 years, 11 months; and five Index scores (Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, Processing Speed) for children 4 years through 7 years, 7 months

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence, Scale, Fifth Edition (WAIS-V; 16-74 years)

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition (WAIS-V) is a comprehensive psychological assessment tool used to measure cognitive abilities in adults, providing a detailed picture of an individual's intellectual strengths and weaknesses across various domains like verbal comprehension, visual-spatial reasoning, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed;