When is it Time for an Assessment?

When students struggle, parents can often experience great anxiety. Questions and uncertainty abound: What can I do? Who do I talk to? Where do I go? Luckily, schools and outside resources like tutoring agencies are better equipped than ever before to help you sort things out and understand your options for the struggling student. A first step in the process can be having your student assessed for learning disabilities, however, there are some things to know about assessments before you start calling learning specialists.

What is an assessment?
An assessment is an in-depth look at a student’s learning abilities by a qualified professional. During an assessment, the learning specialist will utilize a wide variety of methods or tools to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. These tools may include looking at standardized test scores, grades, teacher reports, analysis of a student’s learning readiness, and more. The idea is to obtain a holistic view of the student in the learning environment in order to get a better picture of the root of academic struggles and how best to intervene. Assessments are used across the grades, from measuring lower grade readiness to understanding a high school student’s comprehension of an advanced subject.

What is the purpose of an assessment?
The great thing about assessments is that they can hone in on an individual student’s situation, and the specifics of his personal struggle. Assessments measure the student’s strengths and weaknesses, providing a personal blueprint for receiving academic support, accommodations like extra time on tests, educational programming, or social services. The purpose is to understand the student’s unique situation and to, based on the information, formulate a plan to help him succeed.

When is it time for an assessment?
Now that we understand the reasons for an assessment, the big question is when should I seek one? Parents and teachers need to be vigilant in paying attention to the student’s progress and understanding problems when they become evident so that they can decide when an assessment may be an option. Some things to look for include:

–A marked change in performance: If, for instance, a typically solid student begins struggling, it may be time to start looking deeper. Noticeable changes in performance may signal underlying problems like learning disorders or processing issues. If you see a downward trend in your child’s academic performance, you may consider an assessment in order to better understand the situation and to see if intervention is necessary.                 

-A trend of struggling: Waiting out academic problems can be detrimental to a student’s educational experience. While it can be tempting to say, “let’s see how he does next year,” we don’t want patience or inaction to take the place of intervention. When a student consistently struggles in a subject or with a type of learning (for example, a trend of problems in math-related classes), it is time to look deeper into what is happening. Assessments can help to clarify what’s going on.       

-A lack of interest: Just as a change in a good student’s performance can signal problems, so, too, can a lack of interest in previously enjoyable endeavors. A student who usually likes reading, for example, but suddenly drops the activity or gets no pleasure from it may be experiencing underlying learning problems such as, in this case, dyslexia or a disorder of written expression. This type of change in interests is another warning sign to look for as you consider whether an assessment is necessary.               

-Other psychological indicators: The psychology of young people is complex, but we can look for some red flags in our students. Being cognizant of students’ emotional states, for instance, is important in nipping academic problems in the bud. Lethargy, depression, anxiety, and defiance or acting out, to name a few, may be indicators of deeper problems. Assessments can provide insight beyond the purely academic and shed a light on other student difficulties. Ultimately, this can help you navigate the often complicated waters of adolescence and lead you to the experts you need, from learning specialists and educational psychologists to social workers, tutors, and classroom aides.

How do I get started?
The natural next question is how do I begin the assessment process? While it can feel overwhelming at first, you do have many resources at your disposal. Because we have a better understanding of learning disabilities than we ever have before, we also have better resources and options for coping. The child study team at your school can help guide you in the right directions as can learning specialists in your community at places like local tutoring centers, such as iAchieve Learning.  An assessment is an important first step in creating a smooth learning experience for a student who is struggling.

Written by Phil Lane

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