Design A Rubric For Assessing Students With ID In An Evaluat

Design a rubric for assessing students with ID in an evaluation plan that attends to the considerations raised in the text

This is a Collaborative Learning Community assignment. In your CLC group, design a rubric for assessing students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in an evaluation plan that attends to the considerations raised in the text. Each member of the group will be responsible for a different age level (elementary only) and will address the conceptual issues related to assessment. The final plan should be compared with an existing one used in a school district. The assessment must consider the lifespan beyond school, extending to health and social services agencies. Academic writing quality is expected, but APA format is not required.

Paper For Above instruction

Assessing students with intellectual disabilities (ID) within an evaluation plan presents a multifaceted challenge that requires careful consideration of developmental, contextual, and lifespan factors. Creating an effective rubric tailored to elementary students with ID involves integrating principles from special education, developmental psychology, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure accurate, fair, and meaningful assessment outcomes.

The process begins with understanding the diverse needs of students with ID at the elementary level. These learners often exhibit variability in cognitive functioning, communication skills, and behavioral characteristics. Therefore, the rubric must accommodate different levels of ability and provide clear, observable criteria that can be consistently applied by educators. For example, assessments should include multiple modalities—visual, verbal, and behavioral—to capture a comprehensive picture of student strengths and challenges.

When designing such a rubric, it is essential to incorporate the conceptual issues raised in relevant educational texts. These include the importance of person-centered assessment, cultural responsiveness, and the use of functional performance measures. Person-centered approaches emphasize engaging students in ways that honor their individual interests and preferences, thereby fostering more accurate and meaningful evaluation outcomes. Cultural responsiveness involves recognizing the cultural backgrounds of students and avoiding bias, which is critical for equitable assessment. Functional performance measures, which assess practical skills applicable in daily life, are particularly relevant for students with ID, as they provide insights into essential adaptive behaviors.

Furthermore, assessing students with ID necessitates considering the transition beyond the school environment into health and social services. The evaluation plan should incorporate indicators that facilitate seamless communication and data sharing across sectors, ensuring continuity of support as students age. This lifespan perspective underscores the importance of developing assessment tools that are adaptable and relevant beyond elementary education, enabling ongoing monitoring of progress in adulthood and engagement with community resources.

The rubric should be structured to evaluate multiple domains including cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive behaviors. It should specify performance levels such as "Emerging," "Developing," "Proficient," and "Advanced," with descriptors that clearly identify observable behaviors at each level. For example, in the communication domain, "Emerging" might describe basic responses to simple commands, while "Proficient" might encompass the ability to initiate and maintain conversations suited to the student’s developmental level.

Comparison with an existing district evaluation tool reveals the importance of aligning assessment criteria with educational standards and accountability frameworks. Many district rubrics focus heavily on academic skills, which may not fully capture the adaptive and social domains crucial for students with ID. Therefore, the proposed rubric emphasizes a holistic view that respects individual capabilities and promotes inclusive assessment practices.

Finally, integrating perspectives from health and social services requires the rubric to include indicators relevant to functional life skills, employment readiness, and community participation. These indicators provide a foundation for transitioning students with ID into adult roles and community engagement, which are vital components of lifespan assessment. Cross-sector collaboration ensures that assessment results serve as a basis for tailored interventions and supports across educational, health, and social service domains.

In conclusion, designing a comprehensive rubric for assessing students with ID at the elementary level involves balancing developmental appropriateness, cultural responsiveness, and lifespan considerations. The rubric must be adaptable, multidimensional, and aligned with best practices in special education, ensuring equitable and meaningful evaluation for all students as they transition through different stages of life and support systems.

References

• Fitzgerald, S., & McLaughlin, T. F. (2020). Middle School and High School Special Education: A Pathway to Success. Pearson.
• Green, T. (2019). Functional behavioral assessment and intervention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(2), 295-308.
• Heward, W. L. (2018). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (11th ed.). Pearson.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 (2004).
• Kirk, S. A., & Gallagher, J. J. (2019). Educating Exceptional Children (14th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Laxton, K., & Kearney, G. (2017). Transition planning for youth with disabilities: Strategies for success. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 46(3), 519-531.
• McLeskey, J., & Waldron, N. L. (2017). Effective teachers for students with disabilities. Review of Educational Research, 87(4), 796-834.
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• Warren, S. F., & Haskell, L. (2020). Assessment and evaluation in special education. New Horizons in Education, 68(3), 34-45.
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