Assessment Plan

Purpose:

To give at-risk, special needs student’s tools to identify and change their high risk behaviors.

Learning Outcome:

Students will identify 5 high risk behaviors and what they are, as well as demonstrate 3 possible outcomes for each behavior.

Assessment Context:

Students will explain what their high risk behaviors are (5 total) and what their consequences are (3 total) by correctly distinguishing the appropriate outcomes.

Holistic Rubric: Total 6 points

3	2	1
Identify all high risk behaviors	Identify some high risk behaviors	Identify little or no high risk behaviors
Demonstrate all outcomes	Demonstrate some outcomes	Demonstrate little or no outcomes

Testing Constraints:

On an as needed basis, I the residential treatment facility that I work in, clients are giving writing assignments. These assignments are consequences for negative behaviors. Through essay forms, staff would review whether the client has reached the outcome, or not. If not, they are returned with advice on how to repair the errors, and recreate the appropriate outcome for the assignment. Staff would determine whether the client identified the high risk behaviors by reviewing the program rules as well as their expectations in the program. In addition, staff would review the client given outcomes with the program consequences for negative behaviors.  

Thought Processes and Rationale

     Since working with students with emotional and behavioral disorders, I have come to realize that they frequently operate better with a multiple choice format. These students often have issues with honesty and frequently fail to properly identify the differences between true and false questioning. In my experience, they understand multiple options, better than just one or two. With that in mind, I decided to go with multiple choice formats for the majority of the test items. I made sure to avoid any grammatical clues in the questions, as well as confirming the absence of opinion. The content of the test items and objectives were valid because “the learning outcome and conditions specified in the test question matched” (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p. 115).
  
     Similarly, with the essay items that I created, I required that the students describe more than one outcome to each test question. Both essay items were restricted response questions, but gave the student the opportunity to cognitively display their knowledge of the subject, while still maintaining the need for certain objective information to be shared

References
Borich, G., Kubiszyn, T. (2010). Educational Testing and Measurement: Classroom Application and Practice 9e. [ebook version]. Pages 110-184. 
Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/0558415229

Outcomes & Test Items for students with emotional and behavioral disorders

Measurable learning outcomes for students with behavioral and emotional disorders are very different from those of students without special needs. Although they both have outcomes, students with behavioral and emotional issues focus on a learned behavior rather than a learned skill. In most cases, the learned behavior is risky. I hope to work with students ranging from elementary school through middle school to help them regulate their emotions, behaviors, and reactions to changes in their environment in order for them to complete school and maintain successful work and education in their futures.

1. Students will identify high risk behaviors.

    Test Item:

1.       Circle the letter of the item(s) that represent high risk behaviors:

a.       Getting to class on time

b.      Staying out past curfew

c.       Hanging out with known gang members

d.      Using your allowance to go to the movies

e.      Attending a house party where there will be alcohol

2. Students will list the consequences for their high risk behaviors. 

    Test Items:

1.       Circle the appropriate consequence for each high risk behavior:

Cutting class       a. Detention at school

                                 b. More time to hang out with friends

Smoking Pot       a. Look cool

                                 b. Get arrested

Fighting Peers    a. Peers will fear you

                                 b. Suspension from school

2.       High Risk Behaviors have many different consequences. In one page or less, 

          explain the consequences of five different high risk behaviors.  

3. Students will recall the requirements for remaining current in day treatment program.
    Test Items:

1.       Circle the correct answer(s) to the following question:

    The requirements for remaining current in day treatment are:

a.       80% group attendance

b.      100% attendance to day treatment program

c.       Follow curfew while away from program

d.      Attend school when you wake up on time

e.       Both a & d

f.        Both a, b, & c

2.       Placement in a day treatment program is one of the requirements for being on 

           probation and not being sent to jail. In 100 words or less, give 3 examples on

           how you can maintain current placement in day treatment, to avoid returning

           to jail.