Increased globalization has resulted in increased attendance of language minority students in schools worldwide. These language differences confound efforts to identify students with disabilities. This case study provides a hypothetical example of interaction between language, social, and academic difficulties in determining existence of a disability and planning appropriate academic programming for a recently immigrated elementary school student named Filipe. Users of this case must analyze and synthesize cultural, behavioral, academic, and linguistic information as well as apply knowledge of legal requirements and best practices to determine an appropriate course of action for Felipe. This case study clarifies the need for additional research regarding how to distinguish between presence of a disability and normal challenges of adapting to a new language and culture in academic settings.

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Assessment of dispositions provides valuable information for preparing new educational leaders. By using three dispositional instruments to meet national and state standards, we assess candidates at multiple points throughout a master’s degree leadership preparation program. The Educational Leader Candidate Belief Scale (ELCBS) had been previously validated, and the most recent revision focused on diversity and social justice issues. Comparing the results from the ELCBS to the expected responses, changes were made to the program and future needs were identified. In addition, results are used to provide remediation for individual students in facilitating the acquisition of dispositions. Assessment of dispositions is complex and consistent with accreditation standards and requirements for program approval, yet vital in ensuring students are able to lead inclusive schools.

A team of researchers at two institutions revised and analyzed a battery of instruments to assess the Critical Dispositions (InTASC, 2013) required in the CAEP (2016a) accreditation standards for teacher education programs. This research presents initial findings for the revised version updating previous results from validity and reliability studies of the first version (Wilkerson & Lang, 2011). An indepth study of one of the instruments, now in two forms, is presented. Version 2 was necessary because the standards providing an operational definition of the construct measured were updated. In this study, data were collected from teacher education students, in service teachers, and pre-school teachers (Form A = 1072; Form B = 372). Item analysis using Rasch modeling, results of a qualitative review of specific teacher candidates across multiple measures, and student/program improvement uses are discussed. The results indicated that evidence of validity and reliability is maintained in the new version, and student disposition measures were diagnostic and logical for students of different training and experience.

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