Academic growth expectations for students with emotional and behavior disorders

Abstract

Computer adaptive assessments were used to monitor the academic status and growth of students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) in reading (N = 321) and math (N = 322) in a regional service center serving 56 school districts. A cohort sequential model was used to compare that performance to the status and growth of a national user base of more than 7,500,000 students without disabilities. Consistent with numerous previous findings, status or level of performance of students with EBD was consistently low relative to their nondisabled peers. However, for the most part the students with significant EBD demonstrated rates of growth similar to the nationwide sample of nondisabled peers. There was considerable variability in the academic growth of students across grades and between treatment programs, and this variability is described and discussed. Implications for policy and practice in student progress monitoring and teacher evaluation systems are discussed. K E Y W O R D Sacademic growth, emotional and behavioral disorders, progress monitoring With increased interest in accountability for the academic performance of all students, educators increasingly are scrutinizing the academic status and growth of students with disabilities relative to their age and grade level peers.The authors have found in their interactions with educators and school psychologists a generally held belief in the low academic status and growth of students with EBD relative to others. Issues of status and growth are taking on increased importance as students with EBD are included in district and state accountability systems and especially as teachers are being held accountable for their progress as part of teacher evaluation systems (Holheide, Browder, Warren, Buzick, & Jones, 2012). There is increasing reluctance to have scores and performance of students with EBD "count" in evaluations of programs and teachers. In this paper the actual growth for students with EBD is examined as is the setting of academic growth targets or goals for those students. First considered is research on the status of students with EBD relative to others and on the amount of growth they demonstrate in an academic year. It will be noted that to date most of the information in the literature is based on cross-sectional studies. That is, researchers Psychol Schs. 2017;54:792-807. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pits c 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 792 YSSELDYKE ET AL. 793have examined the performance status and growth of students with EBD across grades (e.g., grades 3-9) by taking single-score "slices" of performance at a point in time (e.g., end-of-year scores on summative measures) within a year.Such studies do not help educators and school psychologists get an accurate picture of actual growth, nor do they establish growth expectations or goals. There are fewer investigations of the amount of growth that students with EBD demonstrate within an academic year. In this paper, the results of a 2-year investigation in which the investigators monitored the academic pr...

Inclusive Schools’ Teachers’ Perspectives about the Academic Achievement of the Type of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulty

“…The research revealed that positive interactions is the means to successful planning and curriculum adaptations. Ysseldyke, et al (2017) conducted a study about the academic growth expectations for children with emotional and behaviour disorders. In this study computer adaptive assessments were used to monitor the academic status and growth of students with emotional and behaviour disorders (EBD) in reading (N = 321) and Mathematics (N = 322) in a regional service centre serving 56 school districts.…”

A Proposed Functional Abilities Classification Tool for Developmental Disorders Affecting Learning and Behaviour

“…Executive Functioning, Self-Regulation, and Social Skills Social, emotional and behavioural competencies are crucial for success in the classroom (Andrews et al, 2001;Rosenberg, 2015) and are interrelated (Kilgus et al, 2017;Ysseldyke et al, 2017). Supports in these domains may be required for some students to make the age appropriate academic skill gains of which they are capable (Ysseldyke et al, 2017).…”

“…Supports in these domains may be required for some students to make the age appropriate academic skill gains of which they are capable (Ysseldyke et al, 2017). There are many examples of literature and methods available to aid school personnel in supporting student executive functioning (Dawson and Guare, 2003), self-regulation (Shanker, 2012;Woodward et al, 2017), and social skills (Reid et al, 2007;Frankel and Whitham, 2011).…”

“…The advantages of dimensional profiles complementary to categorical diagnosis have been described (Hudziak et al, 2007). However, optimizing participation for children with DDALB remains widely problematic (Ysseldyke et al, 2017). We continue to encounter an inconsistent array of diagnostic and descriptive terminology.…”

The identification of students with emotional disturbance: Moving the field toward responsible assessment practices

“…For example, relative to their nonidentified peers, students identified as ED face increased probabilities for juvenile delinquency, incarcerations, and substance abuse (e.g., Barnett, 2012;Bradley, Doolittle, & Bartolotta, 2008). Academically, these students demonstrate limited growth in their achievement, often resulting in academic deficits across multiple areas that do not show improvement over time (e.g., Rice & Yen, 2010;Ysseldyke et al, 2017). Given their struggles to learn at a commensurate level with their peers, it is not surprising that students with ED are at significantly higher probability for school failure and school dropout (e.g., Bradley et al, 2008;Merrell & Walker, 2004;Sullivan & Sadeh, 2016) and subsequently exhibit more difficulties adjusting to life as adults than students in other disability categories (e.g., Bradley, Henderson, & Monfore, 2004;Carter & Wehby, 2003;Frank, Sitlington, & Carson, 1995).…”