Curriculum-based assessment among school psychologists: Knowledge, use, and attitudes

Abstract

A national survey of the knowledge, use, and attitudes about, curriculum-based assessment (CBA) among school psychologists was conducted. Questionnaires were sent to 500 randomly selected NASP members from their 1989–1990 membership list. A total of 228 (45%) were returned. The results showed that 46% of the respondents indicated that they had used some form of CBA. However, more specific questions about use suggested that only about 18% of those initially indicating that they had used CBA had done so on a consistent basis. Additional questions about the individual components of CBA procedures (such as determining instructional levels) revealed that while psychologists view these procedures as very important in conducting psychoeducational assessments, their actual application of the procedured is quite limited. As to attitudes about CBA, it was found that psychologists view CBA as less biased than published standardized tests for assessment of children from culturally diverse groups and that CBA is more acceptable for students and teachers.