The

increasingly diverse nature of our educational system has brought about

a shift in practice with regards to the populations with whom we serve. Where once,
it may have been accepted practice to conduct an evaluation on a child through the
use of a single cognitive assessment, today, we are tasked with gathering a thorough
body of evidence about each students social and academic history before any
decisions related to additional supports or services can be made. By allowing the
time to consider all of the available information we have, both as school
psychologists and as members of the special education team, we ensure that any
decisions we make, which can have far-reaching consequences for a child, are made
judiciously. Possessing a more complete picture of a students background and
educational history can also uncover strengths that he or she may possess that may
have gone unnoticed had only traditional quantitative measures been utilized.

The importance of adopting a holistic view with regards to our students is

especially true for children who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse. Many of
these children, including those who are English language learners (ELLs), have lived
and been educated in environments that differ greatly from the mainstream culture
in a myriad of unique ways, including: language development; the importance of
gender roles; religion; and other cultural customs. Therefore, careful consideration
of their history is vital to the promotion of fairness and justice in education. School
psychologists and other educators alike, are wise to remember that parents are the
foremost experts on their children and that our ability to learn from them never
ceases, regardless of our own degree of knowledge and experience.

The following artifacts illustrate my ability to engage in exhaustive data

collection through parent and teacher interviews, classroom observations, and 1:1
interviews with students in order to compile a holistic, qualitative, sampling of a
students present level of social-emotional abilities and academic performance. Both
artifacts contain a comprehensive body of evidence that was gathered prior to
making the decision to utilize more in-depth, norm-referenced, assessments. These
assessments were then carefully selected so as to ensure that they were both
culturally and linguistically appropriate to the target population.

The first artifact contains a body of evidence that was collected through

interviews with the students mother and classroom teacher, progress monitoring
data obtained from the building MTSS team, classroom observations, as well as
behavioral observations made during testing. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for
Children - Second Edition (KABC-II) was selected to measure the students overall
cognitive abilities. The KABC-II is the preferred cognitive assessment for Spanish-
speaking students who are English language learners but possess the requisite
language ability, as indicated by their WIDA Access scores and comparisons to
culturally and linguistically similar peers, to be tested in English. The assessment
was designed to help streamline administration by removing excess language from
the test administrators directions, which can often pose a significant barrier to not
only ELLs, but also those who have speech-language difficulties or struggle,
cognitively, with verbal comprehension. Therefore, the KABC-II is a preferred
assessment tool for helping to ensure the validity of assessments conducted on both
culturally and linguistically diverse and monolingual, mainstream, English-speaking
students.

DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Psychological Report


Student: Zoe Reyes
School: Barnum Elem.
SP Intern: Andrew Alberti

ID #: XXXXXX

DOB: XX/XX/XX
Grade: 1
Report Date: 02/24/2015

Age at Testing: 6yr 6mo
Language: English

Test Date: 02/24/2015

Reason for Referral
Zoe was initially referred, by her classroom teacher, to the building MTSS team
during October of the current school year due to concerns that she was making little
academic progress in the areas of reading and writing. Following the initial MTSS
meeting, Zoe was placed on a regular intervention schedule with the reading
interventionist. A follow up meeting was held after six weeks where the
interventionist reported that Zoe had begun to demonstrate progress in her reading
skills after only the third week and had continued to do so through week six. The
team elected to have her continue receiving intervention support and would
reconvene to discuss her progress after three weeks. Over the next three weeks,

Zoes performance remained flat. The MTSS team, including Zoes mother, Ms. Reyes,
considered the possibility of referring her for a special education evaluation but
deferred their decision on the basis that inconsistencies in her progress made it
difficult to rule out her ability to make continued growth following the introduction
of more intensive supports. In early February, the team met once more and the
reading interventionist shared that little to no progress had been made despite
providing Zoe with an increased level of support. The MTSS team made the
recommendation that an initial evaluation for special education services be
initiated, to which Ms. Reyes agreed.

Parent Interview
Zoes mother, Ms. Reyes, reports that Zoe is an only child and that she has not seen
her father in several years. However, she does frequently spend time with her
grandparents and uncle who reside apart from them. Zoe is a monolingual, English-
speaker who was born in the United States. Ms. Reyes also reports being
monolingual. Zoe was not previously enrolled in any pre-school programs and
began her education in August 2013 at Barnum Elementary. At home, Ms. Reyes
noted that Zoe is always hyperactive, likes to run around a lot and enjoys doing
activities that are hands on, like using play-dough. When she first began
kindergarten at Barnum last year, she was initially very nervous about going to
school and would often become upset after her mom dropped her off in the
morning. Ms. Reyes indicates that Zoe now appears much more comfortable with
going to school, which, her mother suggests, may be why she has been acting out
more lately. Zoes mother has also experienced significant difficulty helping Zoe to
complete her homework, which she attributes to her difficulties with attention.
Often, she will work through a homework problem with her, then ask her how to do
the next one a few minutes later and she wont remember what to do.

Teacher Interview
Zoes classroom teacher reports that she was initially quite shy at the beginning of
the year but has since begun to engage more with her peers. She is friends with
several girls in her class and will usually choose to work with them during partner
activities. However, her teacher indicates that this can sometimes be problematic as
Zoe is easily drawn off task and she has also noticed that some of her friends will
help her with group work by providing her with the answers. Zoes teacher admits
that she is sometimes unsure if Zoe talking to her friends or staring off during work
time is due to her difficulty maintaining focus or, rather, if it is because an of
inability to follow along with the pace of instruction.

Classroom Observations
Zoe was observed during specials, in the library, on Tuesday, February 24, around
10:30 in the morning. Initially the class was seated together on the floor while the
librarian gave them instructions on the new research project they were going to
begin working on. The students were asked to think of an animal that they might
enjoy researching and then sharing information about with the class. Many students
were allowed to work alone on this activity; however, Zoe was one of about 8

students who were put into partners. Once the teacher finished giving directions,
Zoe and her partner began chatting with each other and Zoe appeared to be happy
to work with her. When her partner began talking about which animal they should
research, Zoe became noticeably quieter leading her partner to ultimately choose
goldfish. Each of the 24 students in the class was given a worksheet and split into
four tables, each consisting of six students. For the next ten minutes, Zoe sat at her
table appearing happy to be amongst a group of her friends. At times, she was
observed looking around the table as well as around the room as if confused by
something. Zoe also looked over at her partners paper on multiple occasions;
attempting to write down the sentence that she had written.

Testing Observations
Zoe was tested on one occasion for approximately 75 minutes. She approached the
testing session with a willingness to give her best effort and remained focused on
each task she was presented with during the assessment. Zoe appeared to have
difficulty following directions and needed multiple repetitions/demonstrations on
teachable items on multiple subtests. She sat calmly and remained quiet throughout
testing. These results are considered to be a valid estimate of Zoes current cognitive
functioning.

Assessment Results
Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (KABC-II)
The KABC-II was administered to assess Zoes intellectual functioning. Subtest
scores on the KABC-II are standardized to have a mean of 10 and a standard
deviation of 3. This means that 2 out of 3 people will obtain subtest scores between
7 and 13. The global and index scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation
of 15; thus, 2 out of 3 people will obtain global and index scores between 85 and
115. In interpreting the cognitive testing results below, it is important to keep in
mind that the Upper Extreme range includes standard scores from 131-160, Above
Average range includes standard scores from 116-130, Average range is comprised
of scores from 85-115, Below Average range includes scores from 70-84, and Lower
Extreme scores range from 40-69.

Zoes scores on the KABC-II were as follows:

Scale/Subtest
Standard/
Description
Percentile



Scaled Score

Sequential/Gsm

83

Below Average
13th
Number Recall


6
Word Order


8

Simultaneous/Gv

76

Below Average
5th
Conceptual Thinking

8
Rover



6

Triangles



Pattern Reasoning


Learning/Glr


Atlantis



Atlantis Delayed


Rebus



Rebus Delayed



Mental Processing Index (MPI)

4
7

92
8
8
9
11

Average

30th

78

Below Average 7th

As per Dr. Kozlowskis instructions, the Knowledge/Gc scale of the KABC-II, which
measures a childs ability to apply their crystallized knowledge, or that obtained
through instruction and/or immersion in the dominant culture of the United States,
was not assessed during testing. However; it should be noted that because Zoe is a
monolingual, English-speaker, who was born in the United States, it is likely that she
could have been administered the full test battery, including the Knowledge/Gc
scale, without compromising the validity of the assessment.

The three remaining indices of the KABC-II combine into a global score: the Mental
Processing Index (MPI).

On the Sequential/Gsm scale, a measure of Zoes ability to hold information in
immediate awareness/short term memory and then use that information in a few
seconds before it is forgotten, Zoe scored in the Below Average range (SS=83). This
suggests that Zoes abilities in this area are below those of her same-age peers. In
comparison, her working memory abilities were better than 12 out of 100 of her
peers, placing her in the 13th percentile.

On the Simultaneous/Gv: scale, Zoe earned a standard score of 76, which is within
the Below Average range. This scale measures the ability to perceive, manipulate,
and think with visual patterns and stimuli, and to mentally rotate objects in space.
Simultaneous processing demands big picture spatial integration of information in
order to solve problems with maximum efficiency. Zoes score indicates
performance significantly below that of her peers.

On the Learning/Glr scale, Zoe earned a standard score of 92, which is within the
Average range. Zoe was taught verbal labels (names) that are paired with visual
stimuli (pictures). She first had to learn these paired associations and then recall
them both immediately after they were presented, and then, following a delay of
about 25 minutes. The attentional requirements for the learning tasks are
considerable because focused, sustained, and selective attention is required for
success. Zoes ability to learn new information, store it into long-term memory, and
then efficiently retrieve it is a relative area of strength for her.

The Mental Processing Index (MPI) focuses on the way that the mind works and
deemphasizes acquired knowledge. This overall score measured Zoes short-term
memory, visual processing abilities, as well as her long-term storage and retrieval
abilities. Zoes MPI standard score of 78 is in the Below Average range, placing her
score in 7th percentile, indicating that her cognitive abilities are more developed
than 6 out of 100 of her same-age peers.

Summary
Zoe is a 6-year-old girl, who is currently in the first grade at Barnum Elementary in
Denver Public Schools. She is a monolingual, English-speaker, who was born in the
United States. Her general cognitive ability, as measured by the KABC-II, is in the
Below Average range (MPI = 78). Zoes working memory and perceptual reasoning
abilities were also both in the Below Average range (Sequential/Gsm = 83;
Simultaneous/Gv = 76). Based on this assessment, Zoe demonstrates relative
strengths in her ability to encode, store, and retrieve information from long-term
memory. She demonstrates weaknesses in working memory, planning ability, and
the ability to mentally organize abstract visual information. Zoes performance on
this assessment suggests that she may experience difficulty in keeping up with her
peers in a wide variety of situations that require age-appropriate thinking and
reasoning abilities. Furthermore, information obtained from her mother and teacher
regarding her difficulties with attention, when combined with observations of her
behavior in the classroom and testing environments may indicate that her below
average ability to take in and process information leads to her feeling overwhelmed
by the academic demands of the classroom. Zoes behaviors of looking around the
classroom and seeking out support from peers seem to be indicative of her feeling
unsure how to complete the directions shes been given, or, in some cases, the actual
meaning of the directions themselves. Further investigation into whether or not
Zoes difficulties with attention extend to unstructured environments, including
recess, lunch, or at home, may be warranted to determine if her behavior relates to
her feeling lost or unaware of expectations or if it can be attributed to underlying
social emotional issues.

Recommendations

1) To assist with her deficits in working memory, Zoe would likely benefit from

having verbal directions paired with visual instructions and examples,

when new material is being introduced.
2) To address difficulties with task completion:

a. Divide large assignments into smaller parts

b. Positive reinforcement (e.g. stickers, verbal praise) for persisting with

challenging assignments
3) To assist with her deficits in working memory, Zoe would likely benefit from

frequent check-ins by the instructor throughout the course of a lesson or

activity to ensure that she is following along with the material and
understands expectations.

4) To support her overall health, ensure that Zoe arrives at school well


rested and has the opportunity to eat breakfast before school starts.
_______________________________________
Andrew Alberti
School Psychologist Intern

Katherine Kozlowski, Ph.D., NCSP
School Psychologist



The second artifact is comprised of a myriad of qualitative data obtained from the
students mother, teacher, and the student himself. Based on both anecdotal report
and direct observation of the students difficulties with attention, hyperactivity,
defiance, and aggression, the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Second
Edition (BASC-2) was selected to screen for a wide-range of social emotional issues,
through surveys administered to the mother, teacher, and child. The BASC-2 is a
highly regarded screening tool utilized in both clinical and educational settings for
the preliminary identification of social-emotional issues. Parent and teacher ratings
of clinically significant depressive symptoms, coupled with teacher ratings in the
clinically significant range in the areas of hyperactivity, attention, and aggression led
to the administration of a more targeted social emotional questionnaire, the
Conners 3, which is intended to identify symptoms often present in individuals with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Results from the BASC-2 and Conners 3
ultimately provided the team with valuable insight into the nature of the students
difficulties and were used to inform recommendations for direct intervention and
increased classroom support.

CONFIDENTIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORT

Student: Miguel Ruiz
DOB: XX/XX/XX
Test Dates: 12/04/2014; 01/07/2015
Age at Testing: 10yr. 10mo.
School: Denison Montessori
Grade: 5
School Psychologist Intern: Andrew Alberti
Report Date: 01/28/2015
School Psychologist: Katherine Kozlowski, Ph.D., NCSP

Reason for Referral
Miguel was referred to the school psychologist intern by his classroom teacher, Ms.
Smith, due to concerns related to his inability to maintain focus and attention within
the classroom. Ms. Smith indicated that his behavior had recently begun to escalate
with Miguel often exhibiting defiance when redirected to return to his work or to
separate from a peer. She also noted that his grades were declining and that he had
made little academic progress since the beginning of the school year.

Parent Interview
Miguels mother, Ms. Ruiz, reported that Miguel currently resides with her, his
stepfather, older sister (age 16) and younger sister (age 3). She noted that his
biological father lives in Colorado but that Miguel does not get to see him often. He
was born at full-term, at a healthy weight, and achieved all developmental
milestones as expected. He is a monolingual, English-speaker, who was born in the
United States. Ms. Ruiz indicated that Miguel really looks up to his older sister and
has recently seemed hurt by the fact that she isnt spending as much time with him
as she used to. Although he was initially jealous of his younger sister when she was
first born, he has since started taking pride in being the older brother and always
wants to help take care of her. Ms. Ruiz shared that both she and Miguels stepfather
have difficult work schedules and that she is often unable to get home until late in
the evening, while his stepfather works the night shift. Miguels older sister is
responsible for taking care of him and his younger sister after school. These
challenges often lead to Miguel feeling as though he is being left out or ignored,
causing him to become upset, which he usually expresses through crying or yelling.
Ms. Ruiz recently began looking for family counseling support through her
employer.

Teacher Interview
Miguels fifth grade teacher, Ms. Smith, has developed a close connection to Miguel
and his family and, as a result of her transitioning from teaching lower elementary
(grades 1, 2, 3) to upper elementary (grades 4, 5, 6) beginning the previous school
year, has taught him since the first grade. Ms. Smith reports that Miguel has
struggled with paying attention to what others are saying and completing his work
on time for as long as she has known him. In the past, he would often not begin
classwork or projects until well after his peers, which frequently resulted in him
turning in assignments late or completing a majority of the work but then failing to
finish. Since the start of the school year, his behavior has shifted from avoiding
work, struggling to get started, and turning in assignments late toward more defiant,

disruptive behaviors. Miguel now rarely completes work, will wander around the
classroom or hallway and distracts other students from their work. Several of his
peers have begun to avoid him during group work, likely because they believe he
will get them in trouble. This has severely hurt Miguel, increasing his feelings of
depression and isolation. Finally, Ms. Smith noted that she will check in with Miguel
every morning and try to provide him with positive attention as much as possible
but lately he has been disrespectful or unresponsive during these interactions.

Classroom Observations
Miguel was observed in his classroom during the late morning. The class had just
ended their whole group lesson and was transitioning into separate activities with
some students forming small groups while others chose to work independently.
Miguel chose a seat at the table that Ms. Smith utilizes for small group lessons. She
told him that she was about to begin a lesson but he could remain at the table if he
continued to read quietly. About two minutes into the group lesson, Miguel
interrupted her to ask a question about the calendar that was displayed on the wall
behind her. She immediately redirected him to focus on his reading or he would
have to find another seat. Miguel returned to flipping through his book while
frequently pausing to look around the room or move around in his seat. He then
stood up and began to wander around the room, stopping to chat with a few of his
peers for about one minute before being redirected by his teacher to find some work
to do. Next, he sat down at his desk in front of the chalkboard and began playing
with some of the items that were inside.

Testing Observations
Miguel was tested on two occasions, first, using the BASC-IISRP, a social-emotional
screener that requires the examinee to fill out a series of questions rating their
perception of their behavior and feelings at both school and home. He was
subsequently tested using the Conners 3, a questionnaire designed to obtain a
students observations about their behavior and emotional state specifically
targeted toward the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Miguel
completed both screeners individually in the examiners office. On both occasions,
he spent a lengthy period of time considering many of the questions despite
instructions from the examiner to answer quickly, and was observed to be looking
out the window or around the room multiple times, requiring several redirections
from the examiner. Miguel seemed to enjoy spending time in the examiners office
and was reluctant to return to his classroom following completion of the
assessments.

Assessment Results

Behavior Assessment System for Children-Second Edition (BASC-2)
The BASC-2 is a norm-referenced rating scale designed to help identify a variety of
emotional and behavioral disorders in children. The BASC-2 gathers information
from parents, teachers, and the child. The instrument includes several composite

and scale scores. The Behavioral Symptoms Index (BSI), or overall score, measures
the overall level of behavioral problems. On the Clinical Scales, scores from 41 to 59
are considered average, and about two out of three children have scores within this
range. Scores from 60 to 69 are considered at-risk and areas to be aware of and
monitor (and are underlined). Scores of 70 and above are considered clinically
significant and likely deserve attention and/or further follow up (and are printed in
bold). However, on the Adaptive Scales, higher scores denote more positive
behaviors. Scores from 41-59 are considered average, while scores of 31-40 are
considered at-risk, and scores of 30 and below are considered clinically significant.

TEACHER RATING SCALES (TRS)
Miguels teacher, Ms. Smith, completed a questionnaire that assesses a students
social-emotional functioning in order to screen for potential behavioral, emotional,
or adaptive difficulties present at school.






T-Score




Clinical Scales
Hyperactivity



86


Aggression



81


Conduct Problems


66


Externalizing Problems Composite
80



Anxiety




59


Depression



111

Somatization



69


Internalizing Problems Composite
87



Attention Problems


72


Learning Problems


60


School Problems Composite

67



Atypicality



76


Withdrawal



71



Behavioral Symptoms Index

91




Adaptive Scales
Adaptability



29


Social Skills



42


Leadership



39


Study Skills



30


Functional Communication

34


Adaptive Skills



33

PARENT RATING SCALES (PRS)

Miguels mother, Ms. Ruiz, completed a questionnaire that assesses a childs social-
emotional functioning in order to screen for potential behavioral, emotional, or
adaptive difficulties at home.






T-Score
Clinical Scales
Hyperactivity



63
Aggression



62
Conduct Problems


56
Externalizing Problems Composite
62

Anxiety




50
Depression



74
Somatization



53
Internalizing Problems Composite
61

Atypicality



54
Withdrawal



58
Attention Problems


64

Behavioral Symptoms Index

66



Adaptive Scales
Adaptability



44
Social Skills



52
Leadership



46
Activities of Daily Living

44
Functional Communication

54
Adaptive Skills



48

SELF-REPORT OF PERSONALITY (SRP)
Miguel completed a questionnaire designed to measure his social-emotional
functioning in order to screen for potential behavioral, emotional, or adaptive
difficulties that he may currently be experiencing.






T-Score
Clinical Scales
Attitude to School


59
Attitude to Teachers


49
School Problems Composite

55

Atypicality



47
Locus of Control



55
Social Stress



55
Anxiety




50

Depression



43
Sense of Inadequacy


53
Internalizing Problems Composite
51

Attention Problems


62
Hyperactivity



58
Inattention/Hyperactivity Composite 61

Emotional Symptoms Index

50

Adaptive Scales
Relations with Parents


62
Interpersonal Relations


47
Self-Esteem



53
Self-Reliance



47
Personal Adjustment Composite
53

The Externalizing Problems Composite (acting out behavior) examines the areas
of hyperactivity, aggression, and conduct problems. The hyperactivity scale
measures the tendency to be overly active or act without thinking, the aggression
scale measures the tendency to act in a hostile manner that may appear threatening
to others, and the conduct problems scale measures the tendency to engage in anti-
social rule-breaking behavior. Miguels mother and teacher reported significant
concern for Miguel, in the area of hyperactivity, which includes not being able to
wait to take his turn, acting without thinking, and fiddling with things at meals, etc.
Miguels mother and teacher also reported significant concerns in the areas of
aggression, such as arguing when denied his own way, defying teachers, and
annoying others on purpose. None of the respondents reported concerns for
conduct problems (e.g. lying, breaking the rules, etc.).

The Internalizing Problems Composite (acting in behavior) examines the areas of
anxiety, depression, and somatization. The anxiety scale measures the tendency to
be nervous or worried about real/imagined problems, the depression scale
measures the tendency to have feelings of unhappiness and sadness that may result
in the inability to carry out everyday activities, and the somatization scale examines
the tendency to be overly sensitive to relatively minor physical problems or
discomforts. Notably, Miguels mother and classroom teacher both reported
significant concerns related to depression, while Miguel reported no such concerns.
None of the respondents reported concerns in the areas of anxiety or somatization.

The School Problems Composite examines the areas of attention problems and
learning problems. The attention problems scale measures the tendency to be easily
distracted and the inability to concentrate. The learning problems scale measures
the presence of academic difficulties. All three respondents reported significant
concern for Miguels ability to pay attention, such as being easily distracted from
class work, having a short attention span, and getting in trouble for not paying

attention during class. While Miguels classroom teacher did not report concerns for
learning problems that were at an at-risk or clinically significant level, she did
indicate that he has trouble completing tests and keeping up in class.

There are two scales, which do not contribute to a composite, atypicality and
withdrawal. The atypicality scale examines the tendency to think or behave in an
odd or unusual manner. The withdrawal scale examines the tendency to avoid social
contact. Within the atypicality scale, Ms. Smith, Miguels classroom teacher, reported
at-risk concerns, however; the items that were indicated were all related to acting
confused or strangely, two behaviors that may also occur in students who struggle
to maintain focus and therefore have difficulty following the directions necessary
for completing work or knowing when to start or finish classroom activities. Neither
Miguel nor his mother reported any difficulties regarding atypicality. On the
withdrawal scale, Miguels teacher reported clinically significant concerns, including
playing alone and having difficulty making friends, while his mother did not report
having these concerns.

The Behavioral Symptoms Index is a global measure of serious problem behaviors.
Miguels teacher noted a clinically significant level of behavior problems while his
mother indicated an elevated level.

The Adaptive Skills Composite examines pro-social, desirable behaviors, including
adaptability, social skills, leadership skills, study skills, functional communication
skills, and activities of daily living. None of the respondents reported any concerns
in these areas.

Overall, results indicate that Miguel is having significant difficulty with maintaining
focus both in the classroom as well as at home. His tendency to become easily
distracted as well his inability to listen attentively to adults appears to be negatively
affecting his academic performance. The fact that both Miguels mother and teacher
reported significant external depressive symptoms (e.g. saying I hate myself,
Nobody likes me) while Miguel did not indicate that he is feeling negative internal
self-worth (e.g. feeling like nothing is going right, not caring) likely warrants further
assessment to elucidate the true underlying cause of his social-emotional issues. A
recommendation was made to his mother for further assessment utilizing the
Conners 3, a questionnaire specifically targeted toward executive functioning,
attention and hyperactivity as well as aggressive and defiant behavior.

Conners Rating Scale Third Edition (CRS-3)
The Conners 3rd Edition is a questionnaire designed to obtain a students
observations about their behavior. The Conners can be used with students from age
6 to 18 years. It is designed to give useful information about a students ability to
pay attention/focus and ignore distractions in different environments (both at home
and at school). When combined with other information the results of the Conners
can support assessment decisions and can be a useful component of a DSM-IV-TR-
based ADHD diagnosis. Scores are represented as t scores. Scores between 40 and

60 fall in the average range. Scores from 60 to 64 are high average. Scores from 65
to 69 are elevated scores. Scores over 70 represent very elevated scores and
significantly different behaviors. The Conners provides measures of five main areas
of functioning: Inattention, Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, Learning Problems,
Defiance/Aggression and Peer Relations. The Conners also measures the number of
symptoms commonly associated with ADHD predominantly inattentive type and
ADHD predominately hyperactive-impulsive type as well as conduct disorder (CD)
and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

Conners Scale Scores

Parent
Teacher
Self Report
Scale
Scale
Inattention
79*
78*
55
Hyperactivity / impulsivity
90*
90*
55
Learning problems / executive
-
58
-
functioning
Learning problems
72*
43
55
Executive functioning
77*
76*
-
Aggression
90*
90*
47
Peer relations
55
90*
-
Family relations
-
-
53

DSM -IV TR Symptom Scales
Scale
Parent
Teacher
Self Report
Scale
Scale
ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type
83*
80*
55
ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive
90*
89*
51
impulsive type
Conduct Disorder
75*
83*
44
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
90*

90*
48
* Elevated Scores

DSM-IV-TR





Total Symptom
Count
DSM-IV-TR Symptom
DSM-IV-TR
Parent Teacher Self
Scale
Requirements
Report
ADHD Predominantly
At least 6 out of 9
8*
9*
3
Inattentive Type
symptoms
ADHD Predominantly
At least 6 out of 9
9*
8*
0
Hyperactive impulsive symptoms
type
ADHD Combined Type
Criteria must be met for Yes*
Yes*
No
both ADHD In and ADHD
Hyp-Imp
Conduct Disorder
At least 3 out of 15
5*
3*
0

Oppositional Defiant
Disorder

symptoms
At least 4 out of 8
symptoms

8*

8*

* Symptom Criteria Met

Results of the Conners 3 reveal broad areas of agreement between Miguels mother
and teacher in the categories of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, executive
functioning, and aggression. These results are consistent with anecdotal reports
provided by Ms. Ruiz and Ms. Smith as well as observations by the school
psychologist intern. Notably, Ms. Ruiz rated Miguel as being within the clinically
significant range on the Learning Problems scale (e.g. has trouble reading and
spelling), while Ms. Smith did not report concerns in this area. This is likely
attributable to how the question was interpreted by each rater, as both Ms. Ruiz and
Ms. Smith have expressed that Miguel is capable of being a great student but
struggles to demonstrate this through his work. Also, Miguels teacher rated him in
the clinically significant range on the Peer Relations scale (e.g. having difficulty
keeping friends, being accepted by a group), while his mother did not report
concerns in this area. These results align with reports that he gets along well with
his siblings at home, while at school he sometimes becomes frustrated with his
peers in the classroom. Finally, Miguels self-reported ratings were not clinically
significant in any category; however, these results must be interpreted with caution
as Miguel has expressed awareness of feeling depressed, angry, or unable to focus to
his mother and teacher at various times in the past. Diagnostic categories of the
DSM-IV-TR are included primarily for the purpose of providing a complete record of
assessment results in the event that Ms. Ruiz elected to share these results with
outside medical professionals. Moreover, ratings given by Miguels mother and
teacher showed elevated scores across all five symptom scales, making their
meaningful interpretation difficult and further highlighting the need for continued
exploration and analysis.

Summary
Miguel is a 10-year-old male currently in the fifth grade at Denison Montessori
School in Denver Public Schools. He is a monolingual, English-speaker, who was
born in the United States. Miguel is the middle child of three, including two sisters,
ages 3 and 16. He was first referred to the school psychologist intern by his
classroom teacher, Ms. Smith, who expressed concerns about his inability to
maintain focus and attention in the classroom, along with recent defiant behaviors
and feelings of depression. Miguel, along with his mother and teacher, each
completed separate rating scales for the BASC-2. Results indicated that Miguel is
having significant difficulty with maintaining focus both in the classroom as well as
at home. His tendency to become easily distracted along with his inability to listen
attentively to adults appears to be negatively affecting his academic performance.
Based on parent and teacher ratings of clinically significant issues in the category of
depression, along with teacher ratings that were clinically significant in the areas of
hyperactivity and aggression, a recommendation was made to his mother for further
assessment to be completed.

Results of the Conners 3 reveal broad areas of agreement between Miguels mother
and teacher in the categories of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, executive
functioning, and aggression. These results are consistent with anecdotal reports
provided by Ms. Ruiz and Ms. Smith as well as observations by the school
psychologist intern. Miguels self-reported ratings were not clinically significant in
any category; however, these results must be interpreted with caution as both his
mother and teacher report that Miguel has expressed awareness of feeling
depressed, angry, or unable to focus to them at various times in the past. Overall,
Miguels difficulties with attention and focus, feelings of depression or lack of self-
worth, along with the, more recent, appearance of defiant and aggressive behavior
can be attributed to a complex mix of environmental (e.g. being the middle child in a
busy household, having the freedom of movement and choice inherent to the
Montessori philosophy), social emotional (e.g. feeling ignored or unwanted), and
potentially neurological (e.g. the presence of symptoms consistent with attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder that appear present across multiple settings) factors.
In the educational environment, Miguel is likely to benefit from increased support
and positive attention from his teacher as well as the school psychologist intern.

Recommendations

1) To assist with his ability to maintain attention and focus in the classroom, Miguel

would likely benefit from:


a. A daily work plan written in collaboration with his teacher.


b. A designated quiet area in the classroom, absent distractions.


c. Frequent check-ins by his teacher to ensure he is following along



with a class lesson, understanding directions, or adhering to



his work plan.


2) To address his need for positive attention from peers and adults, Miguel


would likely benefit from:


a. Daily check-ins with the school psychologist intern.


b. Participation in a weekly counseling group, facilitated by the school



psychologist intern, comprised of similar age peers and



designed to teach strategies for impulse control and emotion



regulation.


c. Positive rewards, including the ability to help out in a primary



classroom.

_______________________________________
Andrew Alberti
School Psychologist Intern

Katherine Kozlowski, Ph.D., NCSP
School Psychologist

Summary Statement

The two artifacts presented above illustrate my ability to: gather data on a

student from a variety of sources; compile the data into a comprehensive picture of
their present levels of performance; identify areas of need within the educational
environment; select current, norm-referenced, assessment measures which are
culturally and linguistically appropriate; and utilize the results of both qualitative
and quantitative methods of inquiry to provide a holistic view of a childs strengths
and needs that can used to inform the development of highly effective interventions
and supports. Throughout the course of my internship year, I believe that I have
significantly improved my ability to utilize the information I have gathered on a
student to provide an all-inclusive, as opposed to compartmentalized, view of their
present level of functioning.

In the case of both Zoe and Miguel, I was able to successfully obtain a wealth

of information from interviews conducted with their parents and teachers as well as
my own behavioral observations. I was also careful to choose my assessment tools
only after consideration of relevant cultural and linguistic factors, along with overall
aspects of test validity. Going forward, I will strive to conduct observations across
multiple settings whenever possible. Lastly, the on-going debate regarding the role
of cognitive testing in education, at times, hindered my ability to acquire a complete
understanding of a childs mental processes, which may have been utilized to create
better-informed interventions and supports.