Student assessment and program evaluation are essential to identifying, selecting and evaluating effective interventions and educational programs for students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As the number of children classified as autistic increases, school personnel can benefit from increasing their understanding of the role that evaluation plays in determining student instructional needs and designing and evaluating effective programs and interventions. Evaluation provides the data needed to design appropriate and effective instructional contexts that promote student learning and achievement, goals of our federal laws (IDEA, 2004; NCLB, 2001).

Students with ASD are a heterogeneous group presenting with a wide range of neurodevelopmental deficits and high rates of learning and behavior disorders; all of which can challenge their ability to access the general education curriculum, engage in the instructional process, and participate in the least restrictive environment. With features of the disorder affecting multiple developmental areas and symptoms varying in severity across students and across the age span, school personnel need to routinely evaluate the unique learner characteristics and instructional needs of each of their students. In addition, the instructional context (e.g., curriculum, instruction, positive behavior supports) also needs to be routinely evaluated in order to identify and provide effective interventions and supports.

It is only when the instructional context is aligned with the student’s instructional level and contains the appropriate social and behavior supports that he/she will learn. While this might seem the sole responsibility of the individual teacher or therapist, school administrators need to ensure that district infrastructure supports educational personnel in the use of these evidence-based practices. Therefore, formalized on-going program evaluation is a necessary component in all districts wishing to ensure that their students are achieving. This requires a commitment by the school district to ensure that its policies and procedures support school personnel in gaining the knowledge, skill and ability to engage in meaningful student evaluation that allows for the identification of the student’s instructional needs, identification and application of appropriate interventions, progress monitoring, and evaluation of the student’s response to the intervention.

Because educational programs and/or interventions derived and evaluated in the context of research do not always translate to the field, student and program level evaluation are necessary to demonstrate that a district and its personnel are applying effective practices. Evaluation should, therefore, become a part of the daily repertoire of all school personnel. Successful ASD programming requires school leaders to understand the needs of their students, create school contexts that contain elements of effective practice in ASD education, and policy and procedures that ensure research-based elements are translated into practice to improve student outcome.

Evaluation provides the data that are needed to make informed decisions about student and district programs and to assist with problem-solving for those programs, interventions or practices that are ineffective. Please join our talk scheduled for 8:30 am on March 7^th to hear me discuss the fundamental role that evaluation plays in evidenced-based practice in ASD education, and the issues and considerations in designing appropriate student assessment and program evaluation protocols.