Thanks to the support and guidance of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), TRI’s Education Evaluation Center (EEC) has, for more than 50 years, conducted comprehensive assessments of Oregon students referred to the EEC because of concerns that they may have a learning disorder. The EEC's approach to these assessments includes viewing the student within her or his context, both at school and at home. For culturally and linguistically diverse students in particular, it is critical that their diverse contexts be considered when determining if they have a learning disorder.

For many years, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has recognized the need to be cognizant of students’ contexts and requested that the EEC produce a manual of resources and guidelines for special and general educators who work with students who are culturally and linguistically diverse.  The first such manual, Special Education Assessment Process for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students, was completed in 2001. A revision was completed in 2007 incorporating new research and thinking about this assessment process.

Now, in 2015, a second revision has been completed. As with the 2007 revision, new research and emerging best practices have been added along with an expanded discussion of the contextual factors that must be considered when conducting these assessments.

New To the 2015 Update:

• Cultural Humility Framework
• Eclectic-Non-Discriminatory Assessment Framework
• Federal and State criteria for SLD identification with CLD students
• Culturally Responsive RTI Guidelines for CLD Students
• Expanded terminology/definitions
• Updated companion resources
• Links to culturally responsive instructional and assessment practices for CLD students
• Updated resources/references for further reading
• Revised listing of assessment tools

You can find the revised manual posted HERE on the ODE website.

To learn more about the work of the EEC, click here.