title: Decision making in determining eligibility of culturally and linguistically diverse learners: Reasons given by assessment personnel.
abstract: Assessment personnel from the southern borderlands area of Texas participated in analyzing one of four different hypothetical cases. Respondents were expected to defer making eligibility decisions due to language proficiency, environment, culture, or lack of data. When data were lacking, the investigators proposed that respondents would recognize the need for additional information and defer making a decision. Differences in eligibility decisions were found when the respondents analyzed cases in which a significant discrepancy existed and in cases in which language proficiency information was provided. Experience in assessment was significant in the determination that additional information was needed to reach a decision, F(2, 87) = 3.99, p < .05. A majority of the respondents (83%) made an eligibility decision using insufficient data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg 78539, USA.
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Overton
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simonsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003657:Decision Making; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged