Abstract:
This article examines the troubles that the written portions of two standardized tests, the ISTEP+
and the English 10 ECA, create for students with Speech-Language Impairments. It also
summarizes what a diagnosis of SLI means for students and the potentially problematic
academic areas involved. While there are many accommodations allowed and used in the
classroom, they are not always allowed on standardized tests. This lack of accommodations
along with a flawed system of holistic evaluation makes it more difficult for students with SLI to
be successful than it is for their typically developing peers. Standardized test scores are used to
determine a student's academic placement. To avoid misplacement, there needs to be adjustments
made to support students with deficits.