How is ED/BD Assessed? (2)
Projective tests to assess personality -- many consisting of drawings, and some of written materials -- may also be administered. Other tests to tease out significant emotional or behavioral difficulties may be used. Medical information relating to mental health is considered important. Observation of the student in the classroom is required, and may be performed by a teacher. A written report of several pages is the end result.
Relying in part upon the school psychologist's findings, a district Committee on Special Education (CSE) may (or may not) decide to classify a student to receive special education services. If Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been diagnosed by a physician, the CSE may classify the student "Other Health Impaired" rather than with emotional disurbance.
It should be noted that only a handful of students are classifed as emotionally disturbed. According to the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice (CECP), less than 1% of students are identified as emotionally disturbed and receive special education. That is true despite the fact that the federal government gives a very conservative estimate of 2% for those children who need special services. And, a recent report by the Surgeon General states that 15% of school-age children will develop a diagnosable mental disorder at some point, and some 5% will suffer from severe emotional problems.
There are many reasons why so few students are classified with emotional disturbance. For one thing, the classification is stigmatizing, reflecting (as it does) our society's relative disregard for problems related to mental health. It is also true that many parents lobby the CSE for another, more acceptable "label" such as Learning Disability. Finally, there are no influential parent groups concerned that students with emotional difficulties be recognized by the schools as important.
