Description

The Academic Achievement Battery (AAB) Comprehensive Form is a test published in 2014, designed to measure “an individual’s performance in the major areas of achievement as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).” The AAB Comprehensive Form is intended for use with English-speaking individuals aged 4 to 85. The test can be administered in either paper or digital format. The paper version is administered using a question booklet, answer booklet, two stimulus books, and a letter/word reading card.

Subtests and Composite Scores

The AAB Comprehensive Form includes 15 subtests that contribute to eight composite scores:
Basic Reading
Reading Comprehension
Listening Comprehension
Expressive Communication
Written Expression
Math Calculation
Math Reasoning

Academic Achievement Composite Score

Not all 15 subtests are administered to every examinee. Nine are considered core subtests, while five are administered only to examinees from Pre-K through Grade 3. One subtest excludes Pre-K examinees, and another excludes those below Grade 3. The subtests were designed to align with key concepts and skills from the Common Core State Standards, and are supported by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Uses

The AAB Comprehensive Form is designed for the following purposes:
Identification of academic strengths and weaknesses
Informing eligibility decisions for special services
Supporting intervention planning
Informing placement or accommodation decisions (for adults)
Identifying adults for disability services

Administration and Scoring

The AAB Comprehensive Form must be administered by an examiner formally trained in assessment. The test takes between 30–90 minutes to complete, depending on the examinee’s age. Scoring procedures also require specific expertise, as the scorer must be “proficient in the use and expression of the English language to score the required written expression.” The publisher, Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc., offers computer-based scoring for the AAB Comprehensive Form.

Development

The AAB was developed to address broad skill areas as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The test primarily focuses on writing, communication, and math skills from kindergarten through high school. During development, the authors created and tested a larger pool of subtests and questions than what appears in the final version. Specific reviews were conducted to assess content and face validity. Items were also evaluated for potential bias regarding gender, race/ethnicity, or religious background. Pilot data were collected in 2011, followed by a refinement study and a standardization study.

Technical Information

Standardization data for the AAB Comprehensive Form were collected in 2013–2014 across 30 U.S. states. Age-based norms were drawn from data on 1,274 individuals aged 4–83. Grade-based norms were based on data from 1,447 individuals aged 4–19. The demographics of the normative samples closely matched the 2012 U.S. population.

Limitations

One reviewer noted that the Listening Comprehension: Passages subtest may conflate memory with literal comprehension, as the examiner reads a passage aloud and then asks questions about it. The reviewer also observed that, since the Guide for Occupational Exploration—which the AAB draws from—is based on literature reviews conducted over 40 years ago, it is unclear whether the skills it defines align with those required by today’s job market.

References

Academic Achievement Battery Comprehensive Form. (2016). In The Twentieth Mental Measurements Yearbook (p. 2).
Academic Achievement Battery Comprehensive Form. (2016). In The Twentieth Mental Measurements Yearbook.
Review of the Academic Achievement Battery Comprehensive Form by David Morse. (2016). In The Twentieth Mental Measurements Yearbook.
Review of the Academic Achievement Battery Comprehensive Form by Hillary Michaels. (2016). In The Twentieth Mental Measurements Yearbook.
Review of the Academic Achievement Battery Comprehensive Form. (2016). In The Twentieth Mental Measurements Yearbook.

Analysis

The analysis of the AAB-CF involves evaluating student performance across various subscales. Each subscale targets specific skills, such as reading comprehension, math computation, and written expression. Results are analyzed relative to age and grade-level norms, offering a clear picture of a student’s strengths and weaknesses. This analysis supports personalized teaching strategies, helping educators adapt instruction to each student’s needs.

Objective

The main objective of the AAB-CF is to provide a comprehensive and accurate assessment of students’ academic achievement. By examining academic skills in detail, the assessment helps identify learning difficulties and recognize students needing additional support or enrichment. Additionally, the AAB-CF serves as a tool for tracking student progress over time, enabling educators to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and instructional programs.

Standardization

The standardization of the AAB-CF is based on extensive studies and data from a wide range of students. Each subscale’s results are compared to standardized scores for different age groups and grade levels. Scores are presented using standard deviations, percentile ranks, and other statistical indicators, offering a detailed picture of a student’s performance relative to the reference population. This precise standardization ensures the tool’s reliability and validity as a measure of academic achievement.