MFA Basics
What does MFA stand for?
Multi-Factored Assessment.
Who provides information about the child’s development and behavior at home?
Parent/Guardian.
Name an academic achievement test commonly used in MFA.
Woodcock-Johnson, WIAT, KTEA.
Under which U.S. law is a comprehensive evaluation required before special education services?
Answer: IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).
What is the first step in the MFA process?
Referral for evaluation.
What is the main goal of an MFA?
To get a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths/needs and determine eligibility and supports.
Which professional typically conducts cognitive and behavioral assessments?
School Psychologist.
Name one adaptive behavior measure.
Vineland or ABAS.
What does FAPE stand for?
Answer: Free Appropriate Public Education.
What follows parental consent?
Multidisciplinary evaluation using multiple measures.
True/False: An MFA relies on a single standardized test.
Answer: False — it uses multiple tools, settings, and sources.
False — it uses multiple tools, settings, and sources.
Which specialist evaluates speech, language, and communication?
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).
What do classroom observations primarily capture?
Real-world behaviors, engagement, and performance in natural contexts.
Whose consent is required before conducting an MFA?
Parent/Guardian consent.
A student has strong reasoning but weak decoding/fluency. Which assessments do you add?
Academic reading (decoding/fluency), phonological awareness, and language assessments.
What document is directly informed by MFA results?
The Individualized Education Program (IEP).
What’s the general education teacher’s key contribution?
Classroom performance data and curriculum access observations.
What’s the difference between formal and informal assessment?
Formal = standardized, normed; Informal = observations, work samples, interviews, CBM.
How often must eligibility be re-evaluated (at minimum)?
At least every three years (triennial).
Which meeting follows eligibility determination?
IEP development meeting.
Name two reasons MFA improves decision-making.
Reduces bias by using multiple data sources; captures whole-child profile for accurate planning.
Why is a multidisciplinary team essential in MFA?
Combines complementary expertise to create a complete, accurate picture of the student.
Which tools assess processing and language underlying literacy?
Phonological awareness, rapid naming, receptive/expressive language, memory/processing tasks.
What legal principle addresses using non-discriminatory, valid assessments in a child’s language?
Nondiscriminatory evaluation procedures under IDEA.
Why might the SLP and psychologist coordinate on testing?
Language weaknesses can affect cognitive and achievement results; collaboration improves validity.