Hope springs eternal … and readers, it is SPRING! SPRING should always be in all caps, in my opinion. And you know what is really giving me hope lately?
I’m seeing more and more special education evaluations that are taking executive functioning (EF) delays and deficits seriously. Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, of late, are focused on what is impeding a child’s learning growth, rather than on goals as outcomes.
That, friends, is a win. For everyone.
Psychologist Dr. Shelley Barber, of Barber Psychological Services in Olympia, has evaluated countless children, and has some excellent recommendations that I’m seeing in evaluation reports.
She recommends the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning 2nd Edition assessment, or BRIEF-2. “The BRIEF-2 is my go-to,” Barber said. “It helps us break down where executive functioning challenges show up, whether it’s cognitive, behavioral, or emotional. It gives you next steps, not just scores.”
You can see what she means when you take a look-see at a sample report.
“You can still pull data from a regular cognitive assessment,” Barber said. “Working memory and processing speed tell you a lot.”
In Thurston County, the Weschler Intelligence Scales for Children 5th Edition, or WISC-5, tends to be the most common cognitive test.
And don’t forget interviews. Teachers, parents and service providers are often the best sources of functional EF data. A missed locker combination or a meltdown over math says more than a percentile ever will.
Barber calls it the feedback loop.
“If a child starts out with the best of intentions, but things fall apart, they internalize it. They start saying, ‘I should be able to do this, but I can’t.’ That’s shame. That’s where the damage begins," she said.
When schools ignore EF needs, kids begin to avoid tasks that feel impossible. Not because they don’t care, but because they’re protecting themselves from failure. That avoidance, in turn, gets labeled as behavior.
When schools recognize and support executive functioning, the cycle changes. As students are supported with skills, such as emotional regulation and persistence, self-efficacy, the belief that “I can do hard things,” grows.
“Helping kids recognize when they’re off task, and giving them a plan to get back on track, is one of the most powerful emotional interventions we have,” Barber explained.
If you suspect your child’s IEP is missing the mark on executive functioning, here’s where to start:
Although you must never, ever, ever enter personally identifiable information into the digital demigod’s ear, you can add anonymous numbers and data. For this prompt, you need to like to type.
Step 1: Go through your child’s evaluation report. Make a table of the assessment, sub-test, and your child’s score. Do not add any information about your child to this table. Save it as a PDF document.
Step 2: Upload PDF — all anonymous information — to the digital demigod. Before you hit “enter,” type this query:
This is my child’s assessment on (assessment name) done (school year). At the time, my child was (age) and is now (age). I am wondering if the assessments show any delays, deficits or concerns about executive functioning skills. My child has (diagnosis). Do not provide your analysis yet. Instead, ask me questions that will help you contextualize the data and inform your response.
I am so late to the party.
This column is written by Shannon Sankstone, she is an Olympia-based special education advocate and the owner of Advocacy Unlocked. She may be reached at ShannonSankstone@theJOLTnews.com.
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