genArete: Learner-Centered Skill Assessment

Abstract In this first talk of a three-part series, Mark Malady, BCBA, examines the state of skill-based assessment for autistic learners and other people with disabilities. He reviews recent literature showing an inverse relationship between utilization and evidence: widely used behavior-analytic instruments such as the VB-MAPP and ABLLS-R have only emerging empirical support, while less-used tools like the ABLA carry stronger validation, with funder requirements driving much of the imbalance. Drawing on CASP/APBA assessment guidelines, he unpacks key distinctions practitioners should know before selecting a tool: direct versus indirect, standardized versus non-standardized, norm-referenced versus criterion-referenced, and single-modal versus multimodal approaches, with attention to how norm-referenced comparisons can embed normalization agendas. Using the genArete assessment as a working example, he presents design features that support learner-centered practice: eliminating cold probes in favor of measurement systems that distinguish acquisition from mastery states, top-down and bottom-up entry points that respect the learner's time, varied measurement systems matched to targets, built-in assent and accommodations, and milestone-based comparison criteria benchmarked against competent performers rather than same-age norms. He closes with practical steps any clinician can apply to existing instruments, including semi-structured intake interviews to individualize assessment packages, auditing assessment selection for true differentiation across learners, separating instructional targets from ongoing environmental supports, and strategies for getting emerging instruments approved by funders.