Achievement Battery Guide — WIAT-IV, KTEA-3, WJ-V ACH, Batería IV

Evaluation Scenario	WIAT-IV	KTEA-3	WJ-V ACH	Batería IV ACH
Reading
Phonological processing data built into battery	—Administer CTOPP-2 or TAPS separately	✅Built-in Phonological Awareness subtest; covers PA and phonological memory tasks	◑Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge cluster (Word Attack + Spelling of Sounds); not a full phonological battery	◑Same Phoneme-Grapheme cluster in Spanish norms
Oral reading fluency — rate, accuracy, and expression	✅Oral Reading Fluency, Reading Fluency (timed), Silent Reading Fluency — three separate subtestsMost detail	✅Word Recognition Fluency + Decoding Fluency + Reading Fluency composite	◑Sentence Reading Fluency + Word Reading Fluency; Oral Reading subtest (extended level)	◑Same fluency clusters; Spanish norms
Silent reading fluency	✅Separate Silent Reading Fluency subtest	—No dedicated silent fluency measure	✅Sentence Reading Fluency is silent (true/false tablet task)	✅
Reading comprehension — passage level	✅Reading Comprehension & Fluency composite; Reading Comprehension subtest	✅Reading Comprehension subtest; Reading Understanding composite	✅Passage Comprehension + Paragraph Reading Comprehension; Reading Comprehension cluster	✅
Basic decoding vs. comprehension discrepancy needed	✅Basic Reading vs. Reading Comprehension & Fluency composites	✅Sound-Symbol/Decoding vs. Reading Understanding clusters	✅Basic Reading Skills vs. Reading Comprehension clusters	✅
Built-in rapid naming / naming speed	—No RAN measure; administer KTEA-3 ONF or CTOPP-2 separately	✅Object Naming Facility (ONF) — rapid naming built inUnique	—No RAN; pair with CTOPP-2	—
Written Language
Graphomotor measure — alphabet writing fluency	✅Alphabet Writing Fluency — letters written in 30 seconds; key for dysgraphia documentationOnly option	—No graphomotor measure; pair with WIAT-IV AWF if needed	—	—
Written expression / composition detail	✅Sentence Composition + Essay Composition — detailed rubric; Sentence Writing Fluency; four WE subtests totalMost detail	◑Written Expression subtest combines sentence and paragraph; less granular than WIAT-IV	◑Writing Samples + Sentence Writing Fluency; Written Expression cluster; adequate for most evals	◑Same WE structure; Spanish norms
Spelling and basic writing skills	✅Spelling subtest; Spelling composite; error analysis available separately	✅Spelling with built-in error analysis — error types identified automaticallyBuilt-in EA	✅Spelling + Spelling Skills cluster; Spelling of Sounds for phoneme-grapheme	✅
Built-in error analysis across domains	—Available but requires additional scoring step; not built into administration	✅Error analysis built into reading, spelling, and math — identified during administration without extra stepUnique	—	—
Mathematics
Math fluency by operation (add, subtract, multiply separately)	✅Math Fluency-Addition, Math Fluency-Subtraction, Math Fluency-Multiplication — three separate timed subtestsMost granular	◑Math Fluency — single timed composite across all operations	◑Math Facts Fluency — mixed operations, 3-minute timed; not separated by operation	◑
Number sense / early math foundations	◑Numerical Operations covers basic number concepts; no dedicated number sense subtest	◑Math Concepts & Applications covers early math; no dedicated number sense cluster	✅Number Concepts cluster — Magnitude Comparison + Number Sense subtests; best early math foundation coverageBest coverage	✅Same Number Concepts cluster; Spanish norms
Math reasoning vs. calculation discrepancy	✅Math Problem Solving vs. Numerical Operations; Math composite	✅Math Computation vs. Math Concepts & Applications clusters	✅Math Calculation vs. Math Problem Solving clusters; strongest CHC-aligned split	✅
Oral Language
Detailed oral language composites	✅Oral Language, Listening Comprehension, Oral Expression composites; most granular OL coverageMost composites	✅Oral Language, Oral Language Fluency, Listening Comprehension, Oral Expression; Associational Fluency built in	◑Oral Language cluster in ACH; pair with WJ IV-OL for full oral language profile	◑OL cluster; pair with WMLS-R for language dominance and fuller OL picture
Battery Pairing & Selection Factors
Student is Spanish-dominant EB	—U.S. English norms; not appropriate as primary for Spanish-dominant EB	—U.S. English norms; not appropriate as primary	—English norms only; use Batería IV ACH instead	✅Normed on Spanish-speaking population; designed to pair with Batería IV COG for a complete Spanish-language evalOnly Spanish-normed option
Using WISC-V as cognitive battery	✅Co-normed with WISC-V (Pearson); ability-achievement comparisons are standardized and defensibleSame publisher	◑Cross-battery ability-achievement comparison possible but not co-normed	◑Cross-battery comparison possible; CHC alignment strong but not co-normed	—
Using KABC-II as cognitive battery	◑Cross-battery comparison possible; different publishers	✅Co-normed with KABC-II (Pearson); standardized ability-achievement comparisonsSame publisher	◑CHC alignment good; cross-battery interpretation needed	—
Using WJ-V COG as cognitive battery	◑Different publisher; cross-battery comparison requires C-SEP/XBA approach	—Different publisher; not recommended as primary pair	✅Same battery family; ability-achievement clusters directly comparable; strongest CHC alignmentSame family	◑Pair Batería IV COG + Batería IV ACH for full Spanish eval; WJ-V COG + Batería IV ACH is cross-battery
Ages 4–5 / early childhood SLD screening	✅Norms start at 4:0; pre-academic subtests appropriate for young children	✅Norms start at 4:0; similar EC coverage	✅Norms start at 2:0; broadest early childhood age coverage	✅Norms start at 2:0
Efficient cross-domain coverage in one battery	◑17 subtests; good domain coverage but no phonological processing or RAN built in	✅19+ subtests covering academic + phonological + oral language + RAN — most efficient single-battery optionMost efficient	✅Standard battery covers all academic domains; extended subtests add depth; WJ-V COG adds ability-achievement without switching publishers	✅
Post-secondary / adult evaluation (age 18+)	✅Norms extend through age 50:11Adult norms	◑Norms through 25:11; appropriate for most transition-age evals	✅Norms to age 90+; broadest lifespan coverage	✅Norms to 90+

✅ Strong fit / primary choice ◑ Conditional — see note — Not available / not recommended

📘

WIAT-IV

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, 4th Ed.

Ages 4:0–50:11

17 subtests

SS M=100 · Scaled M=10

Unique Strengths

Alphabet Writing Fluency 3 reading fluency subtests 4 WE subtests Adult norms to 50:11

Key Composites

Basic Reading · Reading Comprehension & Fluency · Total Reading · Written Expression · Math · Math Fluency · Oral Language

Best For

Dysgraphia evals (AWF is essential); written expression primary concern; detailed reading fluency breakdown; co-normed with WISC-V for ability-achievement comparison; post-secondary evals.

Limitation

No built-in phonological processing or RAN — must administer CTOPP-2 or TAPS separately for dyslexia evals. Error analysis requires additional scoring step.

📗

KTEA-3

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 3rd Ed.

Ages 4:0–25:11

19+ subtests

SS M=100 · Scaled M=10

Unique Strengths

Built-in PA subtest Built-in error analysis Built-in RAN (ONF) Most efficient single battery

Key Composites

Academic Skills Battery · Reading · Written Language · Math · Sound-Symbol · Decoding · Reading Fluency · Reading Understanding · Oral Language · Oral Fluency

Best For

Dyslexia evals where you want PA built in; co-normed with KABC-II; when efficient cross-domain coverage in one battery is the priority; qualitative error pattern documentation without extra scoring.

Limitation

Less written expression detail than WIAT-IV; no graphomotor measure; norms cap at 25:11 (not appropriate for adult evals).

📙

WJ-V ACH

Woodcock-Johnson V Tests of Achievement

Ages 2:0–90+

Std + Extended subtests

SS M=100 · W-scores

Unique Strengths

Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge cluster Number Concepts cluster Broadest age range Pairs with WJ-V COG

Key Clusters

Basic Reading Skills · Reading Fluency · Reading Comprehension · Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge · Math Calculation · Math Problem Solving · Written Expression · Basic Writing Skills · Spelling Skills · Number Concepts

Best For

Paired with WJ-V COG for within-publisher ability-achievement comparison; EC evaluations (norms start at 2:0); when Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge cluster is clinically important; adult/transition evals; strongest CHC cluster structure.

Limitation

No built-in error analysis. Tablet-based administration has a learning curve. W-scores may be unfamiliar to some ARD team members — needs explanation in FIE narrative.

🌎

Batería IV ACH

Batería IV Woodcock-Muñoz — Pruebas de Aprovechamiento

Ages 2:0–90+

Spanish-normed

SS M=100 · W-scores

Unique Strength

The only comprehensive achievement battery with a Spanish-speaking normative sample and full CHC cluster structure. Designed to pair with Batería IV COG for a complete Spanish-language psychoeducational evaluation — the strongest evidence base for ruling out language difference vs. disorder in Spanish-dominant EB students.

Key Clusters

Same cluster structure as WJ-V ACH: Basic Reading Skills · Reading Fluency · Reading Comprehension · Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge · Math Calculation · Math Problem Solving · Written Expression · Basic Writing Skills

When to Use

Spanish-dominant EB student per WMLS-R CLI (≥15 pt difference favoring Spanish). Pair with Batería IV COG for strongest eligibility documentation. Weakness in both languages = not attributable to language difference alone.

🎯 Primary Referral Concern

Dyslexia — phonological processing central: KTEA-3 (PA built in) or WIAT-IV + CTOPP-2 separately

Dysgraphia — graphomotor documentation required: WIAT-IV only (AWF is the only battery with this measure)

Dyscalculia — number sense foundations needed: WJ-V ACH (Number Concepts cluster) or WJ-V + KeyMath-3

Written expression primary: WIAT-IV (4 WE subtests, most rubric detail)

Efficient comprehensive eval: KTEA-3 (covers academic + phonological + RAN + OL in one battery)

🧠 Cognitive Battery Pairing

WISC-V → pair with WIAT-IV; both Pearson, co-normed, standardized ability-achievement comparison

KABC-II → pair with KTEA-3; both Pearson, co-normed, best alignment for EB/CLD evals

WJ-V COG → pair with WJ-V ACH; same battery family, within-publisher ability-achievement clusters

Batería IV COG → pair with Batería IV ACH; only Spanish-normed COG+ACH combination

KABC-II + KTEA-3 is the strongest pairing for most CLD students evaluated in English

🌐 Bilingual / EB Students

Spanish-dominant per WMLS-R CLI → Batería IV ACH is the primary choice; not WIAT-IV or KTEA-3

Balanced bilingual or English-dominant EB → KTEA-3 or WIAT-IV appropriate; document language context in FIE

Non-Spanish L1 → WIAT-IV or KTEA-3 with careful interpretation; note cultural and language exposure context

Batería IV ACH + Batería IV COG = strongest documentation for ruling out language difference vs. disorder

📅 Age Range Considerations

Ages 4–5 / EC: all four batteries appropriate; WJ-V ACH has broadest floor (starts at 2:0)

K–1 SLD: KTEA-3 most efficient; WIAT-IV also appropriate; both have adequate K–1 norms

Ages 6–18 typical SLD range: all four batteries fully appropriate

Ages 18–25 transition: WIAT-IV (to 50:11), WJ-V ACH, or Batería IV ACH; KTEA-3 tops out at 25:11

Adult evals (26+): WIAT-IV or WJ-V ACH only; KTEA-3 norms do not apply

🔄 Reeval Considerations

Use the same battery as the initial eval when possible — allows direct longitudinal score comparison

Switching publishers between evals (e.g., WIAT-IV → KTEA-3) requires explanation in the FIE — scores are not directly comparable

If prior eval used an older edition (WIAT-III, KTEA-2, WJ-IV), note version change; interpret improvement or regression cautiously

For dyslexia reevals: the persistence rule applies — improved scores ≥85 represent intervention success, not resolution; name this in the FIE

📋 FIE Documentation

Document publisher and co-norming rationale when pairing COG + ACH batteries: "The KTEA-3 was selected to provide standardized ability-achievement comparisons with the KABC-II (Pearson, co-normed)"

For WJ-V ACH: explain W-scores briefly in the FIE — ARD teams may be unfamiliar; "Standard scores (mean=100) are used for composite interpretation; W-scores provide the underlying metric"

For Batería IV ACH: document WMLS-R CLI score that established Spanish dominance and explain normative sample

AWF (WIAT-IV): document as a graphomotor measure in the dysgraphia section — not just a writing fluency measure