Which assessment is primarily used to measure academic achievement?

• A. WJ-III COG
• B. ABAS
• C. WIAT
• D. Woodcock-Johnson test

Answer: (C)

Academic achievement is about what students have learned in school and can demonstrate in core subjects like reading, writing, and mathematics. The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test is designed specifically to measure those skills across those domains, providing standardized scores that reflect a student’s performance relative to grade-level expectations. It gives a clear picture of strengths and weaknesses in academic areas and is commonly used to guide decisions about instruction, interventions, and services.

The other options focus on different constructs. A cognitive abilities test targets general thinking and problem-solving abilities rather than formal school-based achievement. An adaptive behavior measure looks at daily living skills and functional independence, not academic work. The Woodcock-Johnson, while it can assess achievement, is a broader battery that covers multiple domains, including cognitive and other areas, not exclusively academic achievement.