Ethical Language Assessment in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Contexts: A Guide for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

Purpose: This tutorial presents a social justice approach to ethical language assessments with multilingual/multidialectal learners. Ethical language assessments include practices that are compliant with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state regulations, evidence based, culturally and linguistically sustaining, of the highest quality, in the best interest of the child and family, and conducive to equitable educational opportunities and outcomes. Method/Approach: Power-deFur's (in press) seven-step ethical decision-making model is implemented to demonstrate how school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can resolve dilemmas in selecting assessment methods, multidisciplinary collaboration, and family–school partnerships. Case study scenarios illustrate how ethical language assessment practices inform special education eligibility determinations and reduce disproportionality in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. Conclusions: Ethical language assessment practices that best inform differential diagnosis of language learning disabilities and appropriate educational supports for multilingual/multidialectal learners include sociolinguistic methods, which converge evidence from multilingual dynamic assessments, teacher reports, and parent interviews. SLPs' ethical responsibilities extend beyond direct assessment to uphold standards of ethical practice in all aspects of service delivery, continuous learning, and advocacy. Implications for Practice: Individual actions and accountability contribute to systemic change and educational equity. This tutorial provides concrete actions and resources (see Appendix A ) that individual SLPs can use to critically evaluate and transform their assessment practices.