Updated AEPS-3 Cutoff Scores Now Available

Published January 15, 2025

Exciting news for AEPS users: updated AEPS-3 cutoff scores are now available!

On behalf of the AEPS®-3 developers, we’re pleased to announce updated cutoff scores for informing children’s eligibility for early intervention/early childhood special education.

Since publication of AEPS-3, subsequent rounds of data collection have expanded the sample size at targeted age intervals to more than 1,000 children total. Additional data have resulted in adjusted cutoff scores in seven of the eight developmental areas. These cutoff scores are generally higher than previously published cutoff scores across most areas of AEPS-3, with Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Literacy, and Math cutoff scores decreasing in a few age intervals.

As you use these adjusted AEPS-3 cutoff scores to determine or corroborate a child’s eligibility for services, here are three essential guidelines to keep in mind:

• Use multiple sources of information. It’s critical to collect information about a child from multiple sources to ensure you gather an authentic, accurate, and comprehensive picture of a child’s development. We recommend that you pair AEPS-3 Test results interpretation with informed clinical opinion and/or information collected via other informal or formal assessments in the eligibility decision-making process.
• Involve parents and other caregivers. Individuals who provide care for the child should be involved in eligibility determination or corroboration. Caregivers may share information useful to score AEPS-3 Test items, assist with completing the assessment, or help summarize information and interpret results. You can use a completed AEPS-3 Family Report or Family Assessment of Child Skills to understand a child’s daily routine, family priorities and concerns, and family perspectives on the child’s current level of development.
• Confirm state requirements. Eligibility requirements differ across states, provinces, and territories. Many require administration of a standardized norm-referenced test as well as data gathered from other sources. You can use the AEPS-3 Test as a stand-alone measure for determining eligibility if your state guidelines permit: 1) any valid and reliable instrument/method, or 2) informed clinical opinion as a primary method of eligibility determination.

The AEPS-3 developers will continue to collect and analyze field test data to increase the number of children at all age intervals and ensure that the cutoff scores are as accurate and useful as possible.

We encourage AEPS-3 users to learn more about using the updated AEPS-3 cutoff scores to inform eligibility for IDEA services. Access the updated cutoff scores here, and please contact us with any questions!