Samuel O. Ortiz, Ph.D. Associate Professor of  Psychology Areas of research interest and expertise include: bilingual, cross-cultural, nondiscriminatory assessment, CHC Cross-Battery assessment (XBA), intelligence theory and evaluation of learning disabilities, language proficiency and acculturation and their impact on intelligence testing, cultural competence, and educational methodology for English language learners.

Brief Biography

Dr. Ortiz is Associate Professor of Psychology at St. John's University in Queens, New York. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Southern California and a credential in school psychology with postdoctoral training in bilingual school psychology from San Diego State University. He has served as Visiting Professor and Research Fellow at Nagoya University, Japan; as Vice President for Professional Affairs of American Psychological Association (APA )- Division 16 (School Psychology); member of APA’s Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education; and is serving a second term of service on APA's Committee on Psychological Tests and Assessment. Dr. Ortiz trains and consults nationally and internationally, conducts research in the schools, and publishes in a variety of topic areas including nondiscriminatory assessment, cross-battery assessment, and learning disabilities. His recent books include “Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: A practical guide,” and “Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Second Edition.” Dr. Ortiz is bilingual (Spanish) and bicultural (Puerto Rican).

Email me for a complete CV

Education

B.S. Architecture, University of Southern California

B.A. Psychology, University of Southern California

M.A. Clinical Psychology, University of Southern California

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, University of Southern California

Mailing Address

Department of Psychology

St. John's University

8000 Utopia Parkway

Jamaica, NY 11439

Tel: 718.990.5388

Fax: 718-990-5926

eFax: 603-720-7943
email: ortizs@stjohns.edu

Publications (Updated February 2009, finally!)

Articles

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O. & Alfonso, V. C. (2008). Response to Intervention (RTI) and Cognitive Testing Approaches Provide Different But Complementary Data Sources That Inform SLD Identification. Communiquè, 26 (5), pp. 16-17.

Morton-Rias, D., Dunn, R., Terregrossa, R., Geisert, G., Mangione, R., Ortiz, S., & Honisfeld, A. (2007-2008). Allied health students’ learning styles identified with two different assessments. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, & Practice, 9(2), pp. 233-250.

Ortiz, S. O. (2006). Multicultural Issues in School Psychology Practice: A critical analysis. Journal of Applied School Psychology, Vol. 22(2), 151-167.

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., Alfonso, V. C. & Dynda, A. M. (2006). Integration of Response to Intervention and Norm-Referenced Tests in Learning Disability Identification: Learning from the Tower of Babel. Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 43(7), 807-825.

Orabona-Mantell, E., Ortiz, S. O. & Planthara, P. M. (2004). What Price Prescribing?: A commentary on the effect of prescription authority on psychological practice. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice. 35(3), 164-169.

Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Learning Disabilities: A primer for parents about identification. Communiqué. 32(5), 1-3 (insert).

Ortiz, S. O. & Flanagan, D. P. (2002). Cross-Battery Assessment Revisited: Some cautions concerning “Some Cautions” (Part II). Communiqué, 30(8), 36-38.

Ortiz, S. O. & Flanagan, D. P. (2002). Cross-Battery Assessment Revisited: Some cautions concerning “Some Cautions” (Part I). Communiqué, 30(6), 32-34.

Ortiz, S. O. (2001). Assessment of Cognitive Abilities in Hispanic Children. Seminars in Speech and Language, 22(1), 17-37.

Ortiz, S. O., Flanagan, D. P. & McGrew, K. S. (1999). Assessment in School Psychology: Past, present, and future. Communiqué. 28(2), 30-32.

Ortiz, S. O. (1999). You’d never know how racist I was, if you met me on the street. Journal of Counseling and Development, 77(1), 9-12.

Ortiz, S. O. & Flanagan, D. P. (1998). Enhancing cognitive assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals: Application and use of selective Gf-Gc cross-battery assessment. The School Psychologist, 52(1), 6-9.

Ortiz, S. O. (1997). This book, by any other name, would be a better book: A review of Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties by M. E. Ehrman. Contemporary Psychology, 42(11), 1024-1026.

Books

Flanagan, D. P. & Ortiz, S. O. & Alfonso, V.C. (2007). Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Second Edition. New York: Wiley Press.

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., Alfonso, V.C & Mascolo, J. (2006). The Achievement Test Desk Reference (ATDR) – Second Edition: A guide to learning disability identification. New York: Wiley Press.

Ysseldyke, J., Burns, M., Dawson, P., Kelley, B., Morrison, D., Ortiz, S., Rosenfield, S. & Telzrow, C. (2006). School Psychology: A blueprint for training and practice III. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Rhodes, R., Ochoa, S. H. & Ortiz, S. O. (2005). Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: A practical guide. New York: Guilford Press.

Flanagan, D. P., Keiser, S., Bernier, J. & Ortiz, S. O. (2003). Assessment of Learning Disabilities in Adulthood. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., Alfonso, V. & Mascolo, J. (2002). The Achievement Test Desk Reference (ATDR): Comprehensive Assessment and Learning Disabilities. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Flanagan, D. P. & Ortiz, S. O. (2001). Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment. New York: Wiley Press.

Flanagan, D. P., McGrew, K. S. & Ortiz, S. O. (2000). The Wechsler Intelligence Scales and Gf-Gc theory: A contemporary interpretive approach. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Chapters

Flanagan, D. P., Alfonso, V. C., Ortiz, S. O. & Dynda, A. M. (in press). Best Practices in Integrating Cognitive Assessment and School Neuropsychology. In D. Miller (Ed.), Handbook of School Neuropsychology.

Mpofu, E. & Ortiz, S. O. (in press). Equitable Assessment Practices in Diverse Contexts. In E. L. Grigorenko (Ed.) Assessment of abilities and competencies in the era of globalization.

Ortiz, S. O. & Dynda, A. M. (in press). Diversity, Fairness, Utility and Social Issues. In E. Mpofu & T. Oakland (Eds.), Assessment in Rehabilitation and Health. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Ortiz, S. O. (in press). Bilingual Multicultural Assessment with the WISC-IV and WISC-IV Spanish. In A. Kaufman & D. P. Flanagan (Eds.), Essentials of WISC-IV Assessment, 2nd Edition. New York: Wiley Press.

Ortiz, S. O. (2008). Best Practices in Nondiscriminatory Assessment. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology V, (pp. 661-678). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., Alfonso, V. C. & Dynda, A. M. (2008). Best Practices in Cognitive Assessment. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology V, (pp. 633-660). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O., Flanagan, D. P. & Dynda, A. M. (2008). Best Practices in Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children and Families: In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology V, (pp. 1721-1738). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. & Dynda, A. M. (2008). Issues Unique to English Language Learners. In N. Mather and R. Morris (Eds.), Evidence-based Interventions for Students With Learning and Behavioral Challenges, (pp. 321-335). New York: Erlbaum.

Flanagan, D. P., Alfonso, V. C. & Ortiz, S. O. (2007). The CHC Cross-Battery Approach. In C. R. Reynolds & E. Fletcher-Janzen (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Special Education, 3rd Ed., (pp. 403-417).

Vazquez-Nuttall, E., Li, C., Dynda, A.M., Ortiz, S.O., Armengol, C., Walton, J. & Phoenix, K. (2007). Cognitive Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. In G. Esquivel, E. Lopez & S. Nahari (Eds.), Handbook of Multicultural School Psychology, New York: Erlbaum.

Ortiz, S. O. (2006). Instruction and Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: A systematic approach for English language development and nondiscriminatory assessment, intervention, and teaching. In E. Fletcher-Janzen and C. R. Reynolds (Eds), Special Educator’s Almanac (pp. 481-536). New York: Wiley Press.

Ortiz, S. O. (2006). Multicultural Issues in Working with Children and Familes: Responsive intervention in the educational setting. In Menutti, R.B., Freeman, A. & Christner, R.W., (Eds.) Cognitive Behavioral Interventions in Educational Settings: A handbook for practice (pp. 21-36). New York: Brunner-Routledge Publishing.

Ortiz, S. O., & Lella, S. A. (2005). Cross-cultural Assessment. In S. W. Lee (Ed.), Encyclopedia of School Psychology (pp. 136-139). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Ortiz, S. O. & Ochoa, S. H. (2005). Intellectual Assessment: A nondiscriminatory interpretive approach. In D. P. Flanagan & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment, 2nd Edition (pp. 234-250). New York: Guilford Press.

Ortiz, S. O. & Dynda, A. M. (2005). The use of intelligence tests with culturally and linguistically diverse populations. In D. P. Flanagan & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment, 2nd Edition (pp. 545-556). New York: Guilford Press.

Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Nondiscriminatory Assessment in Schools. In C. Spielberger (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology, Vol. X (pp. 669-675). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Flanagan, D. P. & Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Gf-Gc Theory of Intelligence. In T. S. Watson & C. H. Skinner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of School Psychology (pp. 136-139). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Bilingual Multicultural Assessment with the WISC-IV. In A. Kaufman & D. P. Flanagan (Eds.) (pp. 245-254). Essentials of WISC-IV Assessment. New York: Wiley Press.

Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Learning Disabilities: A primer for parents about identification. In A. Canter, S. Carroll, L. Paige, & I. Romero (Eds.), Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for families and educators (pp. 117-119). Washington DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. (2004). Trastornos del Aprendizaje: Información para padres sobre la identificación. In A. Canter, S. Carroll, L. Paige, & I. Romero (Eds.), Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for families and educators (pp. 121-124). Washington DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. & Lella, S. M. (2004). Intellectual Assessment and Cognitive Abilities: Basics for Parents and Educators. In A. Canter, S. Carroll, L. Paige, & I. Romero (Eds.), Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for families and educators (pp. 79-82). Washington DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. & Lella, S. M. (2004). Evaluación Intelectual y Habilidades Cognitivas: Fundamentos para padres y educadores. In A. Canter, S. Carroll, L. Paige, & I. Romero (Eds.), Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for families and educators (pp. 83-86). Washington DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. (2002). Best Practices in Nondiscriminatory Assessment. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology IV (pp. 1321-1336). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O. & Flanagan, D. P. (2002). Best Practices in Working with Culturally Diverse Children and Families. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology IV (pp. 337-351). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Flanagan, D. P. & Ortiz, S. O. (2002). Best Practices in Intellectual Assessment: Future directions. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology IV (pp. 1351-1372). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

Ortiz, S. O., McGrew, K. S. & Flanagan, D. P. (1998). Gf-Gc Cross-Battery Interpretation and Selective Cross-Battery Assessment: Referral Concerns and the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations (pp. 401-444). In K. S. McGrew and D. P. Flanagan (Eds.), The Intelligence Test Desk Reference (ITDR): Gf-Gc Cross-Battery Assessment. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Ortiz, S. O. (1997). Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Goals and Objectives. In Guidelines for Language, Academic, and Special Education Services Required for Limited-English Proficient Students in California Public Schools, K-12 (pp. 31-32). Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.

Ortiz, S. O. (1984). The physics of baseball. In R. S. Wurman (Ed.) Baseball Access (pp. 36-39). Los Angeles, California: Access Press.

Personal Background

I was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, just outside of Camp Lejune Marine Corps base and raised pretty much everywhere (Florida, California, Puerto Rico, Philippines, etc. -- yes, I was a military brat). For the most part, however, I grew up in Oceanside, California, although I consider Los Angeles my home, since I spent so much of my life there getting all those degrees I listed above. However, I’ve been in New York now for nine years and pretty soon the Big Apple may well become my new home and I’m pretty happy about that. As you might have noticed above, I started out in Architecture, and somehow got derailed into psychology almost at the last minute. I had these crazy ideas (and still have them) about how the built environment affects human behavior (in particular, learning) and, well you get the idea. If you don't, just think back to the days of the old "open classrooms" and you'll get the picture. That's probably how I ended up going into School Psychology now that I think of it.  Anyway, it has been a rather long, hard road getting here, but I finally made it. I'm now Associate Professor of Psychology at St. John's University, which kind of makes sense since I've spent the majority of my life on a college campus anyway.

Interests, Activities & Plans

I currently teach assessment and multicultural related courses within the Psychology Department and I'm also very busy trying to keep my research up and working on those future journal articles. You know the story, "publish or perish!" I stay quite busy these days what with classes, conferences, travel, and presentations, but that's the way I like it. If you need a dynamic speaker on just about any topic I listed above under my interests and research pursuits, send me some email or give me a call.

Other Interesting Things

Believe it or not, I do have a life outside the university, not much of a life, but a life nonetheless. My so called hobbies include computers and technology and I spend a great deal of time surfin' the net, checking out new programs, trying to catch up on my out of control email (with no luck so far), and thinking about ways I can upgrade my computer equipment without having to pay for it. Computers are a lot like cars, there's no such thing as enough power or speed. Basically, if some is good, more is better, and too much is never enough. That's probably why I still own my old 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, rust pits, primer spots, and all. I just can't seem to get rid of it, but at least I don't need to drive everyday--just those days when I feel like getting arrested. My kids (all four of them, yes, that's four, and yes, I know what causes that now) are all doing well and I love them very much. I'm sure you'd love them too if you knew who they were. I guess you'll just have to trust me on that one. That’s about it. If you want to know the rest, come hear me speak. I tend to travel a lot these days and I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming to a town near you some time soon!

This is a personal home page and does not represent the opinions of St. John's University.