Screening

Screening tests, formal or informal, are given at the beginning of a school year. The purpose of a screening assessment is to identify children who are making adequate progress as well as students who may be having difficulties in certain areas. These difficulties will need to be addressed through appropriate instruction. Screenings provide the teacher with the initial data needed to begin to set goals for addressing a student's instructional needs. The tests supply benchmarks that help you identify students who are performing below grade level, on grade level, or above grade level.

After screening each student and determining his or her strengths and weakness, the teacher needs to set instructional goals for each student so that maximum progress may be made. Parents and students, as appropriate, should be informed of the screening results and should be a part of the entire process. Parents and students need to know the goals and the plan for getting there. Encourage parents and students to set their own goals and discuss how they plan on achieving them.