Early School Screening Practices

Abstract

To ascertain the prevalence of early school screening practices, the specific tests employed, and the use made of the test results, a survey was conducted of a representative sample of school districts in the United States. Responses indicated that a majority of districts do screen, and there is great variability in the measures they employ. Although there are many published measures for kindergarten and first grade, only the Metropolitan Readiness Tests are used by a high percentage of school districts. Tests given at the end of the kindergarten year are most often used for determining first grade placement; tests given at the beginning of the kindergarten or first grade year are used equally often to individualize instruction.