Pre-referral Screeners to Assess Students

A pre-referral screener is a tool that is used to identify students who may be struggling academically or behaviorally. Pre-referral screeners can be used to help educators make decisions about whether or not to refer a student for special education services.

Pre-referral Screeners

There are many different types of pre-referral screeners available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the most common pre-referral screeners include the following.

Standardized and Academic Testing

Standardized tests can be used to assess a student’s academic achievement in a variety of areas. This information can be helpful in identifying students who may be struggling academically and may need to be referred for additional evaluation.

Some examples of testing include:

These assessments will be used to determine where a student is performing compared to their same-aged peers to determine if there is a specific area of struggle in the students learning. Have more questions? Join The Intentional IEP here for all the resources you need to better understand.

Behavioral Assessments

Behavioral assessments can be used to identify students who are exhibiting behavioral problems. This information can be helpful in developing interventions to address the student’s needs, but it can also help in determining whether or not a child should get further testing for special ed services.

Teachers’ Observations

This is a simple but effective way to gather information about a student’s academic and behavioral performance. Teachers can use observation to track a student’s progress over time and identify any areas of concern.

Parent Interviews and Observations

Parents can provide valuable information about their child’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. What they see at home can be vastly different from what teachers observe at school.

Interviewing parents can help teachers get a better understanding of the student’s needs and help determine whether a child should be referred for additional testing to see if they qualify for special education services.

Here is a short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership about psycho-educational evaluations:

If you’re looking for more specifics on IEP like general education collaboration and functional behavior assessments – you’re in the right place!

By joining the membership, individuals also gain access to an extensive library of over 13,000 pre-written IEP goals, empowering them with a wealth of options to support their students’ unique needs.

Learn more and become a member of The Intentional IEP today!

Things To Consider About Pre-Assessment Screeners

When choosing a pre-referral screener, it is important to consider the following factors:

The purpose of the screener: What do you hope to learn from the screener?

The age and grade level of the student: Some screeners are designed for specific age groups or grade levels. If you give a student a pre-screener that is inappropriate for their age or grade level, you will get an inaccurate view of their needs.

The time and resources available: Some screeners are more time-consuming and require more resources than others. Pre-screeners should not be as intensive as screeners used to determine a student’s eligibility and need for special education services.

Once you have chosen a pre-referral screener, it is important to administer it correctly. Following the instructions carefully will help to ensure that you get accurate results. If you are using observation and parent input for referral criteria, make sure that you are getting enough information to paint an accurate picture of a student’s abilities.

Pros and Cons of Using a Pre-referral Screener

Pros of Using a Pre-referral Screener

Early identification: Pre-assessment screeners can help to identify students who are struggling early on before their problems become more serious. This can lead to earlier intervention and a better chance of success.
Reduced costs: Early intervention can help to reduce the costs of special education services in the long run.
Improved student outcomes: Studies have shown that students who receive early intervention services are more likely to succeed in school and in life.
Increased parent involvement: Pre-assessment screeners can help to increase parent involvement in their child’s education. This can lead to better communication between parents and educators and a more collaborative approach to addressing the child’s needs.

Cons of Using a Pre-referral Screener

Inaccuracy: Pre-assessment screeners are not always accurate. They may identify students who are not actually struggling, or they may fail to identify students who are truly struggling.
Misclassification: Pre-assessment screeners can sometimes misclassify students. This can lead to students being placed in special education programs when they do not need them or to students not being placed in special education programs when they do need them.
Cost: Pre-assessment screeners can be expensive to purchase and administer.
Time: Pre-assessment screeners can take time to administer. This can be a burden for educators who are already under a lot of pressure.

Pre-referral screeners can be a valuable tool for educators who are trying to identify students who may be struggling academically or behaviorally. By using a pre-referral screener, educators can better understand a student’s needs and make informed decisions about whether or not to refer the student for special education services. Weighing the cost, time involved, and accuracy of the test against the student’s potential needs is important. But, as always, early intervention is key for so many learning disabilities, so erring on the side of pre-assessing is always a good idea.

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