Developmental Screening
Step 1
Compute each child’s rounded chronological age before screening to ensure administration of the age-appropriate screen.
Go to the Free Tools page at BRIGANCE.com and use the Rounded Chronological Age Calculator to determine the age-appropriate Data Sheet needed for each child.
For OMS Users:
Once you enter children into the OMS, each child’s current rounded chronological age will appear on the Student List.
Step 2
Screen each child using the Core Assessments of the age-appropriate screen. Refer to the Step-by-Step Screening Procedures in your screening manual.
Step 3
Administer the Self-help and Social-Emotional Scales via the Parent Report and/or Teacher Report.*
*If your program does not use another tool to gather data on self-help and social-emotional development, we strongly recommend using this resource to gather valuable data about the whole child.
Step 4
Score both the Core Assessments and the Self-help and Social-Emotional Scales by hand, or go to the Free Tools page at BRIGANCE.com and use the Scoring Tools to compare children’s scores with cutoff scores and identify children who may have developmental or academic delays. The Screens III Scoring Tool will also generate normative scores for each of the three domains assessed within the screen.
For OMS Users:
Enter screening results into the OMS and refer to the individual Screening Summary Reports to identify children who may have developmental or academic delays. Once all children’s results have been generated in the OMS, you can run the Group Screening Summary Report to download data that allows you to sort performance overall and by domain to further determine areas of strength and need.
Step 5
Children who score below the Developmental or Academic Delays cutoff scores may be experiencing delays due to psychosocial risk factors. (See the screening manual for a list of risk factors.) A child is considered to be at risk if four or more risk factors are present. If four or more risk factors are present, compare the child’s score on select assessments with the age-appropriate at-risk cutoff score. If the child’s score falls below the at-risk cutoff, initiate a referral. If the child’s score falls above the cutoff, the child may make rapid gains after participation in your program. Rescreen the child within six months unless there are indicators of disabilities. (Considering psychosocial risk factors may help minimize both under-referrals and over-referrals.)
For OMS Users:
If you have entered psychosocial risk factors in the children’s profiles, you can run the At-Risk Report, which lists children who have scored below the potential delays cutoff and shows their performance compared to the at-risk cutoffs.
Step 6
Share screening information with families using the age-appropriate Screens III Parent Report, a downloadable PDF available on the Free Tools page at BRIGANCE.com. This report is available in English and in Spanish.
For OMS Users:
A prepopulated Screens III Parent Report is generated for each child whose screen has been submitted and scored.
Step 7
Plan instruction based on individual and group screening results. The BRIGANCE Readiness Activities includes easy-to-implement teaching activities and creative suggestions for incorporating readiness skills in everyday activities. This will help children build and strengthen their school readiness skills across multiple domains. For families, there are letters for teachers to send home (in both English and Spanish) that suggest fun at-home activities to reinforce skills children are learning. The letters also provide book recommendations that families can read together.
The Readiness Activities is available for purchase in hard copy.
For OMS Users:
Resources in the Readiness Activities can be accessed from the Resources tab.
Ongoing Assessment
Step 8
Select appropriate assessments from the IED III.
- Some programs choose to administer IED III assessments specifically aligned to a child’s screening results for a more in-depth and ongoing assessment of the child’s skill mastery.
- Other programs choose to administer selected IED III assessments or assessments within specific domains to all children for ongoing assessment and progress monitoring.
TIP: Charts linking skills in the Core Assessments of age-specific screens to those same skills in the IED III assessments can be found at the back of the Screens III screening manuals.
For Screens III OMS Users:
A skill-specific linking chart can be downloaded from each child’s Screening Summary Report.
TIP: Once you have identified the assessments you will administer, mark them in the Inventory. (For example, use a highlighter to identify the assessments you will administer or mark the pages with sticky notes.)
Step 9
In each assessment you plan to administer, select the item with which you will begin.*
*Many assessments in the IED III span several years of development, and it is not always necessary or desirable to begin with the first item in a skill sequence.
TIP: If administering assessments that are specific to a child’s needs or strengths, for easy reference, mark in the child’s Record Book the assessment(s) and items with which you’ll begin. Using the color-coded system in the Record Book will allow you to identify mastered skills and instructional objectives and monitor progress over time.
Step 10
Plan instruction based on individual and group assessment results. The BRIGANCE Readiness Activities include easy-to-implement teaching activities and creative suggestions for incorporating readiness skills into everyday activities. This will help children build and strengthen their school readiness skills across multiple domains. For families, there are letters for teachers to send home (in both English and Spanish) that suggest fun at-home activities to reinforce skills children are learning. The letters also provide book recommendations that families can read together.
The Readiness Activities are available for purchase in hard copy.
For Screens III OMS Users:
Resources in the Readiness Activities can be accessed from the Resources tab.
TIP: Review the introductory material in your screening and assessment manuals for more detailed information on implementation.
Overview
