Comparing and Evaluating Universal Early Reading Screeners and Their Uses in the U.S. Educational System

This is presented by the Contemporary Issues in Scaling, Linking & Equating and the State & Local Assessment Leaders SIGIMIEs.

In U.S. schooling, there is an increasing interest in early assessment and intervention of students with potential academic difficulties. As of 2025, at least 29 states and the District of Columbia have legislative requirements for student screening in early grades. Schools and districts are addressing these interests and requirements with universal screeners to identify students and allocate educational resources and support.Screening measures are designed as indicators of the need for further evaluation. They tend to have fewer items and take less time to administer than other summative assessments. Many universal reading screeners are available, and they can differ widely in their assessment approaches. Several states have conducted comparative studies of the psychometric quality of multiple screeners to ensure those screeners are appropriate for their context and planned interpretation and use. This presentation will describe insights from a recent review of early reading screeners commissioned by a state department of education. The presentation will discuss considerations for universal screeners, including their intended purposes, populations, and interpretations and uses; the fundamental skills they cover; and other overlooked issues, such as comparability limitations that can arise in test development, administration, and scoring. We will conclude by providing a set of questions for state personnel and other users of universal academics creeners to consider when selecting screening measures.

About the Presenters

• Tim Moses & Jessica Jonson, Buros Center for Testing
• Ryan J. Kettler, Graduate School of Applied andProfessional Psychology, Rutgers-New Brunswick