Integrating social-emotional-behavioral screening with early warning indicators in a high school setting

Abstract

The authors compared data from a social-emotional-behavior screener (i.e., the Student Risk Screening Scale—Internalizing and Externalizing [SRSS-IE]) with data from a high school early warning system. Data from 2,256 suburban high school students were used. Research questions examined the degree to which student demographic variables and early warning indicators predicted SRSS-IE outcomes; conversely, SRSS-IE ratings were used to predict future early warning system outcomes. Additionally, the authors examined the concurrence of screening data and early warning data to better understand students’ behavioral challenges. Results indicated while there is some concurrence between behavior screening and early warning data, agreement was greater for externalizing than internalizing behavior challenges. School teams using both data sources can increase the possibility that interventions and supports are more likely to match individual student needs.