Universal screeners of academic skills in schools are intended to predict the probability of academic risk in an efficient and economical manner. Recent methods of calculating post-test risk probabilities have been demonstrated to be simple and efficient to calculate, improving data-based decision-making practices in schools. However, these methods do not leverage the full advantages of Bayesian statistical inference, thereby limiting the quantification of uncertainty in the calculation of posterior probabilities of risk. This could produce overly deterministic data-based decisions. Bayesian ordinal regression models (BORMs) are a fully Bayesian extension of existing posterior probability calculations, and they offer multiple potential advantages for enhancing universal screening practices in schools. Through simulations and an applied example using real screening data, we elucidate some of the issues around BORMs in screening, including potential strengths (e.g., multilevel modeling) and barriers to practice (difficulty of interpretation/implementation). We discuss how BORMs can further advance both research and practice of data-based decision-making in universal screening in schools.

The Integrated MTSS Fidelity Rubric (IMFR) is a 14-item measure of elementary school implementation of integrated multi-tiered systems of support (I-MTSS). With I-MTSS, schools strategically use assessment to guide intervention that addresses the integrated nature of students’ academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs. The goal for this study was to develop and validate the IMFR as a measurement tool that is useful and relevant for school practitioners and researchers who deliver and study intervention for students in elementary schools. The IMFR was validated through 3 years of iterative administration, psychometric testing, and refinement, using a nationwide sample that ranged from 65 to 87 elementary schools across 13–20 districts in a given administration year. Analyses examined content validity, substantive validity, structural validity, and generalizability. In addition, the study examined usability through focus groups with participating school teams. Overall, we conclude that the IMFR is a reliable and valid measure of I-MTSS implementation and is useful to school and district practitioners.

Strengths-based assessment (SBA) focuses on traits and resources that foster resilience, as opposed to the symptoms and impairments that are the focus of traditional deficit-based assessment. In schools, SBA can provide an effective framework for social, emotional, behavioral, and academic intervention. The Social Emotional Health Survey (SEHS) system is a set of SBAs that assess the synergistic effects of multiple psychological strengths (i.e., covitality), though more research is needed. This study examined the measurement invariance of the Social Emotional Health Survey–Primary (SEHS-P) for elementary school-age children, across four subscales (Gratitude, Zest, Optimism, and Persistence), as well as the higher order construct of covitality, using multiple-group categorical confirmatory factor analysis. We analyzed responses from 1,030 students across 16 elementary schools in two southern states, comparing results by state, grade (fourth, fifth), gender, and race (Black, White). The results suggest configural, weak, strong, and latent means invariance across all comparisons. Covitality was confirmed as a higher order construct, with configural and weak invariance holding across all comparisons. These results suggest the SEHS-P is a reliable tool for assessing psychological strengths and covitality in diverse elementary student populations, supporting its generalizability and value in promoting student well-being and informing school-based interventions.

Students with mathematics difficulty (MD) often struggle with both computation and word-problem solving, which are foundational skills emphasized in national standards such as the Common Core State Standards. As most past-error analysis research has primarily focused on a single mathematical topic, little is known about whether students with MD demonstrate error patterns consistently across both computation and word problems. The present study examined error types and consistency that Grade 4 and 5 students with MD made on 22 computation problems and 10 word problems. Using a researcher-developed coding protocol adapted from prior literature, we identified that the most common errors were miscalculation, regrouping subtract smaller integer, and wrong operation in computation; and wrong schema, miscalculation, copy, and regrouping in word problems. The majority of students did not demonstrate overlapping errors.

Technical quality of language sample analysis (LSA) metrics using sentence-level writing curriculum-based measures was examined with 73 emergent bilinguals (English learners) in Grades 1–3. Alternate-form reliability, criterion-related validity between LSA metrics with writing curriculum-based measure metrics, predictive validity between fall LSA scores and winter scores on a standardized English proficiency measure, discrimination among grades, and sensitivity to growth were evaluated. The LSA metric mean length of T-Unit in words showed technical quality using the mean of two forms in the fall for Grades 2 and 3, while a number of different words maintained technical quality in Grades 2 and 3 across seasons using individual and the mean of two forms. Discrimination among grades and sensitivity to growth evidence were weaker.

This study examined students’ growth in algebra readiness progress monitoring measures for middle school students with math learning difficulties within the context of Project STAIR, a federally funded initiative supporting teachers’ use of data-based individualization. Participating teachers received professional development and coaching focused on evidence-based instructional strategies and data use to enhance students’ algebra readiness. Using multilevel modeling, we examined students’ growth over time on the three measures—Quantity Discrimination, Number Properties, and Proportional Reasoning—which represent foundational skills critical for success in algebra. A total of 82 students who completed weekly progress monitoring measures over a period of 12 to 15 weeks were included in the analysis. Among the three measures, only Proportional Reasoning showed a significant increase in mean scores over time, indicating its sensitivity to student growth. These findings underscore the need for more targeted instructional supports and refined progress monitoring measures to meet the diverse needs of students with math learning difficulties. Practical implications highlight the ongoing challenges of implementing data-based individualization with fidelity and the critical role of sustained coaching and data-informed instructional decision-making in improving outcomes for students at risk in mathematics.

Childhood stress affects physical and mental health, making its proper assessment crucial. While several stress questionnaires for youth are available, their psychometric quality is questionable. Our aim was to develop a brief, age-appropriate questionnaire to measure current stress. Two-hundred thirty German children (6–17 years) completed the Stress Questionnaire for Children (SQC) and measures of stress symptoms, anxiety, depression, and quality of life via an online survey. The SQC consists of 17 items assessing current stress in school, social life, and leisure. An exploratory factor analysis indicated a three-factor solution (school stress, time stress, social stress) with a good model fit. The reliability of the total score (α = .90) and the subscales is good. Convergent validity was confirmed through correlations with stress-related symptoms, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Total, school, and time stress increased with age, and girls endorsed higher stress than boys. Ratings on perceived difficulty, comprehensibility, and age-appropriateness indicated good acceptance. The SQC is a reliable and valid tool for assessing current stress in children and adolescents. It is child-friendly and suitable for a wide age range, making it suitable for research, clinical, and school settings. Further studies should confirm its factorial structure and its applicability across different cultural contexts.

Ongoing professional development is a critical component of high-quality early childhood education systems. To guide the content of such professional development, teacher and classroom quality assessments are often used. These assessments generally address universal or tier 1 instruction but omit information to guide teachers’ practices to support children with disabilities. In addition, these assessments can be particularly onerous to deliver given that they require direct observation by a trained rater. As a step toward supporting the professional development of teachers serving children with disabilities, we evaluated a revised version of a newly developed resource-sensitive assessment called the Brief Preschool Progress Monitoring Measure . The assessment functioned as an online, test-based measure, to be completed by a teacher. The assessment provided information about teachers’ abilities with collecting and using progress monitoring data to individualize instruction for children needing interventions and supports beyond those typically provided at tier 1 of a support system. Using Rasch analysis, findings revealed strong unidimensionality and item reliability, though limitations exist in detecting extreme ability levels. The revised assessment demonstrates potential as a tool for supporting targeted professional development initiatives and program evaluation in early childhood education but should not be incorporated into teacher accountability systems.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) promotes positive mental health, strong relationships, and success in school and life. Identifying SEL skills and competencies relies heavily on self-report scales, but few of these scales have been developed and validated in Brazil, a country that requires all schools to implement SEL. We assessed 12,887 students (50% male) across five grade levels in three Brazilian states using a brief self-report measure that is based on the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning’s (CASEL) SEL framework. We conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the measure, identified risk for below-average SEL using latent scores ≤1 SD below the mean, and evaluated the relationships between students’ sociodemographic characteristics and SEL delay. Results of the CFA indicated acceptable fit, χ 2 (221) = 17,183.888, p < .001, comparative fit index (CFI) = .922, Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = .911, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .077 (90% confidence interval [CI] = [.076, .078]), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = .066 for the CASEL five-factor model including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Results of the risk analyses indicated that race, grade level, and household size were associated with SEL risk status. Implications of these findings for future research and practice efforts are discussed.

From 2011 to 2014, multiple special series were published in Assessment for Effective Intervention . As with any publications, there is great variation in their use, citation rate, and impact on the field. This article briefly summarizes two special series, Innovations in Early Numeracy Assessment and Content Area Measurement Using Curriculum-Based Measurement and discusses how the field has changed, or not, since their publication.