Universal Screeners

The CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System is a web-based, prekindergarten assessment system used by PreK teachers to determine their student’s knowledge in key developmental areas. This reliable and easy-to-use data collection tool prompts teachers to focus on lessons that target their students’ least developed skills. Conducted up to three times per year, the assessments are sensitive to growth in children’s skills over time.

The Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (PASS) is an online survey for grades K-12 that helps identify fragile learners who are held back by factors such as a lack of confidence, motivation, or connection to the school. By uncovering how students feel about themselves and school, educators can give them the support they need to thrive. PASS results/data are provided immediately and can be analyzed at the district, campus, grade level, and individual student levels. The results can be used in tandem with the results from the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) to consider effective, appropriate support for students who are experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, and/or attendance challenges.

IXL provides a diagnostic snapshot for each student with a personalized action plan in both reading and math. This system of assessments informs data-based decisions and supports instructional frameworks such as Response to Intervention (RtI) and a three-tier system of support. IXL provides a wealth of actionable data. Information from IXL helps teachers see which students are gaining ground or falling behind, which students are on track for success on the Texas state STAAR/EOC, where to focus instruction, who may require intervention, and whether your curriculum and interventions are making a difference. Screenings are administered to grades 1-9 three times per year: beginning of the year (BOY), middle of the year (MOY), and end of the year (EOY).

The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) is a research-validated screening tool used to conduct universal screening for behavior twice annually. Teachers rate each of their homeroom students on 12 different behaviors listed in the SRSS.  The list of behaviors includes both internalizing (e.g. withdrawn; anxious; depressed) and externalizing (behavioral problems, negative attitude) behaviors.  Students whose ratings are at certain cut-off point levels are then staffed by the campus’ MTSS-Behavior Team and intervention/support plans are developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed as needed.  The process is student-centered with students being involved in their MTSS meetings, helping to brainstorm and determine interventions/supports, etc.

Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) is administered at the beginning of the seventh grade to each student whose performance on the grade 6 STAAR reading assessment did not demonstrate reading proficiency. Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) is a screening assessment that consists of two subtests: Passage Reading Fluency, and Word Reading Fluency. The range of difficulty levels used in both the Passage Reading and Word Reading Fluency subtest is intended to reflect authentic reading requirements.

• For many students, the administration of the TMSFA will end after the Passage Reading Fluency subtest. Students who do not read at least 80 words within the 60-second time limit on two of the three Reading Fluency passages will then be administered the Word Reading Fluency subtest.
• The TMSFA provides each student screened with an average retelling score, and average equated scores in the areas of Passage Reading Fluency and Word Reading Fluency.

The Texas Primary Reading Instrument (TPRI) is a reading assessment for use in the first and second grades. The TPRI is given by the classroom teacher to each student in the class and consists of a Screening Section and an Inventory Section. The screen permits the rapid assessment of individual students. Results indicate risk status identifying students who most likely do not need additional detailed assessment. The Inventory Section is a more in-depth assessment of reading and reading-related skills that allows the teacher to gain more information that can be used to determine the child’s level of risk for reading problems. However, the inventory is primarily designed to help the teacher set specific learning objectives for the child. The TPRI is conducted three times per year beginning, middle, and end-of-year. 

The Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment System (TX-KEA) is a web-based kindergarten assessment system used by kindergarten teachers to determine their student's knowledge in key developmental areas. It covers multiple child development domains to provide a holistic understanding of each student and better informs kindergarten teachers about the children in their classes, helping them to design differentiated instruction to meet students’ needs and share information with families.