This brief describes how the screening assessments used by schools and school districts in the report A First Look at Early Literacy Performance in Massachusetts define “at risk” of reading difficulty differently. It then provides the results of a study that links screener benchmark scores to the Massachusetts state assessment, allowing a comparison of screening benchmarks.

Key Insights

  • There is no common definition of “at risk” across the various screening assessments. Instead, they provide multiple benchmarks or performance levels defined in different ways.
  • Most screening assessment benchmarks that indicate any level of risk fall into the state’s “partially meets” expectations category.
  • Literacy screening assessment benchmark scores that identify students at risk successfully predict which students will not meet MCAS expectations, but do not necessarily predict who will meet them.
  • Considering these differences among benchmark scores that define risk, schools and districts must carefully consider their goals, resources, and plans to use these assessments to identify and address student needs.

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