Selecting Screening and Progress
Monitoring Tools
Schools implementing a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework often seek recommendations for scientific, researchbased, and evidence-based interventions, and assessment tools. In response, the National Center on Response to
Intervention (NCRtI) has developed three different tools charts: 1) screening
Be sure to examine each chart’s
tools, 2) progress monitoring tools, and 3) instruction tools. The charts do not
features and Users Guide listed
recommend specific products but are intended to be used as consumer
under “Supplemental Resources” for
reports for educators. It is important for schools to consult these charts with
an in-depth analysis of each tool,
care as the assessment tools are very specific in nature and must be
which will be invaluable in
considered in light of the needs of the particular student or students.
determining its appropriateness for
The tool charts can be found at: www.rti4success.org/resourceslanding
your situation.
The following questions in this document are intended to be used while
navigating the tools charts. This document was created in an effort to help schools further evaluate the numerous
screening and progress monitoring resources listed on the NCRtI website and other websites. Each section will highlight
some essential questions that schools should ask to more adequately evaluate the use of these tools within a
comprehensive and effective process. Finally, it is important to consider the perspectives of the professional
organizations in the content areas (see Professional Resources at the end of this document). They offer important
information about high quality core instructional practices in their respective disciplines and critical considerations
about assessment tools.
Table of Contents
Essential Questions for Selecting a Screening Tool ................................................................................................................ 2
Essential Questions for Selecting a Progress Monitoring Tool ............................................................................................... 4
Professional Resources ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
The Wisconsin RtI Center/Wisconsin PBIS Network (CFDA #84.027) acknowledges the support of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in the development of
this document and for the continued support of this federally-funded grant program. There are no copyright restrictions on this document; however, please credit the
Wisconsin DPI and support of federal funds when copying all or part of this material. The contents of this [product] were developed under a grant from the U.S.
Department of Education (CFDA #84.027). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume
endorsement by the Federal Government.
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
Essential Questions for Selecting a Screening Tool
NCRtI screening tools chart: www.rti4success.org/screeningTools
UNIVERSAL SCREENERS are valid and reliable data collection tools and processes used to assess students’ current level of
performance in relation to grade level benchmarks. Because screening takes place multiple times per year with all
students, screeners are typically designed to be easy, quick, and repeatable.
UNIVERSAL SCREENING PROCESS is a process in which data from multiple measures are analyzed to determine whether
each student is likely to meet, not meet, or exceed academic benchmarks or behavioral expectations. This process
typically involves screening all students multiple times in a school year to assure all students equitable access to timely
interventions/challenges. Multiple types of data, including consideration of students’ culture, should be collected to
assist in a complete universal screening process. As a part of the screening process, teams use decision rules to
determine levels of support for students based on results. Teams also use a process to analyze aggregated and
disaggregated universal screening results as a way to measure the effectiveness of their overall curriculum and
instruction for all students as well as for sub-groups of students.
Need
1. What content area are you considering screening (e.g., general math, calculation, general reading, phoneme
segmentation, fluency)? Click here to enter text.
2. Which grade level(s) are you considering screening? Click here to enter text.
3. Which screening tool are you considering? Click here to enter text.
Evaluation of Scientific Rigor
4. For the screening tool you are considering, how is the evidence for the following criteria rated?1
a. Classification accuracy Choose an item.
b. Generalizability Choose an item.
c. Reliability Choose an item.
d. Validity Choose an item.
e. Disaggregated reliability, validity, and classification data for diverse populations Choose an item.
Evaluation of Efficiency
5.
Is the tool administrated to groups or individual students? Click here to enter text.
6.
How much time does this screening tool require for administration? Click here to enter text.
7. Is there a scoring key and what is the format? Click here to enter text.
8. Are results in benchmark/norm form? Click here to enter text.
1
NCRtI evaluates tools in its tool charts based on these criteria. Other sites you use may evaluate tools in different ways.
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
Evaluation of Deliverability
9. In what format is this tool (e.g., software, web-based, paper/pencil)? Click here to enter text.
Do you have the resources to support that format? Click here to enter text.
10. What is the cost for this screening tool?
a. Initial Click here to enter text.
b. Annual Click here to enter text.
c. Do we have the financial ability and budget to support this cost? Choose an item.
11. How are data reports generated and received? Click here to enter text.
12. What type (length, schedule, format) of training will be required to administer the tool? To analyze reports?
Click here to enter text.
13. How much time will you allocate for analyzing and making decisions with the results? Click here to enter text.
14. What decisions will you make with the results? Click here to enter text.
15. How will parents be informed of results and decisions? Click here to enter text.
16. What strengths do you note? Click here to enter text.
17. What weaknesses do you note? Click here to enter text.
18. Other considerations? Click here to enter text.
Based on our responses to the analyzing questions above, does this tool match our need, and can it be delivered by us
as intended with fidelity? YES or NO Click here to enter text.
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
Essential Questions for Selecting a Progress Monitoring Tool
NCRtI progress monitoring tools chart: www.rti4success.org/progressMonitoringTools
PROGRESS MONITORING is a process used to assess students’ academic/behavioral performance, to measure student
responsiveness to interventions/challenges, and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions/challenges.
PROGRESS MONITORING TOOLS are valid and reliable assessments used to quantify a student’s rate of improvement in
response to an intervention/challenge; these tools are designed to be easy, quick, repeatable, and highly sensitive to
change in student performance
Need
1. For what student skill(s) are you investigating a progress monitoring tool (e.g., calculation, math
concepts/applications, reading comprehension, oral reading fluency, letter naming, letter sound fluency)? Click
here to enter text.
2. At which grade(s) level? Click here to enter text.
3. Which progress monitoring tool are you considering? Click here to enter text.
Evaluation of Technical Adequacy Standards
4. For the progress monitoring tool you are considering, how is the evidence for the following criteria rated?
a. Reliability Choose an item.
b. Validity Choose an item.
c. Alternative forms Choose an item.
d. Sensitivity Choose an item.
e. Benchmarks Choose an item.
f. Rates of improvement Choose an item.
g. Disaggregated data Choose an item.
Evaluation of Deliverability
5. In what format is this tool administered (e.g., software, web-based, paper/pencil)? Click here to enter text.
Do we have the resources to support that format? Click here to enter text.
6. What is the cost for this progress monitoring tool?
a. Initial Click here to enter text.
b. Annual Click here to enter text.
7. How much time does this tool require for administration? Click here to enter text.
8. How are data reports generated and received? Click here to enter text.
9. How does the progress monitoring tool identify whether a student is making sufficient progress or insufficient
progress? Using what type of measurement (e.g., percentile, raw.)? Click here to enter text.
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
10. What type of training will be required to administer the tool? To analyze reports? Click here to enter text.
11. How much time will you allocate for analyzing and making decisions with the results? Click here to enter text.
12. Who (what personnel) will deliver this progress monitoring tool? Click here to enter text.
13. What decisions will you make with the results? Click here to enter text.
14. How will parents be informed of results and decisions? Click here to enter text.
15. What strengths do you note? Click here to enter text.
16. What weaknesses do you note? Click here to enter text.
17. Other considerations? Click here to enter text.
Based on our responses to the analyzing questions above, does this tool match our need, and can it be delivered by us
as intended with fidelity? YES or NO Click here to enter text.
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
Professional Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recommends NCRtI’s resources. However, there are other quality
resources available for schools. Below is a listing of some of those resources.
Screeners
National Center for RtI www.rti4success.org/tools_charts/screening.php
Electronic Learning Assessment www.clrn.org/elar/search.cfm
Resources
RTI Action Network www.rtinetwork.org
Center on Instruction www.centeroninstruction.org/index.cfm
Progress Monitoring
RTI National Center www.rti4success.org/tools_charts/progress.php
Intervention Central- Curriculum www.interventioncentral.org/
Based Measurements
Electronic Learning Assessment www.clrn.org/elar/search.cfm
Resources
RTI Action Network www.rtinetwork.org/
Center on Instruction www.centeroninstruction.org/index.cfm
Professional Organizations
International Reading Association www.reading.org/Resources/ResourcesByTopic/ResponseToIntervent
Resources ion/Resources.aspx
Wisconsin State Reading Association www.wsra.org
Wisconsin Reading Coalition www.wisconsinreadingcoalition.org
National Council of Teachers of www.nctm.org
Mathematics
Wisconsin Mathematics Council wismath.org
National Association of School nasponline.org
Psychologists
Wisconsin Association of School wspaonline.net/PositionPapers.aspx
Psychologists
Wisconsin Association for Bilingual www.wiabe.org
Education
Selecting Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools
Wisconsin Association for Talented www.watg.org
& Gifted
Wisconsin Early Childhood www.wisconsinearlychildhood.org
Association
Wisconsin Association for www.wasd.org
Supervision & Curriculum
Development