Screening Tests

Screening is an efficient procedure used to identify potential problems or risks for future problems. In this case, a problem is a discrepancy between what is expected and what occurs. Thus, effective screening tests accurately identify those who are likely to not reach critical future outcomes, so that their problems can be remediated through prevention or intervention efforts. Screening tests are common in many disciplines and are used for numerous purposes. This entry discusses the basic principles and technical considerations of screening tests.

In education, screening is the systematic assessment of all students within a classroom, grade, school, or school district. Screening is often done in academic, behavioral, or social–emotional domains. If all of the students within a targeted population are evaluated, then the screening is ...