Math is Figure-Out-Able! Ep 258: Universal Screeners: The Good, Bad, and Ugly - Part 1
May 27, 2025
Dive into the pros and cons of universal screeners in education! Discover how these tools reveal what we value in student performance. The hosts discuss the limitations and challenges associated with using screeners, including their disconnect from actual classroom content. They also address the pressures of standardized testing and how time constraints can skew results. Finally, explore the complexities of preschool screenings and their potential inaccuracies, shedding light on the broader implications for educators and students.
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Dinner Talk on Assessing Reasoning
- Pam Harris recounts a dinner conversation with Edmonton public schools math consultants about the challenge of assessing reasoning with screeners.
- They discussed the difficulty of proving that professional learning improves student reasoning, highlighting the value of meaningful assessment data.
Kim Montague's Screener Experience
- Kim Montague shares her experience with phonics and math screeners, describing the formats and how they are administered and scored.
- She explains how screeners often rank students, influencing how teachers and systems categorize student abilities.
Validity Issues in Screeners
- The validity of screeners is questionable because student motivation and facilitator consistency vary widely.
- Testing conditions and attitudes impact accuracy, so screeners often do not truly reflect students' academic knowledge.