Screening for At-Risk Readers in a Response to Intervention Framework

This article examines universal screening, one component in a response to intervention approach for serving struggling learners. In a response to intervention framework, screening is the principal means for identifying early those students at risk of failure and likely to require supplemental instruction; as such, it represents a critical juncture in the service delivery continuum. Our focus is students at risk for unsatisfactory reading achievement. We first examine classification accuracy and the factors that affect it. Then, relying on studies conducted since 1998 that examine the classification accuracy of reading screens, we summarize research on candidate measures with potential for identifying students at risk for reading disabilities and identify areas in need of more research.