May 22, 2002
MEMORANDUM
TO:
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District Coordinators of Assessment
Assistant Superintendents for Curriculum and Instruction
FROM:
Shan Goff, Chief, Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services
Thomas H. Fisher, Administrator, Assessment and Evaluation
SUBJECT:
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Technical Assistance Related to the School Readiness Uniform Screening
System (SRUSS)
The purpose of the enclosed technical assistance paper is to respond to questions from districts
related to the School Readiness Uniform Screening System (SRUSS). These questions were
generated from the series of informational meetings held between May 6, 2002, and May 15,
2002. There were many questions identified during those meetings that relate to an array of
issues associated with the implementation of SRUSS. Our intent with this initial technical
assistance paper is to address those questions that most significantly influence the ordering of
testing materials by school districts. This is the first of future technical assistance documents
that the Department plans to develop in order to provide guidance to districts on this process.
For additional information, please contact Victoria Wagner at 850/488-8198 or
wagnerv@mail.doe.state.fl.us
or Cathy Bishop at 850/488-1216 or
bishopc@mail.doe.state.fl.us
.
Enclosure
cc:
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Directors, Student Services
Administrators, Exceptional Student Education
Readiness Partnership Board Members
Katherine Kamiya, Director, Readiness Partnership Board
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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DIVISION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION
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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPER RELATED TO THE SCHOOL READINESS UNIFORM
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SCREENING SYSTEM
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Timelines for Screening
1.
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What is the deadline for the administration of the School Readiness Uniform
Screening System (SRUSS)?
The SRUSS must be administered within 45 calendar days of the district’s first day of
school.
2.
When does the 45-day period begin?
The 45-day period begins on the district’s first day of school.
3.
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If a district has some schools that operate on a year-round calendar, what is the
impact of this timeline on administration?
Testing materials will be delivered to school districts by July 31, 2002. Since it is advisable
that children have a few weeks to adjust to their new school setting prior to the
administration of the screenings, there should be sufficient time for schools that begin in
early July to complete the screenings within their first 45 calendar days.
Students to be Screened
4.
Will students in Grade 1 be included in the screening this year?
No. While the legislation requires screening for children entering public school for the first
time in first grade, this provision of the law will not be implemented until the 2003 – 2004
school year.
5.
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Should children who were served in kindergarten last year and are being retained this
year be screened?
No. The screening is intended for children entering kindergarten for the first time.
6.
If a child does not enter on the first day of school, must he/she be screened?
It is important to keep in mind that the purpose of the screening is to assess readiness for
kindergarten. Therefore, the instruments are
not
intended for administration throughout the
duration of the school year. If a child enters within the first 21 calendar days of school, they
must be screened. [If a child enters on Day 22 or thereafter, the child will not be screened.]
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7.
Must children who attend a charter school be screened?
Yes. Charter schools are public schools and children who enter kindergarten in a charter
school must be screened.
8.
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What about McKay Scholarship students or children who are home schooled? Is
screening required for these children?
No. The state requirement for kindergarten screening does not apply to children who are
participating in the McKay Scholarship program or children who are home schooled.
9.
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If a child is ill and misses a significant amount of school during the first 45 calendar
days, how does the requirement apply?
If a child has been absent due to illness or other reasons, attempts should be made to
screen the child within the district’s first 45 calendar days. If illness or other reasons
continue to interfere with the child’s attendance past this date, the child should not be
screened.
10. What about a child who transfers from another Florida school district within the first
45 days of school?
To the extent possible, contact the child’s prior school to determine if the child was screened
before moving away. If the child was not screened, the child should be screened by the
receiving school district, provided that the child is in attendance no later than Day 21.
11. Should a child who has already been identified as a student with a disability be
screened?
Yes. All children must be screened. There may be a few children for whom the ESI-K is not
appropriate (e.g., blind or low vision children, children who are profoundly mentally
handicapped). However, both the
Ready for School Behavioral Screener
and the
Work
Sampling System
are observational tools and must be administered to all children, including
children with disabilities.
Scheduling of Screening
12. Some districts invite kindergarten children and their parents to visit the school the
week prior to the opening of school. Could the screening instrument be administered
during that time?
In such a scenario, it may be appropriate to administer the ESI-K during the planning week
preceding the opening of school. Districts should consider that a preferred practice is to
give the child some time to adjust to kindergarten and feel comfortable with the teacher prior
to administering the instrument. Since the behavioral screening instrument is an
observational tool, this instrument could not be administered prior to the child entering
school.
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13. What is the ordering deadline for the testing materials?
Districts must send this information to the Department of Education no later than June 1,
2002.
14. May districts select both behavioral screening instruments for use in their schools?
No. A district must select a single behavioral screening instrument for use by all schools in
the district.
15. Can the overage of materials be calculated as a district overage? Is there a minimum
or maximum number of materials that must be ordered
?
Yes. The overage may be calculated as a district overage. There is no minimum or
maximum number of materials that can be ordered; however, districts should not order more
materials than are actually needed since the State’s resources for this program are not
unlimited.
16. Will the Department of Education provide funds to districts to pay for stipends and
travel expenses for those individuals participating in the training?
No. Districts can send to the training meetings only 3-4 people who, in turn, will be
responsible for training others in the district. Each district will pay travel and per diem costs
for attendees at the training meetings.
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