Concludes that the lack of normative data, the suggestion that even one failure on the test (with approximately 111 items) makes a child suspect for "at risk" labelling, along with the brevity of directions and interpretation of data require that the test be used with great caution. (FL)

Using tests that are neither reliable nor valid, school districts are currently categorizing large numbers of children as unready for entrance into kindergarten and first grade. Parents are being asked to wait a year before sending their children to public school classes or to place them in a pre-kindergarten class. Other children complete…

Concludes that the Brigance Screen is a well-organized criterion-referenced test designed to assist in the early identification of individuals who need further testing. (FL)

Notes that school readiness screening tests can vary greatly in sophistication, and can easily be incorrectly applied and interpreted. Suggests that normal development is highly variable during kindergarten and first grade and that school programs should be flexible and adaptable to individual characteristics. (HTH)