Conclusion
Several valid and reliable screens for secondary intervention do exist. Let's examine their underlying assumptions and make certain that we select ones that:
- accurately identify students whose future performance is at grade-level or better
- minimize missing students who develop reading disabilities.
Let's make sure that the screens fit within a coherent, comprehensive reading instructional plan at the level of the school that incorporates ongoing assessment of learning. Response to classroom-level core reading will determine placement of students into secondary intervention. Special education is best reserved for students who do not respond to primary and secondary level interventions using methods like those proposed by Francis and the numbers should be small so these students can get truly "special" interventions like those in Torgesen et al. (2001). Operationalizing response adequacy will necessarily remain a localized, contextualized decision that will depend on human and material resources and the will to set high expectations for all students.
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