(ESS) Essential Skills Screener
Ages/Grades: 3 through 11
Three Age Specific Testing Levels
Preschool: Ages 3 through 5
Elementary: Ages 6 through 8
Upper Elementary: Ages 9 through 11
Bradley T. Erford / Gary J. Vitali / Rose Mary Haas / Rita R. Boykin
A brief and modern series of academic achievement screening tests, the ESS is perfect for identifying children "at-risk" for school readiness or learning problems. The ESS is made up of nine tests, including reading, writing, and math skills for three levels: Preschool, Early Elementary, and Upper Elementary.
Essential Skills Screener Tasks:
• Preschool Reading (RESS-P): letter identification, picture vocabulary, visual discrimination, visual figure-ground.
• Preschool Writing (WESS-P): form copying, letter/number copying, copying speed,
name writing.
• Preschool Math (MESS-P): shapes, oral counting, quantities, numerals, equalities/inequalities, story problems.
• Elementary Reading (RESS-E): letter identification, consonant letter-sound association, digraphs, cluster sounds, sight-word vocabulary, oral reading, story retelling, inference.
• Elementary Writing (WESS-E): name writing, writing speed, spelling, sentence writing.
• Elementary Math (MESS-S): writing numerals, addition, subtraction, time, money, fractions, word problems.
• Upper Elementary Reading (RESS-U): sight-word vocabulary, digraphs, cluster sounds,
oral reading, story retelling, inference.
• Upper Elementary Writing (WESS-U): writing speed, spelling, story composition.
• Upper Elementary Math (MESS-U): writing numerals, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, time, money, and fractions.
The ESS was normed on 2,150 children ages 3-11 and provides both grade and age norms. Interpretation is simplified through the use of percentile ranks, performance ranges, and standard scores with internal consistency in the high .80s to .90s. Concurrent validity studies show excellent validity at all age levels.
The ESS Complete-Multi Level includes:
• Manual
• Picture Book
• Preschool/Elementary / and Upper Elementary Scoring Forms (25 for each level)
& Response Forms (25 for each level)
• Elementary Math Transparencies (Set of 5)
• Upper Elementary Math Transparencies (Set of 7)
• Preschool Storybooks (Set of 5)
• Bingo Chips (Setof 20)
