A predictive validity study of SEARCH : a screening instrument used for identifying kindergarten children who may be vulnerable to school failure.

This study examines SEARCH, an individually administered screening test used to identify kindergarten children who may be vulnerable to academic failure in school. The public school district in the community studied had used SEARCH as its screening tool for nine years and abandoned it with much controversy as to its usefulness and accuracy as a measure to detect kindergarten children vulnerable to learning failure. If it could be demonstrated that SEARCH is an effective screening instrument, the community would consider renewing its use. A sample comprised of two years of entering kindergarten children (270) who had taken SEARCH and later taken the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) were investigated to determine whether SEARCH was successful in its ability to identify young children at risk. Variables including special education services, pre-school experience, retention, and sex were analyzed to determine any relevant effects on SEARCH scores and academic success. Bivariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed to examine relevant correlations. Stepwise regression was utilized to determine the relative predictive validity of the SEARCH subscales. A positive correlation emerged when SEARCH was compared to CTBS. Children who scored high on SEARCH tended to score high on the CTBS total score, Reading, Mathematics, and TCS scores. Further, students who scored high on SEARCH tended to succeed in regular education programs with greater consistency than low scorers. The specificity of SEARCH was (.78), the sensitivity was (.37), and the overall hit-rate was greater than 71%. Yet, sixty-four percent of children who scored in the vulnerable range on SEARCH never received special education services and twenty-two percent of children who passed SEARCH received 766 remediation. Still, a strong SEARCH score is more indicative of success than a low SEARCH score. Of the 41 children who scored five and below on SEARCH, 5 (12%) were retained, while of the 229 children remaining who passed SEARCH, 11 (4%) were retained. While the ESI reports greater overall predictive validity than SEARCH, one SEARCH subtest yields important diagnostic information. The Lamb Chop Matching subscale will be recommended as a component of the kindergarten screening program

Gearing Up to GEAR UP: Four Perspectives on Early Implementation Considerations for GEAR UP

GEAR UP, a federally-funded pre-college outreach program, strives to provide academic and other supports to middle and high school students and their families to help them prepare for, and pursue, higher education. GEAR UP was established in 1998 by President Clinton through Title IV of the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). This paper utilizes a phenomenological frame to explore certain key considerations involved in the initial implementation phases of a GEAR UP grant. Four distinct qualitative phenomenological perspectives from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) faculty members involved in a current State of Connecticut GEAR UP grant Alliance are shared. Through these four accounts, qualitative, descriptive information about specific systemic, organizational, content, and procedural factors to consider when beginning implementation and planning for a 6-year university-school district partnership like GEAR UP are considered. The insights are not necessarily limited to GEAR UP, however, and may be applicable to other partnership initiatives and/or other large-scale program implementation efforts