Teacher and student concordance on universal screening for behavioral and emotional risk

Universal screening for behavioral and emotional risk is an important part of planning and implementing multi-tiered behavioral supports in schools. The current study adds to our understanding of universal screening by examining teacher and student reports of student emotional and behavioral risk. Participants include 73 fourth grade students and 4 teachers in an urban school in the Midwestern United States. Correlations between the two informants ranged from moderate to large for the overall T-score, internalizing problems, and externalizing/self-regulation problems but were not significant for personal adjustment/adaptive skills. Furthermore, the BESS TF showed concurrent and predictive validity with academic scores, but not school climate while the BESS SF showed concurrent and predicative validity with measures of school climate. Results of this study indicate that teachers and students may provide unique information regarding student functioning.