Which assessment identifies students who may need alternate forms of instruction?

The assessment that identifies students who may need alternate forms of instruction is a screening assessment. This type of assessment is designed to quickly evaluate a large number of students to determine which ones may need further evaluation or different instructional strategies due to potential learning challenges. Screening assessments are typically brief and used at the beginning of the academic year or at key points in the year to identify students who are at risk of falling behind.

This approach allows educators to pinpoint students who may require additional support or alternative instructional methods early on, ensuring that those who need help receive it promptly. This proactive measure helps in providing tailored educational interventions which can lead to better outcomes for students.

The other types of assessments serve different purposes. For instance, criterion-referenced tests measure student performance against a specific set of criteria or learning standards, focusing on whether students have mastered particular content. Curriculum-referenced tests assess how well students understand the specific curriculum being taught, while progress monitoring involves assessing students' learning over time to gauge their improvement and response to instruction. Although these assessments provide valuable information, they do not specifically focus on identifying students in need of alternate forms of instruction in the same proactive manner as screening assessments do.