1. Presentation Appendix

2. By focusing on the Whole Child, Apperson’s K-12 assessment solutions promote the entire student’s development and well-being… academic, emotional and social.
Mission is to promote social and emotional development, foster resilience, and build skills for school and life success in all children birth through school-age, as well as to promote the resilience of the adults who care for them.

3. Devereux Student Strengths Assessments
The 3 Rs of Quality Assessment
Rigorous
Reasonable
Relevant

4. Purposes of the DESSA-mini
Very brief, 8-item strength-based Quick Screener, completed by teachers or out-of- school-time staff
Screen an entire classroom in one planning period, typically <1 minute per child
Yields one score, the Social-Emotional Total
Students place in the Strength, Typical or Need for Instruction range
4 equivalent versions with best in class reliability (internal, alternate forms, test-retest, inter-rater) and validity (prediction consistency, rates of agreement, differentiation of groups, Race/Ethnicity)
*For more information on psychometrics and peer reviews, visit

5. Purposes of the DESSA
Psychometrically sound, 72-item strength-based assessment of social-emotional strengths and needs of children in grades K-8
-Separate norms for parents
Describe social-emotional strengths and needs of groups of children at the competency level.
Used comprehensively as part of a needs assessment or as a standalone
Produce classroom profiles to inform and individualize instruction
Serve as an outcome measure for evaluating the impact of interventions, programs and curricula
*For more information on psychometrics and peer reviews, visit

6. Available Interventions
Sortable, targeted interventions at the universal, small group, teacher and individual levels -Set of competency-based strategies that feature multi-media elements and engaging activities
-Sorted by age bands (Primary, Intermediate and Middle)
-Easy to navigate by your target competency
-Upload and tag your own strategies to use in your program
-Sample lessons from the top curricula providers (Second Step, Open Circle, Caring School Community, The 4Rs, Engaging Schools and Inner Resilience)
Foundational Practices that support a healthy SEL environment
-Designed to be practiced, sustained, integrated and reflected on as your year progresses
-Select from the available practice areas; academic integration, building and sustaining relationships, fixed and growth mindsets, gratitude, movement, peer coaching, routines and rituals or student voice

7. Social Emotional Composite (SEC)
DESSA Scales
Social Emotional Composite (SEC)
Eight Scales:
Self Awareness
Self-Management
Social-Awareness
Relationship Skills
Goal-Directed Behavior
Personal Responsibility
Decision Making
Optimistic Thinking }
*For more information on psychometrics and peer reviews, visit