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Pennridge to replace K–2 DIBBLES screener with Aadience, integrate data districtwide
Summary
District staff recommended discontinuing DIBBLES for K–2 and adopting Aadience (K–2), continuing Renaissance STAR for grades 3–5, and integrating screener data into LinkIt; the move is presented as part of a broader MTSS rollout and will come to the board in April for a K–2 cadence approval.
Penridge School District officials told the curriculum committee they will replace the K–2 DIBBLES universal screener with Aadience and continue Renaissance STAR for grades 3–5 as part of a broader Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) rollout.
Michael Gumble and Dr. Bloom said the change responds to teacher and vendor reviews and will expand early-grade screening from just literacy probes to include foundational math measures such as number sense and basic operations. District staff said the screeners will be administered three times a year (beginning, middle and end of year) and that data from Aadience and STAR will be consolidated in LinkIt so teachers and interventionists can track student progress historically.
The presenters emphasized that school psychologists and MTSS specialists will be trained to interpret one-minute and short probes; staff described K–2 probes as one-minute measures and grades 3–5 probes as three to seven minutes. The district also plans professional development so teachers can use screener data to select interventions and progress monitor students, rather than waiting until a later benchmark.
District staff told the committee the change does not require new money this fiscal year, saying the purchase was funded by repurposing existing departmental allocations. They asked the board to approve a recommended K–2 administration cadence at the April board meeting so training and evaluation can begin next school year.
Committee members asked how the new tools connect to MTSS, how fast teachers will receive usable reports and whether the new probes would create unnecessary testing time. Staff answered that Aadience and STAR feed into data software used by MTSS specialists and that the district will limit administration time while using results to guide small-group instruction and interventions.
The committee did not take a formal vote during the update; staff presented the actionable item for a forthcoming board approval.
The district framed the change as an instructional tool: leaders said better, more frequent, and connected screening will allow teachers to identify students who need support earlier and to use targeted interventions in the classroom.
