Printable PDF: DESSA 2 mini and DESSA 2

Overview

This article provides details and downloadable forms for the DESSA 2 mini and the DESSA 2 assessment for grades K-8. 

Note: These forms are meant to be used for completing ratings and should not be used for informational purposes such as posting them on district websites or sharing them in parent letters. If you need to share out the DESSA assessment forms for informational purposes, please use the watermarked forms found in the "DESSA Forms for Parents" article. 

DESSA 2 mini

Versions: 4 versions (DESSA 2 mini Forms A, B, C, D)

Items: 8 items per form

Time: Approximately 1 minute per student

Raters: Educators (teachers and out-of-school time staff)

Grades: Kindergarten-8th grades

Languages: English, Spanish (PDF only)

Reported Scores: Social-Emotional Total (SET)

Score Ranges: Strength (T-score of 60 and above), Typical (T-score of 41-59), Need for Instruction (T-score of 40 and below)

Recommended Uses:

• Universal Screening: The DESSA 2 mini can be used to quickly and accurately screen the social and emotional competence of all students. Typically, an educator completes the DESSA 2 mini on all students in their class at the beginning of the school year. The DESSA 2 mini provides one score, called the Social-Emotional Total (SET) score which indicates a student’s overall social and emotional competence. This T-score can be described as a Strength (T-scores of 60 and above), a Typical score (T-scores of 41-59), or a score indicating the student has a Need for Instruction (T-scores of 40 and below). We recommend that all students receiving a DESSA 2 mini score in the Need for Instruction range be assessed by an educator on the full DESSA 2 assessment. The DESSA 2 will provide detailed information about a student’s specific social and emotional strengths and needs across the competencies. See below for more information on the DESSA 2.
• Progress Monitoring: The DESSA 2 mini can also be used to monitor student progress in acquiring social and emotional competence across the school year. This information can be used to inform or adjust the use of strategies based on how students respond to instruction and intervention. We generally recommend progress monitoring two or three times during the school year.
• Outcome Evaluation: The DESSA 2 mini can also be used to evaluate growth in overall social and emotional competence across the school year. This information can be used to understand the impact of social and emotional skill instruction and intervention programs. Typically, an end of year DESSA 2 mini (or full DESSA 2 assessment) is completed on all students.

Parent/Guardian Use of the DESSA 2 mini: At this time, the DESSA 2 mini does not include a parent/guardian rating form and therefore, should not be used by parents/guardians. If your program would like to involve parents as raters of their child’s social and emotional competence, you may continue to use the DESSA-mini and DESSA (First Edition) for this purpose.  

Administration Recommendations: It is recommended that educators observe and interact with students for at least four weeks prior to completing a DESSA 2 mini rating.

For more detailed information about the development, uses, administration, scoring, and interpretation of the DESSA 2 mini, please refer to the DESSA 2 mini and DESSA 2 technical manual.

DESSA 2

Versions: 1 version

Items: 40

Time: Less than 5 minutes per student

Raters: Educators (teachers and out-of-school time staff)

Grades: Kindergarten-8th grades

Languages: English, Spanish (PDF only)

Reported Scores: Social-Emotional Composite (SEC), Optimistic Thinking (OT), Self-Awareness (SA), Self-Management (SM), Social Awareness (SO), Relationship Skills (RS), Responsible Decision Making (RDM)

Score Ranges: Strength (T-score of 60 and above), Typical (T-score of 41-59), Need for Instruction (T-score of 40 and below)

Recommended Uses:

• Detailed Assessment: The DESSA 2 provides a detailed assessment of students’ specific social and emotional competencies. Typically, educators complete the DESSA 2 on students who were found to be in the Need for Instruction range on the DESSA 2 mini and/or on students who have been identified through other measures. This information provides educators with an in-depth understanding of a student’s social and emotional competencies which can be used to inform and guide strategies and interventions. Programs interested in collecting detailed social and emotional competency information to inform planning for all students can use the DESSA 2 universally.
• Progress Monitoring and Outcome Evaluation: The DESSA 2 can also be used to monitor student progress in acquiring social and emotional competence across the school year. This information can be used to inform or adjust the use of strategies based on how students respond to instruction and intervention for specific competencies. In addition, the DESSA 2 can be used to evaluate growth in social and emotional competencies across the school year. This information can be used to understand the impact of social and emotional skill instruction and intervention programs.

Parent/Guardian Use of the DESSA 2: At this time, the DESSA 2 does not include a parent/guardian rating form and therefore, should not be used by parents/guardians. If your program would like to involve parents as raters of their child’s social and emotional competence, you may continue to use the DESSA-mini and DESSA (First Edition) for this purpose.  

Recommendations: It is recommended that educators observe and interact with students for at least four weeks prior to completing a DESSA 2 rating. Raters have found it helpful to print out the DESSA 2 to review items when observing students.

For more detailed information about the development, uses, administration, scoring, and interpretation of the DESSA 2, please refer to the DESSA 2 mini and DESSA 2 technical manual.

The PDF documents are paper versions of the rating forms that are completed by educators online in the DESSA System. Please contact your Program or Site Administrator for DESSA rating form assignments.

Downloads