Screener data, by itself, will not result in improved outcomes for systems or the students they serve. Screener data that is actionable requires professionals to take action. While this seems patently obvious, it warranted being addressed by Romer et al (2020): “There is an ethical responsibility to enact meaningful decisions on said data (i.e., “screen to intervene”). It is unethical to collect data that requires the use of school time and/ or resources, without utilizing the data to inform service delivery.”

This means that even if districts understand the research-backed rationale for using a SEB screener, and remove barriers to commitment, and follow a best-practice roadmap to implementation, nothing will have changed if action is not taken to change what students see, hear, and experience as a result.