Challenges in the Use of School Readiness Screening Tool for Learners with Special Needs

The School Readiness Screening test Tool is important because it is used by Educational Assessment and Research Centres; Professionals in the Educational Assessment Centres determine school placement and intervention strategies for learners with Special Needs in Pre-school programmes. The tool has been in use in the Educational Centres in Kenya since 1984 up to date and yet its efficacy is still in doubt. The purpose of this study was to find out the challenges in using School Readiness Screening Tool for Learners with Special Needs in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The study involved 25 Educational Assessment professionals who were the coordinators of the Centres purposefully sampled from City, Urban, Rural and Semi-arid areas in Kenya. Data was collected by interview schedule, observation schedule and document analysis guide. The study revealed that; the School Readiness Screening Tool does not screen all kinds of disabilities The study recommended that additional test content should be incorporated to the School Readiness Screening Tool to screen the contemporary Special Needs.