Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS)

Use the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) to gauge students who may be at risk and plan interventions accordingly.

By Matt Olivares on Aug 2, 2025.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

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What is student risk?

Student risk is the probability that a student may experience negative outcomes, such as failing grades or dropping out of school. It is a multifaceted concept considering various factors that can increase a student's chances of academic failure.

For educators handling at-risk students, it's essential to focus on the different factors contributing to their problems. Examples of factors include issues within their academic journey, such as having learning disabilities or developmental disorders, having low test or assignment scores, having minimal or no academic achievement, or having limited access to educational materials.

Factors can also cover the student's social life, like if they are feeling pressure from their family or peers if their family and friends support them if they have friends, and/or if they are being bullied.

Their mental health should also be looked into because educators might be handling kids with anxiety, depression, or traumatic experiences that are weighing on them.

By focusing on these factors, educators will have the chance to develop ways to help students work through their problems and have fruitful academic journeys.

Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) Template

Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) PDF Template

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How to use the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS)

One way to gauge how at-risk a student is is to use assessments such as the Student Risk Screening Scale, or the SRSS for short. This easy-to-use assessment is often paired with another assessment called the Student Internalizing Behavior Screening Scale (SIBSS), which we also have a guide for.

The Student Risk Screening Scale focuses on gauging a student's externalizing behaviors. Here are the things they have to look into:

Steal
Lie, cheat, sneak
Behavior problems
Peer rejection
Low academic achievement
Negative attitude
Aggressive behavior

Educators or school counselors using this scale will have to rate each item with one of the following:

0 = Never
1 = Occasionally
2 = Sometimes
3 = Frequently

After rating each item, you need to add up the scores. To interpret the findings of this scale, refer to these score ranges and designations:

0 to 3 = Low risk
4 to 8 = Moderate risk
9 to 21 = High Risk

The Student Risk Screening Scale results alone cannot determine a student's necessary actions. It is recommended to utilize additional assessments such as the Student Internalizing Behavior Screening Scale (SIBSS) and other relevant school-related data.

This may include subject scores, disciplinary records, attendance records, and reasons for absences. The implementation of interventions should be based on a comprehensive evaluation of the overall results and identification of the student's specific areas of concern.

When is it best to use the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS)?

The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) was designed to be used twice a year, so if you're an educator or a school counselor, it's best to use this scale once per semester so you can track the changes between them.

Please note that if you use this scale, you need to do so with the mindset that you're not isolating or excluding students from anything related to their school work and life. It would be best if you approached it in a way that determines what support you can provide based on the results of this scale, other assessments, and their data (such as test scores, detention records, absence records, etc.).

The scale shouldn't be used to label or designate students as a student with special needs requiring special education. It's also not used to assess a student's personality traits. Again, the Student Risk Screening Scale determines critical areas of concern that may negatively impact a student's academic journey.

This should aid in determining how educators and the school can help create an environment that's safe for the students to learn in peace. It should assist educators in determining what resources to allocate so that the student has an equal shot at achieving academic excellence like everyone else and can graduate on time.

Making use of this student internalizing behavior screening scale template can uplift your practice and improve client experiences.

What are the benefits of using the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS)?

It can identify factors negatively impacting a student's academic journey.

The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) was designed to look at the externalizing behaviors that certain students might have. By taking note of the seven items on the scale's list, educators can observe if these externalizing behaviors should be considered critical areas of concern. The additional comments box we added to the scale will allow them to elaborate on their observations of each student.

It pairs well with the Student Internalizing Behavior Screening Scale (SIBSS).

More often than not, the Student Risk Screening Scale is paired with the Student Internalizing Behavior Screening Scale because doing so can give a comprehensive look at a student. Educators who use both of these will be able to cover both externalizing and internalizing behaviors.

The results can be combined with other school data related to the student that educators or counselors assess. Doing so will help them determine the appropriate interventions and support for the student to have a better school life and fruitful academic journey.

It can be used to monitor students over time to track their progress.

The Student Risk Screening Scale was designed to be used twice a year. Given this, you can consider it both a screening and monitoring tool. Let's say that you created an intervention and support plan for the student implemented it, and the student has been following this plan for a while.

When the next semester starts, or you're in the middle of it, you can use the Student Risk Screening Scale to check for any changes to their externalizing behaviors. If there are, and they are scoring lower, they are improving! If not, you might want to tweak your intervention and support plan.

Commonly asked questions

Student risk scales are designed as an initial step to highlight potential behavior issues in the classroom, allowing educators and counselors to identify students who may require further evaluation or support. By assessing various behavior patterns and assigning total scores, these scales help detect externalizing behaviors that could hinder a student's academic and social success.

After calculating the total scores from a behavior scale, it is critical to integrate these findings with other data points such as academic performance, attendance, and disciplinary records. This holistic approach ensures that interventions are tailored to the specific needs of each student rather than just the number indicated by the scale.

While total scores from the Student Risk Screening Scale serve as valuable indicators, they should not be used in isolation to determine interventions. It is essential to use a combination of assessments and school-related data to fully understand the student's behavior and create an effective support plan.