WHAT IS THE BESS?
Atlanta Public Schools is committed to creating a culture of student support, and supporting the needs of the whole child. One way we are addressing the whole child is by identifying student strengths and areas for growth relative to social, emotional, and behavioral well-being. In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all students, we will administer a universal screener of social, emotional & behavioral health. The universal screener that was chosen by the District to help identify student strengths and areas for growth is the BASC-3 Behavior and Emotional Screening Scale (BASC-3 BESS).

APS & MES are committed to creating a culture of student support and a focus on the whole child.  Our school will be administering a universal screener of social, emotional & behavioral health. The assessment has 3 components:  a brief rating scale completed by the homeroom teacher, a parent rating scale, as well as a self-rating scale for students ages 8 and above.  

Together, this information helps us to understand the needs of all students, and to make effective plans to support those needs at the school, class, and individual levels.    The screener will be administered at MES during the Fall semester, Sep. 19 – Oct. 7.  

K-5: All teachers fill out a student rating scale. Parents are invited to fill out a parent rating scale for students by clicking HERE. The Parent Notification letters can be found in the section dropdown below.  
3-5: - In addition to all teachers filling out student rating scale, and parents invited to fill out a parent rating scale for students HERE, grade 3-5 students also fill out a self rating scale. If parents want to opt-out a student from completing the self rating scale, please complete the form that was sent home with students on Wednesday, 9/7 (form can also be accessed in the Parent Notification letters section found in the dropdown below). Deadline for opt out of student self rating scale is Friday, 9/16.