View all blogs

The BASC™ Family of Solutions as a Catalyst for Student Growth

by Theo Miron, PsyS. School Psychologist and Clinical Assessment Consultant, Pearson

There’s been a wake-up call in the educational sector, echoed by society at large, about the growing mental health challenges facing students. More children and adolescents are receiving diagnoses, and more schools are reporting an increase in students seeking mental health services.

As K-12 educators and clinicians come to grips with this reality, there’s been a commensurate sea change in the recognition that timely intervention can make all the difference in a student’s academic and personal trajectory. 

Student mental health at a crossroads

The pandemic clarified a shift in the way we think about mental health, underscoring that it’s a core factor in student success rather than an unrelated side issue. However, while it may be clear in some cases when an individual is struggling, many students carry what we call “invisible burdens.” In other words, a child who appears compliant or high achieving may still be struggling with depression or anxiety that is subsequently overlooked.

That’s why universal screening is the gold standard. By ensuring every student has the opportunity to be evaluated, it opens the door to the services and support they deserve.

Progress is certainly being made: The CDC reported improvements in youth mental health from 2021 to 2023. However, there is still potential for more. A study published in JAMA Network Open found that only about one-third of the nation’s K-12 US public schools mandate mental health screening for students.

“Our results suggest that there are multiple barriers to mental health screening in schools, including a lack of resources and knowledge of screening mechanics, as well as concerns about increased workload of identifying students,” said Jonathan Cantor, the study’s lead author and a policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.

The educators we work with know that failing to support students is unacceptable. It’s why many schools committed to student achievement have turned to the BASC™-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC™-3 BESS) and the BASC™ Social Wellness Skills System (BASC SWSS) as tools that make universal screening both feasible and actionable. 

The strength of the BASC™ Family of Solutions is in the rich data it provides, which is foundational to identifying the most effective interventions for each student. A popular saying from W. Edward Deming, a statistician and management consultant, comes to mind: “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”  

With an informed understanding of students’ behavioural, emotional and social functioning, educators can connect students with the appropriate resources before challenges escalate.

Building a complete picture of each student

While screening is the first step, a deeper assessment is often necessary to understand the nuances of a student’s needs. The BASC Family of Solutions provides a comprehensive suite of tools that draw on multiple perspectives — teacher, parent and student — to create a complete profile of strengths and challenges.

Data are captured through forms that offer a variety of perspectives:

  • BASC-Teacher Rating Scale (TRS): Provides insight into classroom behavior and learning-related issues
  • BASC-Parent Rating Scale (PRS): Provides a view of the child’s functioning at home and other activities outside of school.
  • Self-Report of Personality (SRP): Provides the student’s own thoughts on their emotions and experiences.

This holistic view is what makes the data so complete, as it takes into account unique insights from teachers observing daily behaviour and families providing context. The SRP adds another incredibly important dimension. With younger students, it may be harder to surface valuable information, but as kids get older, we find they have keen insights into themselves and how they’re feeling. This feedback doesn’t always match what parents and teachers might see, so it gives us another angle to explore. The more information we obtain, the better decisions we can make regarding interventions and recommendations.

This team approach also emphasizes the value of shared problem-solving. It’s not just the school psychologist who’s working on the issues. Everyone in a student’s ecosystem is collaborating for their betterment.

These qualities are what made the BASC™ Family of Solutions a game changer over the past decade.

Student mental health is evolving — and so are we

Student mental health challenges are complex, but schools don’t have to address them without tools and support. The BASC™ Family of Solutions offers a clear pathway — from universal screening to in-depth assessment to evidence-based intervention — that helps educators identify needs early and respond effectively. Through this data-driven, team approach to developing targeted and tailored interventions, we can ensure all students achieve their potential.

And because cultivating best practices is one of Pearson’s ongoing goals, I’m excited to announce that we are currently finalizing a new iteration of the suite of assessment tools — the BASC-4, which is coming in 2026. The latest iteration brings clarity to today’s complex mental health landscape with newly updated norms that reflect our national population. As a complete assessment system, it provides a streamlined pathway from quick screening to targeted evaluation, helping you see beyond isolated symptoms to identify the full range of youth needs and strengths.

We look forward to keeping you updated as we introduce this new version. Together, we will continue to simplify the process of creating a thorough, holistic profile of students who may be at risk, ensuring they benefit from the services that will enable them to thrive.

Are you ready to reap the benefits today? Visit Pearson’s BASC-3 website for more information, or connect with your Assessment Consultant to learn how to get BASC access for your district.