Universal Screeners for Number Sense: Indiana K-2 Family FAQs

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, all Indiana students in kindergarten through second grade must be evaluated for risk of not meeting grade-level proficiency in mathematics using a state-approved universal mathematics screener.

The purpose of universal screening is to identify students' strengths and recognize early when a student may benefit from additional support. Indiana describes universal mathematics screeners as brief, standardized assessments focused on foundational early numeracy skills and concepts, including number sense, counting, computation, and early problem solving.

The Universal Screeners for Number Sense, or USNS, from Forefront Education are one of two universal mathematics screeners approved by the Indiana State Board of Education for students in kindergarten through second grade.

The USNS are aligned to the 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Mathematics and use an interview-based approach to assess foundational number sense skills and concepts.

Students complete the USNS three times during the school year:

The written portions are generally conducted with an entire class.

During the interview portion of the USNS, your child works individually with a teacher. The teacher may ask your child to count, identify a number, work with objects or drawings, solve a problem, or explain how they figured something out.

This format gives teachers an opportunity to listen to students' mathematical thinking and observe the strategies they use, rather than looking only at whether an answer is correct.

The fall USNS is entirely interview-based. Midyear and spring include both interview and written components.

Number sense is an understanding of numbers, quantities, relationships, and how numbers work together.

It includes specific skills, such as counting and recognizing numerals, but also broader mathematical ideas, such as understanding quantities, seeing relationships among numbers, choosing strategies, and explaining mathematical thinking.

In kindergarten through second grade, the USNS primarily looks at these areas of number sense:

This area includes recognizing and writing numbers and understanding number sequences, including counting forward, backward, and by groups.

For example:

These tasks help teachers understand how students make sense of the sequence and structure of our number system.

This area includes early counting and quantity ideas, addition and subtraction, fluency and flexibility with numbers, and reasoning with objects and drawings.

For example:

Teachers are interested not only in whether students get the correct answer, but also in the strategies they use.

Place value is an understanding of how our number system is organized, including ones, tens, and hundreds, number magnitude and comparison, and using place-value relationships when calculating.

For example:

Place-value tasks help teachers understand whether students are making sense of how numbers are structured rather than simply following memorized procedures.

As students move through the primary grades, they are also asked to make sense of mathematical situations, solve problems, and explain their thinking.

Problem solving involves more than choosing an operation. Students learn to identify important quantities, recognize relationships, choose strategies, and communicate why their answers make sense.

Problem posing asks students to work in the other direction by creating mathematical questions or stories that represent a mathematical relationship.

The USNS assessments are designed to assess readiness for new content. Ideally, students are successful across the topics included in the assessment. A universal screener provides a snapshot of what a student understands at that point in time and helps identify areas that may need a closer look.

The information from the screener is useful, but Indiana specifically describes screener data as a “first alert” rather than the only information used to understand a student's needs. Screener results should be considered as part of a broader body of evidence.

All students are unique. A student may demonstrate a strong understanding in one area of number sense while still developing another. Information from the screener helps teachers determine what to reinforce, what to teach next, and whether additional support may be helpful.

Indiana has identified the 40th National Percentile as the benchmark for identifying students who may be at risk of not meeting grade-level proficiency.

A score at or below that benchmark does not mean that the screener alone determines everything that happens next.

Indiana asks educators to consider three sources, or guideposts, when determining a student's needs:

This process helps educators develop a fuller picture of a student's mathematical strengths and needs rather than making decisions from one score alone.

No. A universal mathematics screener does not diagnose a learning disability such as dyscalculia.

Indiana describes screeners as preliminary indicators that help identify students who may benefit from further intervention, enrichment, or acceleration.

Indiana requires students who are identified as at risk to receive mathematics intervention through a tiered system of supports. The goal is to provide targeted, timely support while students continue participating in strong grade-level mathematics instruction.

Schools review multiple sources of information to identify a student's specific instructional needs and determine the appropriate support.

For students in grades K-5 who are identified as at risk, Indiana also requires a minimum of 20 minutes of daily mathematics intervention, in addition to at least 60 minutes of daily Tier I mathematics instruction.

Yes. Indiana's guidance states that within 15 days of making an at-risk determination, schools must notify families using the vendor-provided family letter and provide a copy of the student's completed Individual Mathematics Plan.

The plan documents assessment information, intervention strategies, and other relevant information. Intervention and progress-monitoring information should continue to be added to the plan and shared with families according to the schedule established by the school or district.

Schools using Forefront can provide personalized USNS Family Letters that summarize student performance in family-friendly language.

These letters can also include ideas and activities connected to your child's learning. If your child is identified as at risk under Indiana's screening requirements, your school will also provide the required information about the student's Individual Mathematics Plan.

If you have questions about a result, your child's teacher can provide important context about what they observed during screening and how those results compare with classroom learning.

You do not need to recreate the screener or turn math practice at home into a test.

Everyday opportunities to talk about numbers can help strengthen number sense. You might:

Keep practice brief and manageable, and focus on helping your child make sense of mathematics rather than simply answering quickly.

The following free resources can help families learn more about mathematics and find activities to support learning at home:

Number sense is much more than memorizing math facts. It helps children understand what numbers mean, recognize patterns and relationships, solve problems in flexible ways, and explain their mathematical thinking.

Building these foundational ideas in the early grades helps prepare students for increasingly complex mathematics.

Your child's teacher is the best starting point. They can help explain:

A universal screener provides one important source of information. Indiana's guidance specifically emphasizes considering screener results together with classroom assessments, mathematical tasks, teacher observations, and other relevant information when determining student needs.