Developing Resilient Students, Educators, and Communities
We help you see and develop the strengths of every student.
What is the DESSA and the DESSA System?
DESSA stands for the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment.
Initially developed in the mid-2000s, the DESSA is rooted in resilience theory and the belief that if we can understand the strengths of every child, we can help build that child's behaviors and life skills so they can reach their fullest capacity.
The History of the DESSA System
2009
Seeing the need to build resilience skills in all children, the Devereux Center for Resilient Children creates the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment or DESSA to help educators in the classroom understand student strengths and resilience.
2017
Building on the success of the DESSA, Aperture Education is formed as an independent joint venture between the Devereux Center for Resilient Children and Apperson, a publisher. Aperture helps educators fully leverage the power of the DESSA by building a robust digital platform around the DESSA.
2018
Aperture creates a team of researchers and educators to continuously iterate and improve on the research behind the DESSA and the system of support surrounding it.
2020
The DESSA quickly becomes the most widely used assessment of student behavioral strengths.
2022
Aperture Education is acquired by Riverside Insights, a trusted leader in educational assessments.
Now
The DESSA System is one of the leading assessment and instructional offerings in the Riverside Insights portfolio.
The Power of Optimistic Thinking
What does the DESSA assess?
The DESSA assesses student behaviors around six areas of social-emotional competence. The unique inclusion of Optimistic Thinking comes from DESSA’s grounding in resilience theory. The DESSA is entirely strength-based, meaning it examines positive behaviors rather than maladaptive behaviors.
Optimistic Thinking
Self-Management
Relationship Skills
Social Awareness
Self-Awareness
Responsible Decision Making
Why choose the DESSA System?
Trusted & Proven
Over 150+ peer-reviewed studies have shown the DESSA’s validity and reliability. Improving a student’s skills as assessed by the DESSA is correlated with an improvement in their academic achievement.
Practical & Valuable
The DESSA allows educators to universally screen students in less than one minute. The DESSA provides data-driven recommendations to help educators make efficient, effective choices about how to support all students.
“People choose education because it is a passion - a passion to help little people become independent and successful human beings. This can only happen when I know what my strengths are and what I need to grow and succeed. I feel so lucky to be part of a mission to make that happen for every child and every educator.”
— Lisa Micou DESSA Director of Program Implementation, Former District Director of Student Support
