Two studies were conducted to investigate the predictive validity of prekindergarten and pre-grade 1 screening checklists. In the first study, all 83 students registering for kindergarten at an elementary school were administered Austin and Lafferty's prekindergarten checklist. Toward the end of the school year, the children were administered the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT). Relationships were sought between checklist scores and the prereading composite stanine on the MRT. In a subsequent study, the 19 questions on Ames' (1970) checklist were administered to each student. Thirteen months later, reading levels completed by each student were compiled. For each of the reading levels completed (preprimer, primer, or "on level"), the percentage of students who scored within a specific range of "yes-answer" scores on the checklist was calculated. A Pearson product-moment correlation was calculated to relate the number of such answers with the reading level subsequently completed. Results are discussed, and recommendations are offered for using the checklists and for relating the findings to program content. (RH)