Dyslexia Screening

Indiana Code 20-35.5 requires all Indiana schools to administer a universal screener for learning characteristics related to dyslexia within the first 90 days of school. Approved universal screeners and Level I/Level II diagnostic assessments for learning characteristics related to dyslexia are available on the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE’s) Dyslexia webpage.

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called a reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

All students in kindergarten, grade one, and grade two will be given the screener within the first 90 days of school. Parents of students who are determined to be “at risk” or “at some risk” for learning characteristics related to dyslexia will be notified of screener results and be provided with the next steps of intervention. Parents will be asked for permission to administer Level I and Level II diagnostic assessments. Parents of students who are not at risk for characteristics related to dyslexia will be notified of screener results and will resume regular educational programming.

Please contact your student’s school with any questions or concerns regarding the universal dyslexia screener requirements. For more information, please reference the Indiana Department of Education’s Dyslexia webpage.