Dyslexia Screening Information

Dyslexia Screening Letter to Parents

Dear Kindergarten through Third Grade Parents,

As of the 2018-2019 school year the state of Missouri began requiring all school districts screen students to determine those who may be at risk for dyslexia. As a result of this requirement, your child will be given screenings in different areas of reading. ALL Marshfield R-1 students in first through third grade will be screened three times a year in accordance with this new state law. Kindergartners will be given screenings twice a year, starting in the winter.

It is important to emphasize that screenings are designed to identify ‘red flags’ that suggest a child may have difficulty with reading development. If your child shows up as “at risk” for dyslexia, that DOES NOT mean that your child has dyslexia or has any kind of disability under IDEA or 504. This DOES NOT indicate that your child needs special education services. Dyslexia is a medical diagnosis; schools do not diagnose dyslexia. As a school district, we will use the results to tailor instruction to student’s specific needs and provide your child with additional reading support as needed. This is a state requirement and we are able to use the information we get to better help your child in specific areas of reading, such as:


  • Phonemic awareness--the ability to manipulate sounds within words

  • Rhyming-being able to distinguish words that rhyme

  • Rapid color and object naming-the ability to efficiently label colors and different visual objects

  • Letter and sound naming-the ability to identify letters efficiently and to know their sounds

  • Decoding-the ability to read unknown and known words

  • Word Recognition-the ability to read words accurately and fluently

  • Oral Reading Fluency-the ability to read with appropriate rate, accuracy, and expression

  • Reading Comprehension-the ability to understand and make connections


You will receive the results of the dyslexia screening for your child after screening is complete. Screenings must be given by mid September.


If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s principal.


Sincerely,

Dr. Garrett Lowder

Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services

Marshfield R-1 Schools

170 State Highway DD

Marshfield, MO 65706

417-859-2120