West Valley School District believes every child can experience success every day. WVSD works to meet students where they are and supports them in reaching their full potential.
Early Literacy Screening
In order to achieve maximum success, WVSD uses data from multiple assessments, teacher input and observations, and collaboration with families to develop strategies and interventions to help students, including those who exhibit signs of dyslexia.
Early Literacy Screener: i-Ready Diagnostic and RAN (2021-2022)
WVSD is using literacy measurement tools in grades K-2 to screen students for indicators of future reading difficulty. In accordance with State Law, the assessment requirements include: screening (the initial assessment of literacy skills), Rapid Automatized Naming (assesses the ability to quickly name aloud a series of familiar items on a page), and progress monitoring (assigned as necessary to measure skill acquisition and in alignment with vendor recommendations).
- Kindergarten: i-Ready in Fall, i-Ready and RAN in Winter and i-Ready in Spring along with monthly Progress Monitoring.
- First Grade: i-Ready in Fall, Winter and Spring along with monthly Progress Monitoring.
- Second Grade: i-Ready in Fall, Winter and Spring along with monthly Progress Monitoring.
RAN will be administered to students in 1st and 2nd grade who show risk factors for Dyslexia in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonological awareness and letter sound recognition on i-Ready.
If you have questions about the Early Literacy Screener please use the form on this page to contact the staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dyslexia* is a specific learning disorder that is neurological in origin and that is characterized by unexpected difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities that are not consistent with the person’s intelligence, motivation, and sensory capabilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological components of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
*This definition of dyslexia is adopted by the 65th WA State Legislature, 2018 Regular Session. To view legislative document: E2SSB 6162 (PDF)
(1) Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, and as provided in this section, each school district must use multi-tiered systems of support to provide interventions to students in kindergarten through second grade who display indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia. In order to provide school districts with the opportunity to intervene before a student’s performance falls significantly below grade level, school districts must screen students in kindergarten through second grade for indications of, or areas associated with, dyslexia as provided in this section.
(2)(a) School districts must use screening tools and resources that exemplify best practices, as described under RCW 28A.300.700.
(b) School districts may use the screening tools and resources identified by the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with RCW 28A.300.700.
(3)(a) If a student shows indications of below grade level literacy development or indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, the school district must provide interventions using evidence-based multi-tiered systems of support, consistent with the recommendations of the dyslexia advisory council under RCW 28A.300.710 and as required under this subsection (3).
(b) The interventions must be evidence-based multisensory structured literacy interventions and must be provided by an educator trained in instructional methods specifically targeting students’ areas of weakness.
(c) Whenever possible, a school district must begin by providing student supports in the general education classroom. If screening tools and resources indicate that, after receiving the initial tier of student support, a student requires interventions, the school district may provide the interventions in either the general education classroom or a learning assistance program setting. If after receiving interventions, further screening tools and resources indicate that a student continues to have indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, the school district must recommend to the student’s parents and family that the student be evaluated for dyslexia or a specific learning disability.
(4) For a student who shows indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, each school district must notify the student’s parents and family of the identified indicators and areas of weakness, as well as the plan for using multi-tiered systems of support to provide supports and interventions. The initial notice must also include information relating to dyslexia and resources for parental support developed by the superintendent of public instruction. The school district must regularly update the student’s parents and family of the student’s progress.
(5) School districts may use state funds provided under chapter 28A.165 RCW to meet the requirements of this section.
Students with dyslexia often display many strengths including creativity, the ability to see the bigger picture, and spatial knowledge. These very strengths can be leveraged to help them learn because students with dyslexic tendencies can have a more challenging time learning to read, write, and spell.
With a multisensory approach to learning, kids with dyslexia don’t just learn to read, write, and spell–but thrive at it. A multisensory approach includes visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile modalities, and connects reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Instructional support for students includes explicit and systematic instruction of phonics and skills during universal reading instruction.
In 2018 the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction selected the members of the Dyslexia Advisory Council. The council identified tools and resources to help screen for dyslexia or indicators of dyslexia and developed recommendations for implementing the screening in school districts. All Washington school districts are required to begin full implementation of early literacy screening in the 2021- 2022 school year.
Incorporating assessments in four areas (Phonemic Awareness, Phonological Awareness, Letter Sound Knowledge, and Rapid Automatized Naming) will fulfill state requirements for K-2 literacy screening tools and provide valuable information for supporting students. Our current K-2 English reading assessments, i-Ready and DIBELS, includes literacy measures for three of the four required areas:
- Phonemic Awareness: the ability to hear, identify, move or change the smallest units of sound in spoken words.
- Phonological Awareness: encompasses speech sounds, such as rhyming, alliteration, the number of words in a sentence, and the syllables within words.
- Letter-Sound Knowledge: the sounds represented by letters of the alphabet and combinations of letters that make speech sounds.
In addition, West Valley School District will follow OSPI guidelines in the selection of one additional assessment tool for Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN).
- RAN: the ability to quickly name aloud a series of familiar items, including letters, numbers, colors, and objects found in a classroom.
To view the recommended skill screening timeline by grade, please select the desired grade level.
*Current as of April 8, 2021 per OSPI website
The literacy screening tools are assessing the following skills: phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, letter sound knowledge, and rapid automatized naming and may show weaknesses associated with dyslexia. Therefore, the certificated classroom teacher of record, should work with their school’s support team to determine:
- if further assessments are needed
- if specific interventions are needed
- plan for parent/guardian communication and further partnership.
Additional Information and Resources
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
