It is important for schools to use universal screening for reading difficulties to identify students who may be at risk early. They provide a quick snapshot of each student’s progress to ensure no child falls behind. However, this initial screening is just the first step. Diagnostic assessments provide information about specific literacy skills each student needs to develop, such as phonemic awareness or decoding.
Assessments based on leveled readers are often used, but do not provide information about how well a student has learned the foundational skills needed for reading. Leveled-reader assessments try to match students to books by difficulty rather than identifying the specific skills they need to work on, which can create significant learning gaps.
If a student is not making expected progress while receiving instruction based on the science of reading, additional assessment is needed to identify a possible learning disability. Overall, it is essential for schools to use valid and reliable assessments to ensure that every student gets the targeted instruction they need to become a successful reader.