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CSD Early Literacy and Dyslexia Screening Process

In accordance with Georgia House Bill 307, City Schools of Decatur has a screening process to
identify students in kindergarten through third grade for reading risk, which includes
characteristics of dyslexia.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

The reading and dyslexia screening process must include tools that assess phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, sound/symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, encoding skills, and rapid automatic naming. All students, kindergarten through third, will be screened three times a year. CSD uses a combination of the Star Assessment Suite and Curriculum-based Measurements as part of the reading and dyslexia screening process. One of the assessments measures a student's Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN), which is the ability to quickly and accurately name a series of items. RAN is a vital measure in dyslexia identification as it assesses the speed and automaticity in which a student can retrieve and articulate information, a skill directly linked to reading fluency and efficiency. CSD uses RAN -Color Naming as part of the reading and dyslexia screening process. However, if your child has a color vision deficiency, or color blindness, please notify your child's school so that your child can be administered an alternative RAN assessment.

What does screening involve?

The reading and dyslexia screening process must include tools that assess phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, sound/symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, encoding skills, and rapid automatic naming. All students, kindergarten through third, will be screened three times a year. CSD uses a combination of the Star Assessment Suite and Curriculum-based Measurements as part of the reading and dyslexia screening process. One of the assessments measures a student’s Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN), which is the ability to quickly and accurately name a series of items. RAN is a vital measure in dyslexia identification as it assesses the speed and automaticity in which a student can retrieve and articulate information, a skill directly linked to reading fluency and efficiency. CSD uses RAN -Color Naming as part of the reading and dyslexia screening process. However, if your child has a color vision deficiency, or color blindness, please notify your child’s school so that your child can be administered an alternative RAN assessment.

What happens next?

School teams will use the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to review
screening results and identify intervention needs. You will receive results from the screener that
indicate if your child is at risk or not at risk of reading challenges. Students who are identified as
being at risk for reading challenges may receive additional support and monitoring.

For More Information

Please refer to additional links or the GaDOE Dyslexia Informational Handbook. If you have questions about the dyslexia screening process or your right to opt-out, please contact your school’s MTSS lead.

Learn more about dyslexia by visiting these helpful resources: