- Houston Independent School District
- Dyslexia
- Dyslexia Screening
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Dyslexia Universal Screener 2022-23
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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SCREEN FOR DYSLEXIA?
In 2017, the 85th Texas Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1886, amending Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003, Screening and Treatment for Dyslexia, to require that all kindergarten and first-grade public school students be screened for dyslexia and related disorders.
Early identification of students with dyslexia along with corresponding early intervention programs for these students will have significant implications for their future academic success.
- Early identification is critical because the earlier the intervention, the easier it is to remediate.
- Inexpensive screening measures identify at-risk children in mid-kindergarten with 85 percent accuracy.
- If intervention is not provided before the age of eight, the probability of reading difficulties continuing into high school is 75 percent (pp. 279–280).
-Straight Talk about Reading, Hall and Moats (1999)
WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR CAMPUSES?
All kindergarten and first-grade public school students are to be screened for dyslexia and related disorders, according to the Texas Legislature. The testing window for first-grade assessment is January 17th - January 31st, 2023. HISD will use the Renaissance 360: STAR Early Literacy (Ren360) assessment tool. The testing window for kindergarten assessment is April 24th - May 26th, 2023, and HISD will use the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA).
The dyslexia administrator will oversee the pre-screening process of all students flagged as being at-risk for dyslexia or other related disorders: Dyslexia Screening Task Card
- Download and utilize the Dyslexia At-Risk sql report in HISD Connect, refer to the Dyslexia At-Risk Roster task card for assistance. Separate students coded '2' into three categories and notify the necessary parties of their respective students.
- Send home the parent notification letter and appropriate assessment report to all students flagged. Please include a parent input form of those to be reviewed by the PLC.
- Data will be gathered according to the Dyslexia Data Checklist for a Professional Learning Committee (PLC) to review
- Develop a PLC committee that should consist of an administrator, IAT Liaison, campus-based staff trained in dyslexia (interventionist or administrator), and screening grade-level teachers. Section 504 Coordinator is optional for the meeting. The meeting will be facilitated by the dyslexia administrator using the recommended Dyslexia Guiding Questions document to guide the data discussion with the committee and to identify areas of concern.
Meeting Protocols
At the meeting, review the teacher input forms, grades, intervention, and progress monitoring (PM) data, district-level assessments (CIRCLE, TX-KEA, HFW, etc.) for all students flagged from the Dyslexia Screening report.
Complete the Dyslexia Committee Review Forms
Review the following criteria below to help determine the next steps and complete the following document for each student that was flagged on the Dyslexia Screening report. Dyslexia Committee review documentation form
Complete IAT Meetings
IAT meetings need to be completed by their respective due dates. Follow the IAT process. Complete the parent/guardian invite, teacher referral letter, IAT intervention plan, and finalize the summary of response request for evaluation (RFE). Please complete the following documentation for the students referred to IAT after the final decision has been made. IAT Referral documentation form
WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED AND WHEN?
Date(s) / Window
Activity
September 2, 2022
Complete PLCs for Kindergarten 2022 Screener
October 14, 2022
Complete IAT Meetings for Kindergarten 2022 Screener
January 13, 2023
Required Training for Campus IAT/Dyslexia Administrators/Dyslexia Interventionists
January 17 - 31, 2023
First-Grade Screening Implementation Window
February 17, 2023 First Grade Committee PLC Meetings for At-Risk First Graders
March 10, 2023 First Grade 2023 IAT Meetings Completed by March 10, 2023
April 20, 2023 Submission of KEA Training Certificates
April 24 - May 26, 2023 Kindergarten Screening Implementation Window
September 3, 2023 Complete PLCs for Kindergarten 2023 Screener
WHO DO I CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS AND SUPPORT?
For Technical Issues:
Please contact the service desk at 713-892-SERV (7378) or send an email to servicedesk@houstonisd.org
For Questions About Dyslexia Screening and Referral, Contact your Dyslexia Team Leader.
Dyslexia Screening and Referral
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Resource
Description REFERENCE: This document outlines the steps in the process for the Dyslexia screening requirements in First Grade and Kindergarten.
REFERENCE: The Texas Dyslexia Handbook, 2021, can be used as a reference guide for state screening requirements and TEC §38.003 - See Chapter 2.
REFERENCE: The Dyslexia Screening Flowchart can be used as a reference for decision-making in the screening meeting. TRAINING: Review the training slides from the Dyslexia Screening Protocol Training in January 2023. ALL dyslexia administrators, dyslexia interventionists, educational diagnosticians, Section 504 coordinators, IAT liaisons, Section 504 dyslexia evaluators, and leaders are required to be trained. At Risk Parent Notification Letter
Parent Notification Letter (Spanish)
BEFORE THE MEETING: For each student identified on the campus's Dyslexia At-Risk report, send a parent notification letter with the Ren360 family report for 1st-grade students. BEFORE THE MEETING: For each student identified on the campus's Dyslexia At-Risk report, send a parent input form. This form may be included with the parent notification and the Ren360 Family report. Teacher Input Form BEFORE THE MEETING: For each student identified on the campus's Dyslexia At-Risk report, send this form to the student's classroom teachers of record and request a minimum of two meaningful work samples. These are to be collected prior to the screening meeting BEFORE THE MEETING: This Data Gathering Checklist will be included in each dyslexia screening folder. It is a Google Doc that can be printed or copied to your google drive.
IAT Meeting Determination Form DURING THE IAT MEETING: This form is used during the IAT meetings to disclose the results of the IAT meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is required to be screened for dyslexia?
TEC §38.003 requires all kindergarten and grade 1 students to be screened for dyslexia. Districts and charter schools must implement a screening program that includes each of the following:
• Screening of each student in kindergarten at the end of the school year.
• Screening of each student in the first grade no later than January 31st.
SOURCE: Frequently Asked Questions: Dyslexia and Related Disorders - January 2021
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Should students in kindergarten and first grade who receive special education or Section 504 services be screened for dyslexia using the K/1 dyslexia screener under TEC §38.003?
Students receiving special education or Section 504 services should be screened using the K/1 dyslexia screener unless:
• The ARD or Section 504 committee determines the screener is not appropriate (e.g. students with significant cognitive disabilities); or
• the student is already identified with dyslexia.
SOURCE: Frequently Asked Questions: Dyslexia and Related Disorders - January 2021