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Board approves UCSF Multitudes as district dyslexia screener for K–2
Summary
Trustees approved UCSF Multitudes as the district’s universal dyslexia screener for kindergarten through second grade. Staff outlined logistics: one‑on‑one administration, Spanish-language testing where required, a 15‑day parent opt‑out window and a 45‑day results timeline; state funds will offset some costs.
The Redwood City School District Governing Board voted May 28 to adopt UCSF Multitudes as the district’s dyslexia/early‑literacy screener for kindergarten, first and second grades beginning in the 2025–26 school year.
Staff described a months‑long review process that trialed state‑approved screeners (including AMIRA and teacher‑facing DIBELS‑derived tools) and convened a committee of teachers and parents to evaluate usability, language support and cost. Based on teacher trial results and parent input, the committee recommended UCSF Multitudes.
"Teachers and parents on our committee favored Multitudes because it provides 1‑on‑1 administration, supports Spanish‑language testing and does not add recurring per‑student licensing costs," a district presenter said during the discussion.
Key implementation points staff outlined:
- Multitudes will be administered 1‑on‑1 once per year for kindergarten, first and second grades. Kindergarten administration is likely to occur later in the school year (December or January) to reduce false positives for very early starters. - The district must provide parents 15 days’ notice before testing and parents will have an opt‑out option; the district must then send results letters within 45 days of testing. - Spanish‑language administration will be used when students are Spanish‑dominant; sites will identify the appropriate language and staff to administer the one‑on‑one assessments. - The state has provided partial funding for screeners and for teacher stipends related to adoption and committee work.
Board members asked operational questions about staffing for one‑on‑one administration, timelines for kindergarten versus older students, and correlations with existing assessments. Staff said students who test in multiple years will be reassessed each year and the district will study correlations with current screeners and assessments.
Motion and vote: A trustee moved to adopt Multitudes; the motion was seconded and approved by the board. Staff will finalize parent communications, schedule professional development for fall 2025 and begin screening after the required parent‑notification and opt‑out windows.
What’s next: District staff will produce parent notices in the appropriate languages, plan teacher training for August, and align testing windows so letters and results can be distributed (staff suggested sending results with report cards when timing allows).
