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District outlines reading-difficulty screener plan, emphasizes 'risk' not diagnosis
Summary
Staff proposed using UCSF multitudes districtwide for kindergarten–2 screening, piloting two additional screeners alongside ELA pilots, and stressed that screeners flag risks (not dyslexia diagnoses); screening will use a team approach to limit teacher burden.
District staff told trustees they must adopt one or more reading-difficulty screening instruments by June 30, 2025 (Education Code reference noted in the packet) and proposed administering UCSF 'multitudes' for universal kindergarten–2 screening next year. Staff clarified the tool identifies students at risk for reading difficulties — not a formal dyslexia diagnosis — and that a team-based approach (coaches, paraeducators and others) will be used to administer the screener and return results to teachers.
Dr. Valentine and Catherine Armstrong said the district will pilot two additional RDRS instruments alongside ELA/Spanish LA pilots to compare results and reduce teacher workload. "We actually would like to administer both screeners to students so they could see, like, what data was presented to them," one presenter said, describing side-by-side piloting for teachers assigned to pilot curricula. Trustees asked which grades and which students are included; staff said K–2 are the primary target population for mandated universal screening, while entry students from other systems will be evaluated through existing progress-monitoring processes.
