Universal Reading Screening & Dyslexia Support

At Noblesville Schools, we are committed to ensuring every student can read proficiently by the end of third grade. This is one of the most important building blocks for your child's future learning.

Our Multiple Measures Approach

We believe that no single test can tell the whole story of your child's progress. To get the most accurate picture, we use two different tools together to decide if a student needs extra help in reading:

1. NWEA MAP Fluency: This checks the "mechanics" of reading, like how well your child knows letter sounds and how quickly they can name objects.
2. NWEA MAP Growth: This shows us how much your child’s overall reading skills are improving over time.

By looking at both, our teachers can make sure we are providing the right support at the right time.

Understanding the Universal Reading Screener

A "universal screener" is a brief check-in given to all students in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade three times a year.

• It is an early warning system: It helps us find students who are "at risk" or "at some risk" of not reaching grade level proficiency in reading.
• It is NOT a diagnosis: These tests help us identify reading difficulties, but they are not used to officially diagnose dyslexia or any other disability.
• Results are shared with you: You will receive your child’s results within 30 days of the end of the testing window.

What Skills Does the Screener Measure?

The screener checks the "building blocks" that research shows are necessary for successful reading. Because these skills are measured differently depending on your child's grade, the test focuses on:

• Phonological and Phonemic Awareness: Being able to hear, identify, and play with the individual sounds in spoken words.
• Sound Symbol Recognition: The ability to connect spoken sounds to the letters that represent them.
• Alphabet Knowledge: Recognizing letter names, letter sounds, and common letter patterns.
• Decoding Skills: The ability to "sound out" words by blending individual sounds together.
• Encoding Skills: The ability to spell words correctly based on the sounds they hear.
• Rapid Naming: How quickly your child can name a set of familiar objects, colors, or letters.

2025-2026 District Reading Data

Each year, we post our screening results to keep our community informed. Below are the results for the most recent school year:

 

Additional Required Reporting:

• K-2 Students who received extra reading intervention support: 173

• K-12 Students officially diagnosed with dyslexia: 53

How We Help

If the screening process shows your child is at risk for not reaching grade-level reading, we will contact you within 30 days of the universal screener process.

1. Immediate Support: We will immediately start extra reading help through our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process.
2. Level I Diagnostic: With your permission, we will perform a more detailed check (Level I Diagnostic) to see exactly which skills need work.
3. Targeted Lessons: We use proven, evidence-based programs that help kids master the sounds and patterns of language, such as:
   • Orton-Gillingham
   • Heggerty
   • MA Rooney Foundation

You may request a full educational evaluation for your child from the school at any time.

Helpful Resources

• NWEA MAP Growth: Visit our NWEA MAP Growth page to learn more about how we measure your child's academic progress and goals throughout the school year.
• NWEA MAP Fluency: Learn more on our NWEA MAP Fluency page regarding how we check your child's early reading skills, such as letter sounds and sounding out words.
• IREAD Information: The IREAD website provides details on this state requirement. We offer 2nd graders an early opportunity to take this test to give them more chances to succeed before 3rd grade.
• State Universal and Dyslexia Programming Website: For more information, you can view the Indiana Department of Education Dyslexia website.