Early Literacy Screening Guidance and Resources

Early Literacy Screening Guidance

Early Literacy Screening Guidance

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) created the guidance document to support schools and districts as they conduct early literacy universal screenings required by Massachusetts regulation 603 CMR 28.03 (1)(f), effective July 1, 2023 which requires that schools and districts take the following actions:

Assess each student's reading ability from kindergarten through at least third grade at least twice per school year;
Use a valid, developmentally appropriate, DESE-approved early literacy screening instrument;
For students whose screening results are significantly below relevant benchmarks:
- Determine which actions within the general education program will meet the student's needs; and
- Within 30 school days, inform the student's parent or guardian of the screening results and the LEAs response, and offer them the opportunity for a follow-up discussion.

For questions about Regulation 603 CMR 28.03 (1) (f), please contact mary.l.brown@mass.gov .

Weekly Office Hours

DESE offers educators weekly opportunities to ask specific questions about screening and the regulation. If you would like to attend office hours, please sign up at: DESE Literacy Team: Early Literacy Screening Office Hours. If the designated hours are not convenient, please email: mary.l.brown@mass.gov .

Family Screening Notification Letters

Each of the sample family letters in the guidance appendix is translated and added to the guidance document in: Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Sample Family Letters to Introduce Screening and to Share Screening Results (adapt to local context)

Sample Family Letters to Share Screening Results for Students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs), if appropriate (adapt to local context)

Screening Letter A Context: This notification letter is intended for parents of students with significant disabilities. Screening results, when possible, are used to measure personal growth. A small percentage of students would be included in this category and may include students with significant language and/or intellectual impairments.

Screening Letter B Context: This notification letter is intended for parents of students with disabilities who have a screening result that is significantly below relevant benchmarks and have literacy objectives on their Individual Education Program (IEP) to address reading challenges. Please note, this letter would not be appropriate for students with an IEP that do not include literacy goals and objectives on their IEP.

Sample Family Letters to Share Screening Results for English Learner (EL) students (adapt to local context) — coming!

EL Screening Letter Context: This notification is intended for parents of students designated as English Learner (EL) students. EL students are students who are acquiring the English language but are not yet fully proficient in English and they typically receive English as a Second Language instruction to support them in rapidly acquiring English.

Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (Chinese)
Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (English)
Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (Haitian Creole)
Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (Portuguese)
Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (Spanish)
Guidance- Sample Family Letters for Students — EL students (Vietnamese)

Mass Dyslexia Guidelines and Mass Literacy Guide

DESE created the MA Dyslexia Guidelines consistent with M.G.L. Chapter 71, § 57A to provide a clear and practical set of organized, research-based best practices for the early screening, instruction, and accommodation of students with reading difficulties and/or learning disabilities, including but not limited to dyslexia.

The Guidelines serve three main purposes:

To provide a set of screening guidelines for all students, including students demonstrating one or more potential signs of a neurological learning disability including, but not limited to, dyslexia; and
To provide a framework of intervention for students at risk of dyslexia and other learning difficulties that is timely and responsive; and
To provide a comprehensive resource of evidence-based practices aimed at all educators to support students at risk of dyslexia and those identified as having dyslexia, consistent with and linked to other guidance from DESE.

The guidelines are consistent with and linked to the Mass Literacy Guide. The Mass Literacy Guide is an interactive site that includes research, information, and resources to empower educators with evidence-based, culturally, and linguistically sustaining practices for literacy.

The MA Dyslexia Guidelines along with the Mass Literacy Guide provide a wealth of information and support around early literacy instruction and assessment within an MTSS model.

Last Updated: December 18, 2024