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Dyslexia Screening

Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 217

Effective in 2020, SEA 217 requires that Indiana's public and charter schools identify, as early as possible, struggling readers who show risk factors of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a term for a specific developmental disorder that adversely affects the ability to read and write. Dyslexia is a common problem that affects people of all IQ levels and all walks of life across a continuum of reading ability. 

Dyslexia is currently defined by the Interventional Dyslexia Association as follows:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Note: A formal diagnosis of dyslexia is made outside of the school by a licensed professional.

MSD of Lawrence Township SEA 217 Compliance

All students in Kindergarten through second grade participate in a universal screener called i-Ready to check six different skill areas:

  • Phonological and phonemic awareness (ability to separate and change sounds in words)
  • Alphabet knowledge (letter identification and naming)
  • Sound symbol relationships (phonics)
  • Decoding (reading words)
  • Rapid naming (quickly name common objects)
  • Encoding (spelling)

Students who scored below benchmark on the universal screener were considered "at risk" or "at some risk" for characteristics of dyslexia and received additional reading instruction. Families were notified of the results, provided with information about dyslexia, and informed on next steps. Intervention lessons targeted reading skills using evidence-based programs such as 95 Percent Group Phonics, UFLI, Orton-Gillingham, Seeing Stars, Visualizing/Verbalizing, Amira, or SRA. Schools provided regular updates on student progress throughout the year.

During the 2024-2025 school year, 937 K-2 students received intervention in reading.

Universal Screener for Dyslexia Flowchart