Why Data Matters in Identifying Dyslexia or Specific Learning Disability in basic reading and or fluency

Data is essential because schools must prove that your child is not making adequate progress — even with help. A student may be identified with an Specific Learning Disability (such as dyslexia) when:

• Achievement is well below average, and
  
  

• The student does not make adequate progress despite receiving high-quality instruction and intervention (RtI/MTSS).
  
  

Schools can’t rely on a “wait and see” approach. If data shows that your child isn’t responding, that may mean they need more intensive help — including special education. Data is also essential to assess if an IEP goal is sufficient to meet the individual needs of your child! 

Score Type & What it Tells You

Standard Score (Mean = 100)

Average range is usually 85–115. A score of 85 and lower is below average.

Scaled Score (Mean = 10)

Average is 8–12. 7 and lower is below average.

Percentile Rank

Compares your child to peers. A percentile below 25 often signals a weakness.

Ask About Score Interpretation

• "What does this score mean for my child’s ability to decode, read fluently, or understand text?"

Testing shows low-average scores, not below-average scores

• “Even though some scores fall in the low average range, my child is not functioning at grade level. The data shows she’s multiple years behind in reading/writing/math. That’s what matters under IDEA.”

• Even if standard scores are in the 85–90 range (low average), significant gaps in subtests, slow fluency, and high instructional needs can meet the criteria for SLD/dyslexia.

• Also review the following: RICAS performance, MTSS data, actual classroom performance: grades, test performance, teacher observations and work samples relative to age, grade-level standards
  
  

What Should Parents Ask or Look For in the Data? 

Ask the school to show you:

• Current reading level-grade equivalency from benchmark assessment (iReady, Acadience, STAR, Aimsweb) or percentile rank. Red Flag for families: "Your child is a Level M or your child is a level Blue"
  
  

• Summary of skills in all areas of the essential components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension.  Spelling/Encoding scores are important for dyslexia. Learn more
  
  

• Progress monitoring graphs showing growth over time (MTSS/Personal Literacy Plans AND IEPs)
  
  

• Comparison to grade-level expectations or same-age peers
  
  

• What changes were made to the intervention if your child is still below average (group size, intensity/amount of time, or method) when your child wasn’t making enough progress
  
  

If your child has persistent weaknesses across key reading skills and is not improving with interventions, that may meet the criteria for SLD/dyslexia. Your child may have dyslexia or an SLD if they show a consistent pattern of low reading performance and does not respond adequately to targeted help. Schools must use data to make this decision — and you have the right to ask questions, request data, and advocate for appropriate services. This process can also be used to determine appropriate IEP goals. 

Data-Based Individualization (DBI) means:

• “Using student data to adjust interventions when progress is too slow.”

• Typically used for Tier 3 intensive interventions and/or special education 

Explanation for families:

“If the current reading help isn’t working, the school should change something — like the program, intensity, or group size — based on your child’s data. That’s called data-based individualization.”

 DBI includes:

• Frequent progress monitoring (e.g., weekly reading scores)
  
  

• Diagnostic assessments to pinpoint skill gaps
  
  

• Changes to instruction based on your child’s response — not a preset schedule

• Can also apply to special education
  
  

Data and Dyslexia 

Dyslexia is a language-based reading disability that typically includes:

• Poor phonemic awareness (difficulty identifying and manipulating sounds in words)
  
  

• Weak decoding (trouble sounding out unfamiliar words)
  
  

• Slow, effortful reading (poor oral reading fluency)
  
  

• Poor spelling and encoding
  
  

Key Sub-skills to Review

To determine whether your child may have dyslexia, the following areas should be assessed, not just composite or overall scores:

1. Phonological Processing 

Phonological Awareness

• Recognizing and manipulating the sounds in spoken language (words, syllables, phonemes).
  
  

• Example: Blending /c/ /a/ /t/ into “cat.”
  
  

Phonological Memory

• Holding sounds or words in short-term memory to use them for tasks like decoding or spelling.
  
  

• Example: Remembering a sequence of sounds while sounding out a new word.
  
  

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)

• Quickly naming a series of familiar symbols (letters, numbers, colors, objects).
  
  

2. Decoding (Word Reading)

• Ability to sound out unfamiliar words using letter-sound knowledge.

• Ask for data on non-sense word fluency. These are made-up words children have to decode to see if they can accurately sound out words. 
  
  

• Red flag: Low scores on word reading accuracy or pseudoword decoding (nonsense words).
  
  

3. Encoding (Spelling)

• Ability to translate spoken sounds into written words.
  
  

• Red flag: Spelling errors that show confusion with sounds (e.g., writing chree for tree, “fone” for phone, “sed” for said ,bot” for bat, “grl” for girl , “lomg” for long , “sed” for said, “frend” for friend )
  
  

4. Oral Reading Fluency

• How quickly and accurately a student reads connected text aloud. (Norms Chart)
  
  

• Red flag: Slow reading speed, frequent mistakes, needing to sound out many words, poor expression.
  
  

5. Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)

• How quickly your child can name familiar items (letters, numbers, colors).
  
  

• Red flag: Takes noticeably longer than peers to name items; may affect fluency and retrieving words/facts under pressure.
  
  

6. Reading Comprehension

• Can your child understand what they read?
  
  

• Red flag: Comprehension problems, especially when decoding is poor.  If your child comprehends text when it is ready to them, but struggles to comprehend text that is ready independently.
  
  

Tip: Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions will help identify students with learning disabilities. If a student has a gap in learning, they typically close that gap quickly and are able to transfer the skills being worked on in reading intervention. Many dyslexic students struggle closing these gaps. It takes them much longer than their peers to master and transfer these skills. Look for this pattern when you are advocating for your child. 

A composite score is a total or average score made up of several related subtests. It gives a general overview of how a child is doing in a broad skill area like "Reading" or "Oral Language." Composite scores are reliable, but subtest patterns may help indicate characteristics of dyslexia. 

Subtest

A subtest is a specific part of a larger assessment that focuses on one skill, like phonemic awareness, decoding, or spelling. Subtest scores help identify precise areas of strength or difficulty.

Example:
On the CTOPP (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing), some subtests include:

• Elision (removing sounds from words)
  
  

• Blending Words (putting sounds together)
  These help assess phonological awareness, which is often weak in students with dyslexia.

• Rapid Letter Naming measures (can show a RAN deficit) 
  
  

Why This Matters:

Subtest scores give the detailed information needed to:

• Identify specific learning needs
  
  

• Choose the right intervention
  
  

• Determine if a child might qualify for an IEP under Specific Learning Disability – Dyslexia

• Help determine present levels for IEP Goals 

Tips for Parents: Advocating Beyond Composite Scores

If your school is focusing on composite scores, here are strategies and phrases to help shift the conversation to the specific skills your child needs support with:

Request Subtest Scores

• "I understand the composite score gives an overall picture, but I’d like to see the subtest scores that make up this composite. Which areas are stronger or weaker?"
  
  

• "Can you break down how the specific skills assessed, like decoding and oral reading fluency are impacting comprehension?"
  
  

Emphasize the Importance of Skill-Specific Data

• "Composite scores can mask areas of weakness. For example, my child might struggle with decoding but compensate with strong listening comprehension. Can we look at blending and segmenting scores separately?"
  
  

• "I want to make sure we’re targeting the root cause of my child’s reading difficulty, not just addressing surface-level symptoms."
  
  

Ask for Clarification on Instructional Decisions

• "What specific subskills are we targeting in the intervention plan? How do we know this aligns with the areas where my child is struggling?"
  
  

• "How are you tracking progress for each specific area of weakness, like decoding or fluency, rather than just overall reading improvement?"
  
  

Key Takeaway:

By focusing on specific subskills rather than composites, you can better understand and advocate for targeted support that directly addresses your child’s needs. Let me know if you'd like a sample email or script for meetings!

• Understanding Evaluation Results 

• Finding Out if Your Child is Eligible for Special Education 

• FAQs About Evaluations

• Preparing for Evaluations