Universal Screening

A Vital Part of an Equitable Education Framework 

Screening all children, using evidence-based tools, is a key component of an equitable approach to teaching children to read.  Universal screening was one of the major recommendations of the Ontario Human Right’s Commission’s Right to Read Inquiry Report.  Dyslexia Canada urges school boards across Canada to regularly screen all children starting in kindergarten.

Success of Early Screening

While screening is not yet mandatory in most provinces some school boards recognize the benefits and have implemented universal screening on their own. For example, in Ontario the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board now screens all students using a low cost evidence-based screening tool.  

““Universal screening has been a game-changer in my kindergarten program: fast, reliable and valid data informs my instruction, supports equity and leads to reading success for all students,” ”
— Kate Winn - Kindergarten teacher PVNCCDSB

Universal Screening FAQ

What is the purpose of universal screening?

Screening is a quick evidence-based check that identifies students who are at risk for reading difficulties. Screening is not a diagnosis and does not “label” a child. Rather it is a simple tool that can help identify children who may need extra support to learn to read. In this way, screening is similar to having your temperature or blood pressure checked at the doctor's office.  When these measurements are outside of the normal range they indicate that further assessment, intervention, and follow-up are needed.

Why does screening need to start in kindergarten?

While it is never too late for someone to learn to read or improve their literacy skills,  intervention is most effective when it starts in kindergarten or grade one. When schools implement evidence-based classroom instruction, universal early screening, and provide targeted intervention to students identified through screening, over 95% of all students can learn to read by the end of grade 2.  Unfortunately, most schools are not using this framework for reading instruction and currently over 33% of Canadian young adults are leaving public education with low literacy skills.

Don’t most schools already screen kids?     

Most children in Canada are currently not being screened using evidence-based screening tools.  Currently, Alberta is the only province that requires all children be screened. Ontario and New Brunswick have made public commitments to implement universal screening starting in September of 2023.  

““Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, [Ontario] students in year 2 of Kindergarten to Grade 2 will be screened for reading using evidence-based tools.” ”
— Minister Stephen Lecce, Ontario Ministry of Education

My school board says they already screening students, are they?

Some provinces and school boards may assure parents that they are screening children and point to a one-time “school readiness” assessment that is conducted when a child enters kindergarten. These assessments often do not meet the minimum criteria recommended by the OHRC. When communicating with your school board it is important to ask for details of the screening program. We have created this backgrounder and a letter template to help you know the questions to ask.

Shouldn’t we give the child time to ‘wait and see’ if they will catch up? Why is early intervention so important?

Most children who are struggling with early reading will continue to struggle unless they are provided with effective intervention. When students are not reading well in grade three or beyond, literacy challenges often impact success in all aspects of school and can erode self-esteem and confidence.  Students who are not reading well in grade three are at increased risk of dropping out of high school, and not participating in postsecondary education. They are also at increased risk for unemployment, poverty, issues with mental health and addiction, and involvement in the criminal justice system. Currently, across Canada, more than one-third of students are leaving high school without having attained the level of literacy the OECD considers necessary to fully participate in the modern economy. These outcomes can be prevented through early screening and intervention.  

Does screening disadvantage diverse students?

One common concern about screening is that it could lead to the over-identification of students from diverse backgrounds. This concern may stem from the misconception that screening identifies students with a disability or results in placement in special education.  This is not the case, rather, screening provides valuable information that the teacher can use to plan whole class and targeted small group instruction to meet the needs of all learners. 

The OHRC also sees screening as a way to reduce bias in assessment:   

““Evidence-based screening is the most effective way to identify struggling and at-risk readers. It is an objective and measurable way to improve student outcomes and reduce bias in assessment, including for students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Bias can affect teachers’ and other educational professionals’ perceptions of student ability and performance. Universal screening safeguards against these potential biases.” ”
— Ontario Human Rights Commission

Don’t teachers already know which children are struggling? 

Screening has the ability to predict which children will struggle with reading before the child falls behind.  This is done by evaluating specific skills such as phonemic awareness and rapid naming that are strongly associated with future reading difficulties.  Gaps in these underlying skills are often not apparent or obvious, even to the teachers who know the children well.  Many children appear to be progressing well in kindergarten only to “hit a wall” and fall behind their peers when reading tasks become more complex. This impacts not only the child’s reading ability but also often leads to difficulties in all aspects of school and can have negative impacts on behaviour and self-esteem. These negative outcomes can be prevented if the student’s underlying challenges are identified early and they are provided additional instruction in kindergarten and grade one.

Minimum Requirements For a Screening Program

The Ontario Human Rights Commission recommends that at a minimum school boards should screen all kindergarten to grade two students twice a year using evidence-based tools that evaluate the following:  

  • Kindergarten: letter knowledge and phonemic awareness

  • Beginning of Grade 1: phonemic awareness, decoding, word identification and text reading 

  • Middle of Grade 1: decoding, word identification and text reading, and should include speed as well as accuracy as an outcome

  • Grade 2: timed word reading and passage reading

How to determine if your school board has implemented evidence-based screening

We have prepared a template letter and screening backgrounder that you can use to help determine if your school board has implemented an effective early screening program.

Downloadable Resources

For more information on Screening and Assessments please visit our Diagnosis page.