Assessments
Understanding the Assessments We Offer
Every student is different. The right assessment begins with understanding what you want to know about your child's learning.
We offer several assessments designed to provide different levels of insight—from identifying characteristics associated with dyslexia to developing a broader picture of academic achievement. The three most common are:
Dyslexia Screening
A first look at foundational reading skills.
Our dyslexia screener looks at the foundational skills closely connected to reading development, including phonemic awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding, reading fluency, rapid naming, and encoding (spelling).
This screening can help identify characteristics associated with dyslexia and determine whether a more comprehensive evaluation may be appropriate.
Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment
A deeper look at a student's reading profile.
When a closer look is needed, our comprehensive dyslexia assessment provides a deeper understanding of a student's reading profile.
The Test of Dyslexia is made up of more subtests than the screening and examines the underlying skills that contribute to reading, spelling, and written language, helping us identify patterns of strengths and weaknesses associated with dyslexia.
The results provide valuable information about how a student learns, where difficulties are occurring, and what type of instruction and support may be most effective.
Comprehensive Educational Assessment
A broader picture of academic achievement.
Sometimes reading difficulties don't tell the whole story.
Our comprehensive educational assessment looks at a student's academic achievement across multiple areas, including literacy and mathematics. Because of its covers a wide academic scope, the assessment is made of many subtests and will require about two hours to administer. This can be broken into multiple sessions.
The results of this assessment provides a wider and deeper picture, about what the student knows, where they may be experiencing difficulty, and what support may help them reach their full learning potential.
Our examination tools enable us to assess students as young as 5 or 6 years of age and well into adulthood.
Not Sure Which Assessment Is Right for Your Child? You don't have to figure that out on your own. We can help you determine which assessment will provide the information you need to better understand your child's learning.
What Happens During Testing
Our assessments look at several foundational skills that support reading and spelling. Depending on the age of the child and their learning needs, the assessment may include 9 to 23 short activities (called subtests). These activities may involve tasks such as listening to sounds in words, reading words or sentences, spelling, or working with language patterns.
Younger students (Kindergarten–1st grade) typically complete fewer activities, while older students may complete more subtests to provide a fuller picture of their reading profile. Testing is conducted in a supportive, child-friendly environment, and breaks are provided whenever needed.
Our facility has qualified staff trained to administer and interpret the TOD assessment and to provide evidence-based recommendations for instruction and intervention. Our team has specialized training and professional experience in educational statistics, measurement, assessment, and data interpretation, along with extensive expertise in literacy development and reading disabilities. This ensures that assessment results are carefully analyzed to develop a clear literacy profile and thoughtful recommendations for next steps.
While our assessment provides detailed information about reading skills and the probability of dyslexia, a formal clinical diagnosis is typically made by licensed professionals such as psychologists, neuropsychologists, or other qualified diagnosticians. If desired, our assessment results may be shared with these professionals as part of a comprehensive evaluation.
Early Dyslexia Assessment (5-6)
This assessment is designed for Kindergarten and early First Grade students. Testing time: Approximately 45–60 minutes (with breaks as needed).
What families can expect:
- Teachers complete a rating questionnaire
- The child completes a brief student self-rating
- The child participates in several short literacy activities
- Families receive a detailed written report
- A phone conference with parents or caregivers to review results
The results provide insight into the child’s early literacy and language skills and indicate the probability of dyslexia. This information can help guide instruction and early intervention.
Comprehensive Dyslexia Assessment (Ages 6-Adult)
This assessment is appropriate for First Grade through adulthood. Testing time: Approximately 2–2.5 hours (with breaks as needed).
What families can expect:
- Parents or caregivers complete a rating questionnaire
- Teachers complete a rating questionnaire
- The individual completes a self-rating form
- The individual completes several literacy tasks and activities
- Families receive a comprehensive written report
- A phone conference to review results and recommendations
The comprehensive assessment provides in-depth information about foundational literacy skills, including reading, spelling, and language processing. The results help identify dyslexia and provide guidance for instruction, intervention, and next steps.
