Dyslexia Screening vs. Dyslexia Evaluation: What’s the Difference?

Many parents are told their child has been “screened” at school and assume that dyslexia has been ruled out.

It has not.

Screening and evaluation serve very different purposes. Understanding that distinction is critical for families making decisions about next steps.

What Is a Dyslexia Screening?

A screening is:

• Brief

• Administered to many students

• Designed to identify risk

• Not diagnostic

In Oregon, schools conduct universal screening as part of early literacy requirements and MTSS systems. These screenings typically measure early indicators such as phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, or oral reading fluency.

Screenings answer:

“Is there potential risk?”

They do not answer:

“Does this child have dyslexia?”

According to the National Center on Improving Literacy, screening tools are designed to identify students who may need further assessment — not to diagnose a specific learning disorder.

Screening is the first filter. It is not a final conclusion.

What Is a Dyslexia Evaluation?

A comprehensive dyslexia evaluation is fundamentally different.

It:

• Is individually administered

• Includes multiple standardized, norm-referenced measures

• Assesses phonological processing, decoding, fluency, spelling, and comprehension

• Examines written expression

• Results in a detailed written report

• Provides diagnostic conclusions

Comprehensive evaluations are guided by decades of reading research demonstrating that dyslexia is characterized by weaknesses in phonological processing and word-level decoding (Shaywitz, 2020; National Reading Panel, 2000).

Evaluations answer:

• Why is reading difficult?

• Which underlying skills are weak?

• What type of intervention is required?

• Does this meet criteria for dyslexia or Specific Learning Disorder under IDEA or DSM-5-TR?

The purpose of an evaluation is not just to assign a label. It is to create an instructional roadmap.

Why Screening Alone Is Not Enough

Screenings are efficient. But they are limited.

They can miss:

• Twice-exceptional students whose cognitive strengths mask reading weaknesses

• Students who compensate through memorization or guessing

• Older students whose early decoding gaps were never directly addressed

• Students who score “just above” risk cutoffs but continue to struggle

Research consistently shows that students can compensate for years before breakdown occurs in upper elementary or middle school when text demands increase (Shaywitz, 2020; Catts et al., 2012).

An evaluation provides a full picture of the learner — not just a snapshot score.

When Should Families Consider Independent Testing?

Families often pursue independent evaluation when:

• Progress remains slow despite intervention

• IEP eligibility was denied but concerns persist

• Reading concerns extend beyond early grades

• They want clarity before advocating at school

• Screening results conflict with daily experience

Independent academic evaluations provide a deeper lens. They focus on understanding the child’s instructional profile, not just eligibility thresholds.

At Willamette Valley Dyslexia Center, comprehensive evaluations are grounded in structured literacy principles and align with standards from the International Dyslexia Association.

Next Steps

If your child has been screened but reading concerns remain, a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation may provide clarity.

Screening identifies risk.Evaluation identifies cause.Instruction changes outcomes.

Learn more about dyslexia testing in Oregon here:

Acacemic Testing & Evaluations

Selected References

• Catts, H., et al. (2012). The late-emerging poor reader

• National Reading Panel (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel

• National Center on Improving Literacy (2020). Screening and assessment guidance

• Shaywitz, S. (2020). Overcoming Dyslexia