California is taking its first critical steps to address early reading difficulties by implementing universal reading screeners. In the 2025-26 school year, all public schools in the state will be required to annually screen students in K-2 to identify those at risk.
The initiative, which will impact approximately 1.2 million children, aligns with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), a framework designed to provide tiered instruction and intervention based on student needs. These tiers include:
Universal reading screeners could play a crucial role in detecting students who would benefit from early, intensive reading intervention, but they also have important limitations to keep in mind.
Screen all students. Within the MTSS framework, one of the biggest benefits of universal screeners is simply that they’re required annually for all students within the grade range. Having all students participate regardless of academic standing or teacher perceptions ensures that students don’t slip through the cracks.
Early identification, early intervention. It can be tricky to identify reading difficulties in young children, even for experienced teachers. However, research shows early intervention is more effective than a “wait and see” approach, making reading screeners an efficient way to catch issues early, before challenges become entrenched.
Provide data to drive decision-making. Reading screeners only produce effective results if the gathered data informs future instruction. Within MTSS, data on individual students can be used to determine the intervention tier required to meet that student’s needs. If large numbers of students are flagged in the screener, it may be time to evaluate Tier 1 (core) instruction or even the quality of the curriculum and instructional materials being used.
Progress monitoring. There is strong evidence that reading difficulties present at an early age continue even into adolescence. Administering screeners annually over several years allows educators to evaluate the effectiveness of tiered interventions with individual students and strategies for entire classrooms.
Provide a diagnosis. California education leaders have made it clear that universal reading screeners are not a diagnostic tool for dyslexia or other learning disabilities. They are also not to be used to determine eligibility for special education services. Students who are flagged in the screeners will require further evaluation if a learning disability is suspected.
Identify the “why” and “how” of reading difficulties. Reading screeners are snapshots of overall student performance. While they’re excellent tools for flagging students who are at risk, they don’t reveal the nature or cause of the difficulties. Identifying foundational literacy skill gaps is beyond their scope, but essential for targeted intervention, especially at the Tier 3 level in the MTSS framework.
Replace teachers. The trust between a student and their teacher, as well as the teacher’s professional observations, can’t be replaced by reading screeners. Instead, the results of the screener and the expertise of the teacher should both be considered when making intervention decisions. External factors can affect reading development, and teachers can provide essential insights that screeners can’t assess.
Guarantee results. When surveying California educators on their schools’ readiness for the new reading screeners, most felt that, while screeners would identify more students with challenges, they would only be as effective as the support systems available at the school. High-quality intervention, structured literacy practices, and an aligned curriculum are all necessary to see transformative results.
Universal screeners are an important part of an MTSS framework, but early detection is just a first step. As California’s literacy landscape continues to evolve, recognizing the capabilities and limitations of screeners is crucial to the initiative's success.