The following may be associated with dyslexia if they are unexpected for the individual’s age, educational level, or cognitive abilities.

Kindergarten and First Grade

• Difficulty breaking words into smaller parts, syllables (i.e. “baseball” can be broken apart into “base” and “ball”

• Difficulty identifying and manipulating sounds in syllables (i.e. “cat” sounded out as /c/ /a/ /t)

• Difficulty remembering the names of letters and their sounds

• Difficulty decoding singe words

• Difficulty spelling words the way the sound (phonetically)

Second Grade and Third Grade

Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following:

• Difficulty recognizing common sight words

• Difficulty decoding single words

• Difficulty remembering the correct sounds for letters and letter patterns in reading

• Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words in sentences using knowledge of phonics

• Difficulty reading fluently (i.e. slow, inaccurate, and/or without expression)

• Difficulty connecting speech sounds with appropriate letter or letter combinations

• Difficulty with written expression

Fourth Grade through Sixth Grade

Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following:

• Difficulty reading aloud

• Avoidance of reading (i.e. particularly for pleasure)

• Difficulty reading fluently (i.e. reading is slow, inaccurate and/or without expression)

• Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words in sentences using knowledge of phonics

• Acquisition of less vocabulary due to reduced independent reading

• Use of less complicated words in writing that are easier to spell

• Reliance on listening rather than reading for comprehension

Junior High and High School

Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following:

• Difficulty with the volume of reading and written work

• Frustration with the amount of time required and energy expended for reading

• Difficulty reading fluently (i.e. reading is slow, inaccurate and/or without expression)

• Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words in sentences using knowledge of phonics

• Difficulty with written assignments

• Tendency to avoid reading (particularly for pleasure)

• Difficulty learning a foreign language

To meet federal and state requirements, Lockhart ISD provides timely evaluation and identification of students with dyslexia. Professionals conducting assessment (e.g school psychologist (SP) or educational diagnosticians) for the identification of dyslexia look beyond scores on standardized assessments alone and examine the student’s classroom reading performance, educational history, and early language experiences as part of a comprehensive evaluation.

Anytime the school suspects a student has dyslexia or dysgraphia and needs services, the district must ask for parent consent to conduct a Full Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) through special education. Evaluations through the special education process makes sure that students who are eligible for special education services are identified and provided the support they need. Students are NOT evaluated without parent/legal guardian consent.

The evaluation and identification process for dyslexia aligns with the process for determining a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) under the IDEA.

Students must be assessed for dyslexia and related disorders “at appropriate times” (TEC §38.003(a)). The appropriate time depends upon multiple factors including the student’s reading performance, reading difficulties, poor response to supplemental, scientifically based reading instruction, teacher input, and input from parents/guardians. 

Questions to Determine the Identification of Dyslexia

Does the data show the following characteristics of dyslexia?

• Difficulty with accurate and/or fluent word reading

• Poor spelling skills

• Poor decoding skills

Do these difficulties (typically) result from a deficit in the phonological component of language?

Are these difficulties unexpected for the student’s age in comparison to the student’s other cognitive abilities and while appropriate classroom instruction was being provided?

A formal evaluation for dyslexia or related disorders includes both formal and informal data. All data will be used to determine whether the student demonstrates a pattern of evidence of dyslexia.  When a formal evaluation is recommended, the district will follow the evaluation process as outlined in the IDEA. 

Factors Considered When Determining the Need for Dyslexia Services

• The student has received conventional (appropriate) reading instruction;

• The student has experienced an unexpected lack of appropriate progress in the areas of reading and written spelling;

• The student exhibits characteristics associated with dyslexia (see the primary characteristics and review the student’s underlying cognitive processes associated with dyslexia as explained in (The Dyslexia Handbook, 2021 Update); AND

• The student’s lack of progress was not due to sociocultural factors such as language differences, irregular attendance, or lack of experiential background.