2025-26 K-2 Reading Difficulties Risk Screener

A Reading Difficulties Risk Screener is a suite of assessments that will:

• Identify students who may be at risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
• Bolster a school’s comprehensive instructional strategy.
• Provide information for parents and educators to discuss student needs in an informed way.
• Inform supports and services for students with reading difficulties.

More information found in these translated Amira Reading Difficulties Screener Information for Families documents.

Students will be assessed in the foundational skills of reading such as letter & sound knowledge, in addition to an assessment in rapid naming of objects or letters, oral reading fluency, and vocabulary depending on their grade level.

Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, Grades 1 & 2 students will be assessed during the Fall (October 1-24) and Kindergarten students will be assessed during the Winter (January 26-February 20).

Parents will be notified via School Messenger 30-15 days prior to each district-wide screening window. Parents can opt their child out of the Reading Screener using instructions included in the notification letter and the Reading Screening Notification Letter.

The results from the Reading Screener will be shared with families within 45 days of each annual district-wide assessment window.

If a pupil is identified as needing more support after being screened using an approved screening instrument, teachers may provide the pupil with supports and services, appropriate to the specific challenges identified by the screening instrument and other pertinent information about the pupil, which may include the following:

1. Evidence-based literacy instruction focused on the pupil's specific needs.
2. Progress monitoring.
3. Early intervention in the regular general education program.
4. One-on-one or small group tutoring.
5. Further evaluation or diagnostic assessment.

EC 53008(l)  

• English Language Art/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
• English Learner Roadmap
• CA Literacy Roadmap
• CA Dyslexia Guidelines
• SFUSD Language & Literacy MTSS Structures

•  Free tutoring fpr gr 1-4 students grounded in the Science of Reading from the San Francisco Public Library.
• CoxCampus (free) resources online to learn more about supporting a child's developing literacy skills.
• Family resources from the Department of Early Childhood Education
• Free translated digital texts available from the International Children's Library
• Free digital texts by topic to build background knowledge from the Global Free Library

The Amira Reading Difficulties Screener is a trusted, research-based tool approved for use in California. By listening to your child read, the screener captures their key early reading skills—like how smoothly your child reads, how well they know their letter names and sounds, if they recognize common words, and whether they can understand vocabulary. The purpose is to spot early signs of reading challenges so that teachers can step in quickly with the right kind of help, giving your child the best chance to become strong, confident readers.

The Gr 1&2 Amira Reading Screener Student report will show your child’s performance overall and for specific reading areas (such as decoding, which is matching letters to sounds and high frequency words, which is reading commonly used words with automaticity) using these for levels: Above, On Track, Developing, Catch Up. See the table below for a description of each level. The results help teachers plan next steps for instruction and support. Learn how to access ParentVue for district generated student reports here. If you still need a ParentVue account learn how to do so here.

Families can also reference this overview from the vendor: Understanding Amira Scores and Reports which explains the At-Risk, Percentile, and Amira Reading Measure (ARM) scores in family-friendly language, including how they indicate reading fluency and comprehension growth. For families whose children have been identified for being at-risk for reading difficulties, the vendor has also provided information about understanding these results here. 

Amira is a research-based tool used nationwide. Amira’s AI is validated through independent research and meets ESSA Level II evidence standards. Families can review Amira’s technical validation brief here and here. Teachers always review scores to make sure they make sense for each child.

If your child needs extra help, they may receive small-group instruction, lessons from the Into Reading curriculum focused on specific areas of need, and/or Amira online tutoring. Teachers will monitor progress closely for children who are identified as needing extra support. To learn more about SFUSD’s MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) model, see this Language and Literacy MTSS Structures document.

Yes. Students can access Amira by logging into their Clever account on a Chromebook or computer. View detailed instructions on how to get your child set-up to use Amira at home in this presentation deck. Learn how to view your child’s district login credentials here. Families can also view an Amira overview and “how-to” demos here: https://www.youtube.com/@amira-learning. These videos can be translated automatically using YouTube’s built-in subtitle translation feature. Read translated information about using Amira Tutoring at home here.

Teachers consider these factors when reviewing results and use other information to understand your child’s reading. The vendor has published an FAQ summarizing how Amira supports multilingual learners and students with speech or reading differences here in addition to sharing more information about how Amira supports multilingual learners here. Visit this page to learn more about how Amira addresses children’s unique speech and language patterns.

Amira fully complies with FERPA and COPPA laws. Amira Learning continues to work closely with researchers to ensure its approach is evidence-based and aligned with best practices in early literacy. Families can also choose whether recordings are retained or disabled at the district level. Additionally, Amira is built with student safety and privacy at its core. The AI behind Amira only draws from a carefully designed and pre-approved set of responses. It cannot browse the internet, generate open-ended content, or go off-script in any way. Everything your child hears—from questions to feedback—has been reviewed and approved by educators and literacy experts.

Students are screened several times a year. You will receive updated reports and can ask the teacher anytime about progress.

Start with your child’s teacher. You can also contact your school’s family liaison or school leader for support in your language.