SB 114 / Reading Difficulties Risk Screener
Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, California Senate Bill 114 requires school districts to screen all students in Kindergarten through Grade 2 for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
Hermosa Beach City School District is committed to identifying student needs early and providing timely support. The purpose of the Reading Difficulties Risk Screener is prevention. It helps teachers recognize when a student may need additional practice or monitoring, so support can begin before reading difficulties develop.
Why Early Screening Matters
Research shows early reading intervention is significantly more effective than waiting until later grades. Students who struggle with reading in third grade often continue to struggle without early support. The goal of screening is to identify potential needs early so instruction and practice can be adjusted while students are still developing foundational reading skills. To learn more, please review the Risk of Reading Difficulties Screener - Family Information Meeting Presentation Slides.
What is the Reading Difficulties Risk Screener?
The Reading Difficulties Risk Screener (RDRS) is a brief one-on-one assessment administered by a trained school staff member. It provides information about how a student is developing early reading skills and helps guide classroom instruction. The screener takes approximately six minutes per student, requires no preparation or studying, and is administered during the regular school day.
HBCSD uses the Board-approved mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition, a California Department of Education-approved assessment tool. All Kindergarten through Grade 2 teachers received training prior to implementation.
The screening is not a diagnosis, special education evaluation, or high-stakes assessment. It functions similarly to a vision or hearing screening by helping determine whether closer monitoring or support may be helpful.
What Skills are Measured by mCLASS DIBELS?
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition measures foundational early literacy skills that are strong predictors of reading success. These include phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, decoding, oral language, reading fluency, vocabulary, and language comprehension.
Together, these skills help teachers understand how students connect sounds, letters, and meaning as they develop as readers.
Who is Screened?
HBCSD screens all Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade students annually. For the 2025-2026 school year, the screening window is scheduled from February through March 2026. Families will receive individual student reports within 45 days of assessment.
What Happens After Screening?
If a student’s results indicate risk for reading difficulties:
- The student will receive additional support within the general education setting.
- Support may include small group instruction, targeted guided practice, and ongoing progress monitoring.
- Teachers will continue to communicate with families regarding student growth and next steps.
Being identified as “at risk” does not mean that a student has dyslexia or a disability. The screener simply signals that additional instruction support may be beneficial. If concerns persist after targeted intervention, the school team may discuss further steps with the family.
HBCSD’s Literacy Instruction
HBCSD provides daily structured literacy instruction in all elementary classrooms. Our core literacy curriculum includes: Fundations, Wit & Wisdom, and Geodes. Instruction is aligned to research-based practices that support foundational reading skills, language comprehension, and vocabulary development. Early identification, combined with strong classroom instruction, allows us to provide timely support so all students can thrive as readers. To learn more about our literacy curriculum, visit our Language Arts page.
Supporting Reading at Home
Families play an important role in literacy development. Reading regularly together, practicing Fundations home activities, and encouraging conversation and vocabulary growth all support reading progress.
Parent Notification and Opt-Out
Families will receive an individual score report explaining results and will be contacted if additional monitoring is recommended. Teachers will continue to communicate progress and strategies to support learning at home.
Parents/guardians may opt out of the screening by submitting a written request to the school principal.
Questions
If you have questions about the Reading Difficulties Risk Screener or your child’s reading development, please contact your classroom teacher.
Additional Resources