January 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians in Grades K-3: 

Learning to read is one of the most important steps in a student’s education. It opens the door to all other learning — helping students to grow their knowledge, think critically, and fully engage in school and life. 

Dyslexia is a reading challenge that makes it hard to read words accurately and fluently. One of the strongest predictors of a student’s risk of a reading disability is a family history of reading struggles. If a student’s biological parent(s) had difficulty learning to read, the student may also face similar challenges. The good news is with early support and proven teaching strategies, many barriers to learning to read can be reduced—or even prevented. Not every student with a family history of reading difficulties will struggle, but knowing more about a student’s background assists us in providing the right support at the right time. 

To help us better understand your student’s needs, we invite you to complete the Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire that asks about the reading experiences of your student’s biological parent(s). This questionnaire does not diagnose dyslexia or any reading issue on its own. Instead, it gives us helpful background information that, along with results from a state-approved literacy universal screening assessment, can guide how we support your student’s reading development. 

Please complete the Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire on or before Friday, April 10th. The completed questionnaire will be kept confidential and become part of your student’s school record. Your family’s privacy is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). If you have any questions about the Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire, please contact your child's elementary school administration.

For questions about your student’s reading progress, please reach out to their classroom teacher. Together, we can ensure every student has the support they need to become a confident, successful reader.