WESTPORT – To help the school system better understand each student’s needs, parents of elementary school students are invited to complete a Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire that asks about reading experiences of the student’s biological parents. 

This questionnaire does not diagnose dyslexia or any reading issue on its own. Instead, it gives the school system helpful background information that, along with results from a state-approved, literacy screening assessment, can guide how the school supports a student’s reading development.

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 that 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; however, knowing more about a student’s background helps the school system provide the right support.

Parents can complete the Voluntary Family Reading History Questionnaire by clicking this link.  The completed questionnaire will be kept confidential and become part of the student’s school record. Family privacy is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Those with questions about the questionnaire can contact their child’s principal. For questions about a student’s reading progress, contact their classroom teacher.