Straight talk for parents
When to worry, when to wait.
The teacher used a phrase you couldn’t quite read. Here’s what it usually means, what your public school owes you for free, and what a real evaluation actually looks like.
What that phrase probably meant
Teachers don’t always say the direct thing. Here’s the plain-language translation of the phrases parents hear most, and what they actually call for.
“We’re keeping an eye on it.”
worryAlmost always means the child is already behind and the teacher is uncomfortable saying it in a hallway. If they weren’t worried, they wouldn’t bring it up.
You do: ask, in writing, for the concrete data behind the concern. What screener was used? What was the score? Where is my child compared to grade-level? Ask kindly. Ask specifically.
“Some kids just take longer.”
worrySometimes true; often a delay tactic. Reading research is clear that early intervention matters and waiting rarely closes a gap without a plan. If a teacher says this at kindergarten and again in first grade, the child has already lost a year of the best window.
You do: request the school’s tiered intervention plan (usually called MTSS or RTI) in writing, with a data point every 6 to 8 weeks. If they don’t have one, that’s your answer.
“Possibly dyslexia.” Or “dyslexic tendencies.”
worryTeachers cannot legally diagnose dyslexia, only a licensed psychologist or evaluator can, but a teacher who uses that phrase is telling you they are seeing the classic signs. Treat it as a clinical hunch worth acting on.
You do: request a full and individual evaluation in writing, under IDEA Child Find. The
Diagnostic Gap Kit prints that letter for you.
“They just need to read more at home.”
worryFor a struggling reader, this is almost never enough on its own. What they usually need is explicit, systematic instruction in the sound-letter code, delivered at their exact skill level, for a while. Volume of reading matters, but pointed at the wrong tier it just cements frustration.
You do: yes, read at home, together, at a level your child can decode. And in parallel: get the eval. Both, not either.
“They’re bright, just not a strong reader.”
worryDyslexia is defined precisely as an unexpected difficulty with reading in a bright kid. When you hear this sentence, you are hearing the profile in polite terms.
You do: the phrase to say back is “I’d like to have that unexpected difficulty formally evaluated.”
“They’re a little young.”
waitFor a 4-to-5-year-old who is not yet reading, this may be accurate. Reading emerges on a range. Not-reading at four is not a red flag on its own.
You do: keep reading aloud daily. Play with sounds (rhymes, first-sound games). Notice the child’s letter-sound curiosity. Revisit the concern in kindergarten if progress has stalled.
“They know the words when we do them together, they just can’t do it alone.”
worryOften a sign a child is memorizing whole words or guessing from context, rather than decoding. This is fragile and typically collapses in third grade when the words get long.
You do: a research-informed screener will pick this up. Free at the link below.
What you’re entitled to (in the U.S., for free)
This is federal law, not a favor. It has applied since 1975. Every U.S. public school district owes families the following:
Child Find
Districts must actively identify, locate, and evaluate any child suspected of a disability, from birth through age 21. You do not need a diagnosis to trigger this; you only need to ask, in writing.
Full evaluation
A comprehensive, no-cost evaluation across every area of suspected disability, performed by qualified professionals. Federal timeline is 60 school days from your signed consent; many states are faster. If they say no, they must give you a Prior Written Notice explaining why and your appeal rights.
IEP or 504 plan
If eligible, your child gets a legally binding Individualized Education Program (IEP) with specialized instruction, or a 504 plan with classroom accommodations. Both are free.
Independent evaluation
If you disagree with the district evaluation, you can request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at the district’s expense. The bar for this is lower than most parents realize.
Reasonable communication
You are entitled to responses in writing, timelines that are documented, and access to every record the district keeps about your child. If a meeting is uncomfortable, you may bring an advocate or record it (state rules vary).
What a real evaluation actually looks like
Cognitive test
Usually a full IQ measure (WISC or similar). This is where “bright kid” becomes a number the team can point to.
Academic test
Standardized reading, writing, and math measures (WJ-IV, WIAT, or state equivalent), broken into decoding, fluency, comprehension, spelling.
Phonological processing
Specific tests of phonemic awareness, rapid naming, and phonological memory (CTOPP-2 is the common one). Weakness here is the fingerprint of dyslexia.
Observation and history
Classroom observation, parent and teacher interviews, and a review of past work and interventions. This is why the note you sent home matters.
Report and meeting
A written report and an eligibility meeting where the team decides whether your child qualifies for special education under an IDEA category (Specific Learning Disability is the usual category for dyslexia). If eligible, the IEP meeting follows within 30 days.
When reading practice alone is not enough
Two issues need two interventions
Some kids will keep struggling in A New Page or any other excellent method because something else is also going on. If a child has both ADHD and dyslexia, BOTH need their own intervention; treating one and waiting on the other stalls the reading. Say so at the evaluation meeting.
Language comes first
An underlying spoken-language issue (understanding sentences, finding words, following directions) slows down learning to read no matter how good the phonics is. If you suspect one, ask for a speech-language evaluation as part of the same referral, it is covered by the same free process.
English language learners
Kids learning English need language support alongside reading instruction, not instead of it. Struggling in a second language is not dyslexia by itself, and dyslexia does not wait for English to finish developing. A proper evaluation looks at both.
Ready to send the letter?
The Diagnostic Gap Kit builds your Child Find request letter, prints the reading screener summary, and unlocks free at-home practice for the 60 days the evaluation will take.
Open the Diagnostic Gap Kit →
A New Page is not a diagnostic tool and cannot replace an evaluation. This page is written for parents by the team behind A New Page, in consultation with reading specialists. Not legal advice. If your child’s situation is urgent, contact your district’s special-education office in writing, today.