Your Child's VALLSS Score Improved — Here's What to Watch For Next

First, the good news: your child's VALLSS score went up. If they moved from high risk to moderate risk, that's real, meaningful progress — and it happened because your child was getting great support.

Here's something worth knowing, though: when scores improve, the type of support your child receives at school often changes too. In many Virginia schools, a student who moves from high risk to moderate risk may shift from Tier 3 instruction with a reading specialist to Tier 2 support through a computer-based program like Lexia.

This isn't the school doing anything wrong — they're following the data and reallocating resources to the students with the greatest need. But as a parent, it's important to know it's happening so you can make informed decisions about what your child needs next.

How to stay in the loop.

After each VALLSS screening window, you'll receive a letter with your child's results. Take a close look at the language — it will describe the level of support your child is receiving and how it's being delivered. Tier 3 from a reading specialist and Tier 2 from a computer program are very different things, and the shift can happen without a separate conversation.

If you're not sure what your child is currently receiving, just ask their teacher. It's a completely reasonable question and one that teachers are happy to answer.

What to think about.

Moderate risk still means your child is building skills. The progress they made came from working directly with a specialist, and some kids need that direct instruction to continue longer than the system provides it. That doesn't mean the school isn't doing its job — it just means your child might benefit from continued one-on-one support.

A few options to consider: talk to the principal about continuing specialist support, or look into whether a 504 plan makes sense for your child. If the school isn't able to provide the level of intervention your child needs, that's exactly what we do at Read Write Cville. We use the same evidence-based methods your child was benefiting from — like Orton-Gillingham and Wilson — in focused, one-on-one sessions. Reach out for a free consultation and we'll talk about where your child is and what they need to keep that progress going.

The most important thing is to stay informed and stay involved. You know your child best.