• Grade PreK - VALLSS is required  in fall and spring for all PreK students (3-year old and older) unless the student has an individualized education program (IEP) that exempts the test. Winter testing is recommended for students whose fall score showed need in certain literacy skills. 
• Grades K-2 - VALLSS is required for all students in fall, winter, and spring
• Grade 3 - VALLSS is required in fall for students new to Virginia public schools and students scoring below the 15th percentile on their iReady Reading test. Students whose fall VALLSS showed a need for support will take the VALLSS again in winter and spring. 

VALLSS is a one-on-one assessment completed with the teacher. The test includes multiple skills, which may be assessed over several days. In some cases, a student's performance in a skill may determine what further skills will be tested. 

What does VALLSS: Grades K-3 measure?

*Not all subtests are required at each grade level or at each assessment period.

Alphabet Knowledge

Children’s understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Names, in which children identify the names of printed letters, and Letter Sounds, in which children identify the sounds of printed letters.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness is measured through a series of subtests: Syllable Segmenting, in which children divide words into syllables; Beginning Sounds Matching, in which children pair two words beginning with the same sound; Beginning Sounds Expressive, in which children provide the beginning sound of a word; and Phoneme Blending, in which children blend series of individual sounds into whole words.

Language: Passage Comprehension

Passage comprehension is assessed by three subtests relating to the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a child is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the child’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Passage Retell may reveal a child’s ability to use extended amounts of language to recall details and to organize information. Second, for Expressive Comprehension Questions, children give an oral response to questions about the passage. Third, for Receptive Comprehension Questions, children are presented with four pictures depicting scenes from the passage. They point to the picture that corresponds with a given statement about the passage.

Name Writing

For Name Writing, children write their name on a blank sheet of paper. This writing sample is then scored according to a rubric.

Print Concepts

For Print Concepts, children show the examiner how to turn pages and how a reader should follow words across a page, in addition to other ways that individuals would interact with print.

Code-based Subtests 

Alphabet Knowledge:  Students’ understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Names, in which children identify the names of printed letters, and Letter Sounds, in which students identify the sounds of printed letters. Both upper- and lowercase letters appear in the alphabet knowledge subtests.

Phonological Awareness:  Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through a series of subtests: Beginning Sounds Expressive, in which children provide the beginning sound of a word; Phoneme Blending, in which children blend series of individual sounds into whole words; and Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds). 

Decoding:  Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns. 

Encoding:  Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.

Language Subtests 

Passage Comprehension:  Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, an optional subtest, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage. 

Nonsense Sentences:  For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity. 

Vocabulary:  Vocabulary is assessed through two subtests. For Relational Vocabulary, a student views a grid of four pictures and is asked to point to the picture that matches the verbal label, which includes a relational word. Relational words are terms that can only be understood in reference to another concept or object such as alongside, throughout, equal, and different. During the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, students are asked to accurately name as many images of objects as quickly as possible in one minute.

Processing Subtest 

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN):  For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 within one minute. 

Code-based Subtests 

Alphabet Knowledge:  Students’ understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Sounds, in which students identify the sounds of printed letters. Both upper- and lowercase letters appear in the subtest.

Phonological Awareness:  Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds). 

Decoding:  Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns. 

Encoding:  Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.

Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.

Language Subtests 

Passage Comprehension:  Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage. 

Nonsense Sentences:  For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity. 

Vocabulary:  Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.

Processing Subtest 

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN):  For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute. 

Code-based Subtests 

Phonological Awareness:  Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds). 

Decoding:  Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns. 

Encoding:  Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.

Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.

Language Subtests 

Passage Comprehension:  Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage. 

Nonsense Sentences:  For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity. 

Vocabulary:  Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.

Processing Subtest 

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN):  For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute. 

Code-based Subtests 

Phonological Awareness:  Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds). 

Decoding:  Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns. 

Encoding:  Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.

Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.

Language Subtests 

Passage Comprehension:  Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage. 

Nonsense Sentences:  For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity. 

Vocabulary:  Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.

Processing Subtest 

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN):  For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute. 

The FCPS VALLSS score report provides performance information from the most recent testing window. Reports are generated in fall, winter, and spring. Families will only receive a report for a window when the student took VALLSS.

Grades K-3

When a student is assessed with VALLSS in a testing window, families receive a score report and cover letter within 1 month of the close of the window. 

• For families WITH a ParentVUE account, the report and cover letter is posted to the SIS ParentVUE Documents section for familes with ParentVUE access
• For families WITHOUT a ParentVUE account, the score report is distributed to the family from the school 

Grade PreK

VALLSS assessment data for PreK students is communicated to families along with other Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) assessment results. Teachers distribute a VKRP report to families that includes VALLSS along with Early Mathematics Assessment System (EMAS) and Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) outcomes. View the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) Test Information webpage for to learn more about PreK score reports. 

Family Letter for VALLSS: Grades K-3 – Fall 2024– English           

Dear Family, 

Kindergarten through Grade 3 students in Virginia take an early reading screener: Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS). In this letter we will tell you what we learned about your child's reading skills and how we will use that important information to guide instruction.

What is “language and literacy” and how is it related to reading development?

Language development is the ability to understand and use spoken language. Literacy means that someone can read and write. The goal of reading is to be able to understand (comprehend) what you read. To read, people need to be able to:

1. decode – blend sounds together to read words 
2. encode – spell words
3. understand and use language 

As skills improve in these three areas, people develop fluency (reading words quickly and correctly) and reading comprehension (understanding what is read).

What is a reading screener?

A reading screener is a kind of test that tells us how likely it is for a child to need extra help to make needed progress in reading skills. It is important to screen for risk for developing language and reading difficulties when children are young, so that instruction can be tailored to a child’s needs.  If a child is at high risk for developing language and reading difficulties, that means that they need extra instruction (intervention) to help them make more progress in their reading development. 

What is VALLSS?

VALLSS is the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE)-sponsored reading screener that is designed to show a child’s level of risk for developing reading difficulties and provide teachers with information to plan instruction. VALLSS includes subtests that measure decoding, encoding, and language, all of which are necessary to develop reading comprehension. 

How do I read my child’s VALLSS Student Summary Report?

Band of Risk for Developing Reading Difficulties

Your child’s Band of Risk is noted at the top of the Student Summary report. The three possible Bands of Risk are high risk, moderate risk, and low risk. These bands are calculated based on student scores across the code-based subtests under Alphabet Knowledge (for Kindergarten and Grade 1), Phonological Awareness, and Encoding/Decoding. Information about these skills is found on the VALLSS Subtest chart on a subsequent page.                                                                       

If your child’s Band of Risk is high, this indicates that your child is at high risk for developing reading difficulty. Students at high risk are required by Virginia’s Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI) to receive 2.5 hours of additional reading instruction per week, above and beyond regular classroom instruction. 

Divisions and schools determine how intervention is provided. The 2.5 hours per week may include time with a person or a program, or a combination of the two. This intervention may take place within your child’s classroom or in an alternate location in the school. You may ask your child’s teacher for clarification.

If your child’s Band of Risk is moderate or low, your child is not identified to receive intervention funded through Virginia’s Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI). However, your child’s individual subtest scores may still indicate that your child needs extra instruction in some reading skills. 

Instructional Indicators

For each subtest, your child will receive a raw score. These scores help us target skills that need extra instruction. If your child has an Instructional Indicator (an asterisk *) next to a subtest score, your child may need extra instruction in that skill. 

If your child falls in the High band of risk they qualify for a reading plan per EIRI guidelines. Your child will receive intervention in the areas of need indicated on the attached VALLSS report.

Student reading plans detail the targeted reading intervention services your child will receive. Reading plans will be developed in partnership with families, educators and specialists and will be finalized during parent/teacher conferences for students in grades 1-3 with your participation. You are encouraged to participate in the development of your child's reading plan at that conference time. Your child’s reading plan will be viewable in ParentVUE after parent teacher conferences. Kindergarten plans will be viewable in ParentVUE by November 22 and you may provide feedback and/or request a conference with your child’s teacher if you have any questions about the reading plan. 

What does VALLSS: Grades K-3 measure?

(see "Test Facts: VALLSS Tested Content" section on this webpage)

*Not all subtests are required at each grade level or at each assessment period.