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.

VALLSS is developed through the Virginia Literacy Partnerships, led by the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development. More information for families is available from the Virginia Literacy Partnerships. 

A reading screener is a kind of test that tells us how likely it is for a student 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 students are young, so that instruction can be tailored to a student's needs. If a student 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. 

Additional information is available about academic screening in Fairfax County Public Schools. 

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).

• Grade PreK - VALLSS is required for all PreK students (3-year old and older) in fall, winter, and spring unless the student has an individualized education program (IEP) that exempts the test. For students who tested in fall, the winter test only rechecks students' continued learning of letter names. 
• 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. 

Across the school year, PreK students receive a score report with results for any VALLSS and EMAS tests they took each window. (This report also includes CBRS results that are part of the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program.)

FALL WINDOW

Grade K-3 families receive score report cover letter along with a VALLSS report for fall results. Families only receive a report if the student took VALLSS.

WINTER AND SPRING WINDOWS

Grade K-e students receive a VALLSS family score report that explains and displays VALLSS reading results for all windows for which the student has results (fall-winter or fall-winter-spring).

Grades K-3

When a student is assessed with VALLSS in a testing window, families receive a custom report within 1 month of the close of the state window. This report is accompanied by a separate cover letter in fall and incorporates the cover letter for winter and spring.

• For families with SIS ParentVUE accounts: The letter/report are posted to the ParentVUE "Documents" section.
• For families without a ParentVUE account: The letter/report are are distributed to the family from the school 

Grade PreK

Teachers provide score reports directly to families of testing students. A copy of the report is also posted in SIS ParentVUE for families with ParentVUE accounts. In fall and spring, PreK VALLSS reports include results from other Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) assessments: Early Mathematics Assessment System (EMAS) and Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). View the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) Test Information webpage for to learn more about PreK score reports. 

VALLSS STUDENT SUMMARY REPORT                                                                                                     Created at __________________

To the Parents/Guardians of  ________________________SID: _____________GRD: ____

Your student recently took the Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) assessment. This report tells you what we learned about your student’s reading skills and how we will use that important information to guide instruction. You can learn more about how VALLSS measures reading skills under “Test Facts” on the VALLSS Information webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/50319). The information that follows will help you read your student’s VALLSS student summary report and understand how scores are used. 

BAND OF RISK: Your student’s Band of Risk is noted as the most recent “Status” for overall code-based literacy performance at the top of the data table. There are three possible Bands of Risk: HIGH risk, MODERATE risk, and LOW risk. The band is based on your student’s overall scaled score for code-based subtests. Learn more about the code-based subtests under “Tested Content” on the VALLSS Information webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/50319).                                  

• If your student’s Band of Risk is HIGH, this indicates that your student 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. Students at high risk are required to have a Reading Plan developed per the Virginia Literacy Act. Student reading plans detail the targeted reading intervention services your student will receive (see Subtest Performance below). Reading plans are developed in partnership with families, educators, and specialists. You are encouraged to participate in the development of your student's reading plan. Your student's reading plan will be viewable in ParentVUE, and you can monitor your student’s intervention progress within ParentVUE. Learn more about reading plans for students at high risk on the VALLSS Information webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/50319).
• If your student’s Band of Risk is MODERATE or LOW, your student is not identified to receive intervention funded through EIRI. However, individual subtest scores may still indicate that your student needs extra instruction in some skills (see Subtest Performance below).

SUBTEST PERFORMANCE: This report’s data table shows your student’s raw score for their VALLSS subtests along with the maximum score for that skill. Scores are provided for each window that your student tests this year (fall, winter, spring), with the most recent window scores added to past scores when they are available. This lets you see how your student’s literacy skills develop over time and helps us target skills that need extra instruction. A subtest status of RAI (requires additional instruction) serves as an Instructional Indicator. This means your student may need extra support in that skill area.

If you have questions about strengths and needs in reading or mathematics, please contact your student’s teacher. If your student receives English for language development (ELD) services, keep in mind that VALLSS tests are in English. Contact your student's ESOL teacher for information about their English language development.

     Test: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

The Band of Risk for developing reading difficulty  is noted as the most recent “Status” for overall code-based literacy performance at top of the score report's data table. There are three possible Bands of Risk: high risk, moderate risk, and low risk. The band is based on your student’s overall scaled score for code-based subtests: Alphabet Knowledge, Phonological Awareness, and Decoding/Encoding. Learn more about these skills under the Tested Content section above.  

An instructional indicator for a reading skill is noted as the most recent “Status” for a specific VALLSS subtest within the score report's data table. The instructional indicator status means your student may need extra instruction in that skill. 

If your student has a reading plan under EIRI, Intervention will focus on the skill areas designated with an Instructional Indicator. A student without a reading plan may still need additional support in skills showing with an instructional indicator. 

If your student’s Band of Risk is MODERATE or LOW, your student is not identified to receive intervention funded through EIRI. However, individual subtest scores may still indicate that your student needs extra instruction in some skills. The potential need for extra intervention or support in a specific skill area is indicated in the most recent “Status” for each subtest within the the score report's data table.

 If your student’s Band of Risk is HIGH, this indicates that your student 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. Student reading plans detail the targeted reading intervention services your student will receive under EIRI.

Reading plans are developed in partnership with families, educators, and specialists. You are encouraged to participate in the development of your student's reading plan. Your student's reading plan will be viewable in ParentVUE, and you can monitor your student’s intervention progress within ParentVUE.

Students at high risk are required under 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 EIRI intervention is provided. The 2.5 hours per week may include time with a person, a program, or a combination of these. This intervention may take place within your student’s classroom or in another location in the school. You may ask your student’s teacher for clarification.

Student reading plans detail the targeted reading intervention services your student will receive. Intervention will focus on skill areas designated with an Instructional Indicator subtest status in your student's VALLSS score report's data table.