A clear picture of how your child reads and writes

When a child struggles with reading, spelling, or handwriting, the most helpful next step is a focused educational assessment. Our assessments identify strengths and pinpoint the specific skills that need support so instruction can start at the right level and make measurable progress. Our team are available to meet with your child for 45-90 minutes. They will then prepare a report and schedule a time to review the results. You will leave with a clear picture of what your child is doing well, and where they will likely need support to grow.

Brittany Wilson Brittany is a graduate student in psychology with 12 years of experience working with children between Pre-k and grade 7. Learn more about Brittany here.

What we assess

For parents, schools or community organizations unsure of a child’s progress, we provide assessments that examine:

• Reading (foundational skills through comprehension)

• Writing & Spelling (encoding, sentence-level writing)

• Handwriting (letter formation, spacing, legibility, and speed)

These skill areas align with research-backed components of literacy: phonological awareness, phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. (Florida Center for Reading Research)

Reading Assessment Findings

• Letter and sound skills: How well your child connects letters to sounds.

• Decoding ability: How accurately your child sounds out words.

• Reading prosody: How smoothly and quickly your child reads connected text.

• Comprehension: How well your child understands sentences and short passages.

• Thinking with text: How your child uses vocabulary, context, and reasoning to make sense of reading.

• Big picture: A clear view of your child’s overall reading strengths and areas for growth.

Writing Assessment Findings

• Handwriting: How accurately and fluently your child forms letters.

• Spelling: How your child applies sound-spelling patterns and conventions.

• Written expression: How your child organizes ideas, uses language, and communicates.

• Big picture: A full understanding of your child’s writing development, from the basics of spelling and handwriting to expressing ideas on paper.

Why get an assessment?

Parents typically seek an assessment when they notice one or more of the following:

• Early red flags: difficulty with rhyming, learning letter names/sounds, or manipulating speech sounds (blend/segment); strong listening comprehension but weak early reading/spelling. (International Dyslexia Association)

• Persistent decoding or fluency struggles: slow, laborious reading; trouble reading unfamiliar words or “nonsense” words; avoids reading. (International Dyslexia Association)

• Spelling difficulties: inconsistent, phonetic-only spellings; difficulty applying patterns and syllables. (International Dyslexia Association)

• Handwriting concerns that affect legibility and written output (formation, spacing, alignment, speed). (txautism.net)

Our assessment clarifies the ways in which a child is struggling and where instruction should begin, provides documentation for school conversations (and, where applicable, accommodations), and sets a roadmap for progress. (International Dyslexia Association)

Our process

• 45 min - 1.5 hours: assessment session

• Written report: including results of assessments, analysis, summary and recommendations.

• Review of the report: approximately one hour zoom call presentation

You’ll receive a clear, plain-language report with scores and observational analysis, a strengths-and-needs profile, targeted recommendations for home and school, and, if warranted, a suggested tutoring plan aligned to Structured Literacy.

This is an educational assessment to inform instruction; it is not a medical evaluation or diagnosis.

How results inform instruction at Stillman

Stillman Academy teaches using Structured Literacy with the Slingerland method—explicit, systematic, cumulative instruction proven effective for students with dyslexia and beneficial for all readers. The Slingerland Method was developed in partnership with Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman, who earlier created the Orton-Gillingham-Stilman Approach. Assessment results determine the precise entry point and pacing of instruction across phonology/phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, spelling, and writing.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a formal medical/clinical diagnosis?
Our assessments are educational and guide instruction. When families require a formal diagnosis of dyslexia or related conditions, IDA recommends evaluation by qualified professionals (often as part of a school or private multidisciplinary team). We’re happy to coordinate and refer as needed. (International Dyslexia Association)

What ages do you assess?
We work with K–12 learners.

Rescheduling:

Rescheduling of an assessment must occur 48 hours prior to an appointment.

Payment Timing:

We bill for the assessment on the last day of the month in which the assessment report is presented to you. Payment is due within 30 days of receiving the invoice.

Ready to start?

If you’re seeing signs that your child is working harder than they should to read or write—or if you simply want a clear starting point for instruction—schedule an assessment. You’ll leave with a concrete plan and next steps you can act on immediately.