Garrett County Public Schools has a variety of programs designed to complement the systematic and explicit grade-level instruction provided by classroom teachers. All teachers serving Kindergarten through Grade 3 and struggling readers at the elementary level are currently participating in, or have completed, intensive training in the Science of Reading that is aligned with the Elementary Literacy Program.

Supporting students with reading difficulties is a key emphasis in our school system and extends through the secondary grades.  Garrett County Public Schools is in compliance with COMAR and the Ready to Read Act implemented in Maryland. A summary of this act is available in the link below:

Senate Bill 734 Students with Reading Difficulties-Screenings and Interventions

All students in grades K-8 are screened for reading ability using i-Ready in the areas of phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, vocabulary, and comprehension of literary and informational text three times a year (September, January, and May). Screening results are used as an indicator of a child’s reading abilities. They help school staff identify students who need extra reading support as well as the type of support that is needed. Parents and guardians of struggling readers will receive a report containing their child’s screening results.

A description of the program and alignment with the Ready to Read Act is included in the link below: 

i-Ready Screening and Maryland

Dyslexia is defined by the International Dyslexia Association as:

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. 

To learn more about dyslexia, visit any one of the following sites:

Reading Rockets

International Dyslexia Association

Defining Dyslexia

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland

Parents are often the first to recognize early warning signs in their young children. Below are a few tools to assist in identifying early warning signs of reading difficulty and dyslexia by age.

Checklist of Common Signs of Dyslexia in Young Children

The Dyslexia Toolkit

Adult Dyslexia Screening Tool

The following intervention programs are available in Garrett County Public Schools to support our struggling readers:

Elementary

Heggerty

IMSE Orton-Gillingham

Equipped for Reading Success: One Minute Drills 

ARC Toolkits

Middle School

iReady My Path

iReady Toolbox

High School

iLit20

Students with Reading Difficulties-Screenings and Interventions