If your child is in kindergarten through third grade in an Ohio public school, they have already taken this year's state-required reading diagnostic. Under updated guidance the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce published in September, the deadline for every K–3 student was September 30. That date starts a clock. For any child the screener flagged as not on track, the school must notify parents in writing, start intervention right away, and write a formal reading plan within 60 calendar days of getting the results. For many families, that lands in late November. Here's what changed this year, what the school owes your child, and the questions to ask before the plan is written without you.

What changed in Ohio's reading screening this year?

Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee has required K–3 reading diagnostics for years. The state's legislation calls them diagnostic assessments; most educators call them universal screeners. The department's 2026 guidance lists several changes that take effect in the 2026–27 school year:

  • One deadline for everyone. Kindergartners used to be screened within the first 20 days of instruction. Now all K–3 students must be screened by September 30.
  • A shorter approved list. The state approved six assessments: Acadience Reading K–6, Edmentum Exact Path, i-Ready, NWEA MAP Growth, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, and Renaissance Star CBM. The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment's language and literacy section no longer counts, and Ohio's own diagnostic assessments were discontinued on July 1, 2026. Districts with older contracts may keep a previously approved tool until the contract ends or July 1, 2028, whichever comes first.
  • No exemptions. Students with significant cognitive disabilities can no longer be exempted from the diagnostic or from reading plans.
  • Plans that last. In 2026–27, reading plans apply to students in grades K–7, and the guidance says a plan must continue until the student scores proficient on Ohio's state English test (or the alternate assessment).

Two of the approved screeners, Acadience Reading and DIBELS 8th Edition, offer free materials, the guidance notes, so cost shouldn't decide whether a school screens well.

Why does the new limit on multiple screeners matter for dyslexia?

Senate Bill 19, effective September 23, 2026, bars schools from giving a K–3 student reading diagnostics from more than one provider. The goal is to stop over-testing and to keep schools from shopping for better report card ratings. But the law carves out two exceptions that matter to families of dyslexic children: extra assessment is allowed when a student's individualized education program (IEP) calls for it, or when the diagnostic results show that more assessment is needed to determine whether the student is at risk of dyslexia.

That exception is worth knowing by heart. If your child was flagged and you suspect dyslexia, the new limit is not a reason for the school to refuse further assessment. Ohio's separate dyslexia law adds its own screening steps, described in the state's Dyslexia Guidebook, and a screener is never a diagnosis. If you see the signs of dyslexia, you can also request a full special education evaluation in writing at any time.

What does the school owe a child who isn't on track?

According to the guidance, when a K–3 diagnostic shows a child is not on track, the school must tell parents as soon as possible and in writing, including what services the child receives now, what extra services are proposed, and that the third-grade state test is not the only factor in promotion. The department encourages schools to call or meet with parents before the letter arrives. The school must also:

  • Give any further assessments needed to pinpoint the child's specific needs, whether decoding, fluency, vocabulary, or comprehension.
  • Start research-based reading intervention immediately, not after the plan is written.
  • Write a Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan (RIMP) within 60 calendar days of receiving the results.
  • Provide high-dosage tutoring to every student on a RIMP, including students with disabilities, until the student reads at grade level.

The state's tutoring floor is at least three sessions a week (or at least 50 hours over 36 weeks) in groups no larger than four, with a live tutor. Treat that as a minimum, not a target. For a child with dyslexia, structured literacy intervention generally works best at 30–60 minutes, 5 days a week, as our intervention guide explains.

How can parents shape the reading plan before it's written?

  1. Ask for the screener results now. Request your child's fall diagnostic scores in writing, the name of the tool, and the on-track cut score. You're entitled to see the numbers, not only a label.
  2. Ask for the RIMP meeting date. Count 60 calendar days from when the school received results. Ask to participate in writing the plan rather than signing a finished one.
  3. Ask what the intervention is, by name. Which program, how many minutes, how many days a week, what group size, and who teaches it. "Small-group reading support" is not an answer.
  4. Ask how progress will be measured. A good plan names a progress-monitoring tool and how often it's used. Ask to receive those results, too.
  5. Raise dyslexia directly. If the diagnostic suggests decoding trouble, ask about the dyslexia screening steps and, if warranted, request an evaluation in writing using our advocacy toolkit.

What mistakes should families avoid?

  • Waiting for the letter. Schools must notify you, but the letter can arrive weeks after the screening. Ask now.
  • Treating a RIMP as an IEP. A reading plan is a general-education support. It doesn't carry the legal protections of special education, and it doesn't replace an evaluation if you suspect a disability.
  • Accepting "we can't test again" at face value. The new multiple-screener limit specifically allows more assessment when dyslexia risk needs to be determined or an IEP requires it.
  • Celebrating an on-track score too fast. Screeners miss some children. If what you see at home doesn't match the score, write down what you see, with dates, and share it.

Earlier this month we reported that Ohio's weakest readers didn't gain ground even as overall scores rose. These plans are where that gap gets closed, or doesn't, one child at a time.

Frequently asked questions

What is a RIMP in Ohio? A Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan is a written plan Ohio schools must create for any K–3 student whose reading diagnostic shows they are not on track. It must be written within 60 calendar days of the results, describe the intervention and how progress is measured, and include high-dosage tutoring until the child reads at grade level.

Which reading screeners does Ohio approve for 2026–27? Ohio's approved K–3 reading diagnostics for 2026–27 are Acadience Reading K–6, Edmentum Exact Path, i-Ready, NWEA MAP Growth, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, and Renaissance Star CBM. Districts with contracts signed before Sept. 30, 2025 may keep a previously approved tool until the contract ends or July 1, 2028.

Can an Ohio school refuse more testing because of the new screener limit? Not when dyslexia is in question. Senate Bill 19 limits K–3 reading diagnostics to one provider per student, but it allows additional assessment when a student's IEP calls for it or when results show more testing is needed to determine dyslexia risk. Parents can also request a special education evaluation in writing.

Source: Third Grade Reading Guarantee Guidance, updated September 2026 (Ohio Department of Education and Workforce) · Reading Diagnostic Assessments (Ohio Department of Education and Workforce) · Ohio Revised Code 3301.0715(A)(3), as amended by S.B. 19 of the 136th General Assembly (effective Sept. 23, 2026)