A recent CBC News article examined the implementation of mandatory early literacy and numeracy screening in Alberta and included commentary from Dyslexia Canada’s Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Una Malcolm. The article reflects a growing national conversation about early reading screening and, critically, about how screening requirements are implemented and supported in classrooms.
Dyslexia Canada is a strong advocate for universal early reading screening as a core element of our mission. Screening is a necessary component of an effective, equitable literacy system and a critical step in identifying individual and system risk early so instruction can respond before reading difficulties become entrenched.
This position is grounded in students’ human rights. Three provincial human rights commissions, through public inquiries into literacy policy and practice, have explicitly identified universal early reading screening as one of several required measures to meet students’ right to learn to read. Screening and data-based decision-making, alongside evidence-based classroom instruction, timely intervention, and educator professional learning and support, is a key element of a system designed to prevent reading failure rather than respond to it after the fact.
Recent findings from the Alberta government’s early years literacy and numeracy survey highlight the importance of considering the implementation of screening requirements. The survey, which included responses from more than 3,500 educators and education leaders, highlights concerns about how screening is being carried out and supported in Alberta schools. Teachers reported significant time demands, uneven access to supports, and challenges using screening data in ways that meaningfully inform instruction.
Implementation matters because screening should not simply be a compliance task. The purpose of early reading screening isn’t only to identify which students may require additional intervention. Its primary role is in informing core classroom instruction, the foundation for preventing reading difficulties and supporting equitable access to strong literacy outcomes. Screening data should help teachers understand patterns of skill development across their classrooms, adjust instructional focus, and prevent reading difficulties from developing in the first place. When screening data are connected directly to instruction, it supports all learners.
Teachers are central to this work. They administer screening measures, interpret results, plan instruction, and provide both classroom teaching and intervention. The Alberta survey suggests that many teachers are doing this work without consistent access to the supports they need. While some teachers are able to administer screening with the support of a substitute teacher or additional staff, this does not appear to be the norm across Alberta classrooms.
Other provinces have approached implementation differently. In Ontario, for example, classroom teachers are universally released with a substitute teacher during the beginning-of-year screening window. This protected time acknowledges both the complexity of screening and the importance of using results thoughtfully to guide instruction.
The survey also highlights a significant workload concern. More than half of survey respondents reported continuing to collect Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System data in addition to provincially required screening measures. These assessments are outdated, lack the reliability and validity necessary to generate trustworthy data, and do not provide actionable information to optimize instruction in foundational reading skills. When evidence-based screening is layered on top of outdated assessment practices, the result is increased workload, conflicting and confusing data, and reduced capacity to focus on instruction and student support. Effective implementation requires not only adding what works, but also letting go of practices that no longer serve educators or students.
The Alberta survey raises important questions about how screening is supported in practice. The issue is not the value of screening itself. Screening remains a necessary and evidence-based component of early literacy systems, and a key avenue in equitable and human rights-focused education. The challenge lies in ensuring that teachers have the time, resources, and instructional guidance needed to use screening data effectively.
Supporting Alberta teachers in connecting screening data to instruction and intervention is where the greatest impact will be made. When screening is implemented with the right conditions in place, it strengthens classroom practice and supports better outcomes for all our learners.