Psychometric Properties of the Dyslexia Referral Checklist for English- and Spanish-Speaking Children

Abstract

Dyslexia affects 5%–15% of children, yet only 32% of U.S. fourth graders read proficiently. Early intervention is crucial for addressing reading difficulty (RD) risk. While most states require early dyslexia screening, there is a need for better tools and approaches for identifying students who may benefit from further evaluation, especially for students from Spanish language backgrounds. This study investigates the integration of teacher reports and direct assessments to enhance the accuracy of early identification. We evaluated the psychometric properties and concurrent validity of the Dyslexia Referral Checklist (DRC) across English and Spanish versions in kindergarten (KG), its predictive validity in first grade (G1), and the potential of the DRC to enhance early identification of RD when combined with validated screening measures in large samples of English-speaking (KG n = 56,681, G1 n = 30,534) and Spanish-speaking (KG n = 9,097, G1 n = 4,341) students. The DRC demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.97–0.99), strong concurrent validity with dyslexia screeners ( r = .|72|–.|79|), and significant incremental prediction of G1 outcomes ( d = |0.01|–|0.28|; area under the curve [AUC] = .83–.94). Classification accuracy against literacy measures aligned with ranges reported for existing dyslexia checklists. These findings support the DRC as a promising, no-cost supplement to universal screening with utility for English- and Spanish-speaking populations.