Your child's reading struggle has a root cause. We find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a reading center in Maine?

The Reading Center serves families across Greater Portland and Central Maine with in-home Clinical Reading Assessments. Assessments begin September 12, 2026. Book at mrmtss.com/assessment, or join the First Families list at mrmtss.com/first-families.

Where is The Reading Center located?

We come to you. Assessments take place in your home, or in a quiet, private room at a local library or community space near you, arranged in advance. There is no travel for your family and less stress for your child. Our service area is Greater Portland and Central Maine.

What age groups does The Reading Center serve?

The Reading Center serves K–12 students — kindergarten through 12th grade. It is never too late for reading intervention. With the right instruction, students can build stronger reading skills at any age, and older students often progress quickly because they bring more language experience to the process.

What is a Clinical Reading Assessment?

A Clinical Reading Assessment is a systematic, evidence-based evaluation that identifies the specific root cause of a child's reading difficulty, including dyslexia, decoding weaknesses, fluency gaps, and comprehension breakdowns. It uses standardized and criterion-referenced measures, paired with clinical observation, and produces a personalized plan targeting your child's specific gaps.

How is The Reading Center different from tutoring?

Tutoring usually starts with the schoolwork in front of a child. A clinical assessment starts with the question underneath it: why is reading hard for this particular child? Every family begins with the $295 Clinical Reading Assessment, which identifies the root cause and produces a plan you can act on at home, at school, or with any provider you choose.

How is this different from the reading support my child gets at school?

School reading support is essential, and it operates under real constraints: large group sizes, limited time per student, and a curriculum built for a wide range of needs. A Clinical Reading Assessment is different in two specific ways. First, it is a comprehensive one-to-one evaluation that identifies the exact root cause of your child's reading difficulty, at a depth school screeners are not designed to reach. Second, the results belong to you, in writing, so you can bring them into any conversation about your child's support. School support and clinical assessment work well together, and many of our families work closely with their child's teachers.

Do you provide reading help for children with dyslexia in Maine?

Yes. Students with dyslexia are at the heart of what we do. Our assessment is grounded in the Science of Reading and structured literacy, among the most effective evidence-based approaches for students with dyslexia. We serve K–12 students across Greater Portland and Central Maine.

How do I know if my child needs an assessment?

Common signs include: reading below grade level despite classroom intervention; avoiding reading at home; struggling with reading homework that takes much longer than expected; reading aloud accurately but not retaining what was read; difficulty with spelling that persists despite study; or a family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties. If you've noticed any of these patterns and feel your child needs more than what school services provide, a Clinical Reading Assessment is the right next step.

My child can read words but doesn't understand what they read.

Yes — this is one of the most common patterns we see, and it has specific clinical explanations. A child who decodes accurately but struggles with comprehension may have gaps in vocabulary, language processing, background knowledge, or the ability to form mental images of what they're reading. The Reading Center's Clinical Reading Assessment identifies which specific factors are limiting comprehension for your child, and the intervention plan targets those factors directly. General tutoring often misses these distinctions; clinical intervention is built to find them.

What's included in the $295 assessment?

The $295 Clinical Reading Assessment includes three things: a comprehensive clinical reading evaluation, a personalized learning plan built from the results, and a strategic planning meeting where we review the findings with your family in plain language and map out next steps for both home and instruction. You'll leave knowing exactly where your child stands, what to focus on first, and how progress will be measured.

Where does the assessment take place?

The assessment comes to you. We travel to families across Greater Portland and Central Maine, and arrange a quiet, private room at a local library or community space near your home, or come to you directly. After you book, we confirm the exact location by email so the day is calm and convenient for your child.

Do I have to commit to anything after the assessment?

No. The assessment stands on its own. You receive a written summary and a personalized plan in plain language, yours to share with your child's school team or any other provider. The assessment guides instruction and informs those conversations. It is not a medical diagnosis.

How do I get my child a reading assessment in Maine?

The first step is scheduling a Clinical Reading Assessment with The Reading Center. Our $295 assessment includes a comprehensive clinical reading evaluation, a personalized learning plan, and a strategic planning meeting with your family. Schedule at mrmtss.com/assessment

Do you offer instruction as well?

The Reading Center is a clinical assessment practice. Instruction is offered to a limited number of families by availability, and it is never a requirement. Most families use the assessment to direct the support their child is already receiving.

How is progress measured?

We measure progress in 30-day cycles rather than promising a fixed timeline, because every child's path depends on their starting point and the root cause of their difficulty. When instruction is the right next step, goals are set at the start and progress is reported at day 30, day 60, and day 90, using standardized and criterion-referenced measures paired with clinical observation. We don't promise outcomes. We measure them.

Do you coordinate with my child's school?

Yes. With your written permission, we can share your child's Clinical Reading Assessment results and personalized learning plan with their school team. Aligning clinical intervention with classroom instruction creates a more cohesive support system, and many of our families work closely with their school's teachers alongside our work.

What is the First Families group?

The First Families group is The Reading Center's first 20 families. First-family details: priority scheduling, and first word when new times open. Join at mrmtss.com/first-families. There is no commitment, and the assessment is $295 flat for everyone.

Do you serve students outside of Greater Portland?

Our service area is Greater Portland and Central Maine. If you are just outside it, reach out and we'll tell you honestly whether we can reach you.