Early Advantage Assessment
A groundbreaking set of research-backed assessments that combines your child's early language and literacy development with family history to allow you to assess and monitor your child's reading skills and risk for reading struggles from age 2 until the start of Grade 3.
5 assessments
in 1 bundle
Genetics kit (optional)
Backed by 20+ years of research
For ages 2
and up
$ 29.00 USD

The earliest comprehensive reading risk assessment available, born out of over 20 years of research from Yale, Brock, and UTHealth Houston.

A unique approach to identifying potential reading differences that offers early and ongoing pre-literacy and literacy progress monitoring during learner's critical developmental window. Sharpen partners with families to ensure children get the early advantage they deserve.

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Sharpen™ provides early identification through a series of proprietary and licensed assessments from leading U.S. universities.

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Sharpen’s 5-part assessment has been designed to be affordable, accessible, and informative to jumpstart early action before reading problems become more difficult and more costly to manage.

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Sharpen’s Early Advantage Assessment and Sharpen Reading combine to provide the earliest screening and intervention solution available to achieve optimal outcomes.

Genetic Reading Trait Report*

The Sharpen Genetic Reading Trait Report identifies the presence of DNA markers associated with reading-related skills.

The report will provide information on known genetic markers described in the scientific literature, increasing early awareness that reading challenges are in part genetic.

*The Genetic Reading Trait Report is not for diagnostic use. It will not predict or diagnose reading problems or any other conditions.

Early Language Screen

The Sharpen Early Language Assessment evaluates a child’s current language development and provides continued monitoring over time.

The assessment results will show if a child is at low, elevated, or high risk for developing language problems based on their early language skills.

Early Literacy Screen

The Sharpen Early Literacy Assessment evaluates a child’s early literacy development.



The assessment results will show if a child is at low, elevated, or high risk for future reading problems based on their early literacy skills.

Family History Screen

The Sharpen Family History Assessment evaluates the parents’ and/or caregivers’ reading skills and challenges.


The assessment results will show if a child is at low, elevated, or high risk for future reading problems based on their family history of reading skills.

Sharpen TPRI Reading

The Sharpen TPRI Reading Assessment empowers a parent or caregiver to give ongoing, direct, and validated assessments of their child’s current reading skill level and provides continued monitoring over time.

The assessment results will show if a child has developed or is still developing the reading skills for their grade level. The results will also show if a child is at low, elevated, or high risk for future reading problems based on patterns of their reading skills.

Photo of the Sharpen Assessment kit.
Only available from Sharpen

Sharpen™ Genetic Reading Trait Report

Breakthrough proprietary technology that evaluates genetic markers associated with reading performance traits, independently of a child’s age or reading skills. The genetic panel technology was designed through analysis of peer-reviewed publications and academic work over the last three decades. The report also includes markers exclusively licensed to Sharpen by Yale University. *

Buy now

Order a kit

Order a kit for each child that you would like to receive a Genetic Reading Trait Report for. Your kit will ship directly to you by mail.

Swab cheeks

Register the kit online, swab the inside of your child’s cheeks and place the swabs into the collection tubes. Mail them back with the pre-paid envelope for analysis.

Receive results

Once your samples have been received and analyzed, you will get an email notifying you that your results are ready for review. You’ll log into your account and directly view your secure results.

Frequently asked questions

Does my child need a reading assessment?

It can be hard to know if your child, especially at the preschool or kindergarten level, may benefit from a reading assessment. Instead of waiting for a reading struggle to surface with your child, detect potential challenges early. The Sharpen Early Advantage Assessment not only provides a direct measurement of a child's reading skills, it also includes language, literacy, and family history risk assessments.

How can I support my struggling reader?

If you know that your child is struggling to read, the next step is to determine the best way to support your child’s learning process. There are myriad choices, from hiring a private tutor to downloading an app to buying a stack of workbooks. A straightforward and comprehensive assessment will provide a roadmap for you and your child. The Sharpen Early Advantage Assessment results are multimodal, combining your child’s results to convey your child’s risk level and provide clear recommendations for the best next steps and resources.

What is the best age to screen a child for reading issues?

Often, children are discovered to have reading challenges as they proceed through early elementary school. As they encounter the threshold of their understanding, it becomes evident that they need additional support, and often screenings follow. But, what if a child was screened at an early age for important risk factors? The Sharpen Early Advantage Assessment does precisely this. There is no age requirement for the Early Advantage Assessment. The Genetic Reading Trait Report and the Family History Assessment can be taken at any age. For children between ages 2 and 5 years of age, the Early Language Assessment offers pre-literacy insight, while the Early Literacy Assessment is designed to assess children between 4 and 8 years old.

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