All K-3 teachers, principals with grades K-3, and reading specialists must receive training on science-based literacy instruction by July 1, 2025. This must be from an approved list.
All 4K-5 teachers and administration will complete K-3rd Structured Literacy Program, through Cox Campus, facilitated by CESA 6. This process will be started in March of 2025 and completed by the end of the 2026 school year.
Administration and Reading Coaches completed Early Literacy Leader Consortium in the 2023-24 school year.
What type of early literacy instruction and intervention do schools need to provide?
Act 20 states that all Wisconsin schools must provide science-based early literacy instruction in both universal and intervention settings. Science-based literacy instruction is defined as the following.
Instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of all of the following:
* Phonological Awareness
* Phonemic Awareness
* Phonics
* Building background knowledge
* Oral Language development
* Vocabulary building
* Instruction in writing
* Instruction in comprehension
* Reading fluency
See the Wisconsin Reads website for more information.
* School boards retain the independent authority to select the early literacy instructional materials they will adopt and implement. Those instructional materials are required to meet the definition of "science-based early literacy instruction" found in Act 20.
* Act 20 does not require schools to change their curriculum. It does not require schools to implement science-based early literacy instruction as defined in the statute and prohibits schools from implementing three-cueing instruction as defined in the statute.
Lomira School District Implementation
Lomira's reading leaders met in the spring of 2024 to complete a crosswalk of our current instruction practices and resources.
Reading leaders will continue to review what curricular resources best meet the requirements of Act 20 and the needs of our students. During the 2024-25 school year, we will evaluate recommended resources from DPI and possibly implement new and/or additional resources in the 2025-2026 school year.
4K Assessment: Students are to be assessed twice during the school year using a fundamental screening assessment selected by DPI. The first is to be completed by the 45th school day and the second by 45 days before the end of the school year.
5K-Grade 3 Assessment:
*At least 3 universal screenings during the school year.
*The first must be before the 45th day of the school year, the second in the middle of the school year, and the third by 45 days left in the school year
*Universal screenings must include phonemic awareness, decoding, alphabet knowledge, letter-sound knowledge, oral vocabulary
A diagnostic assessment must be used when a universal screening assessment indicates a pupil is at risk (below the 25th percentile). This occurs no later than the second Friday of November for the Fall assessment or within 10 days after the second universal screening. Diagnostic assessments must also be given within 20 days when a teacher or parent suspects a student has characteristics of dyslexia and submits a request.
The Lomira School District will implement the required Early Literacy assessments provided by the state (aimswebPlus).
Lomira School District will use a combination of aimswebPLUS and other diagnostic tools for all K-3 students who indicate they are at risk and fall below the 25th percentile on the Early Literacy assessment.
Family Notification/Communication
Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, provide parents and families with the results of the reading readiness screener no later than 15 days after the assessment is scored in an understandable format that includes all of the following:
* The pupil's score on the reading readiness assessment
* The pupil's score in each early literacy skill category is assessed by the reading assessment.
* The pupil's percentile rank score on the reading readiness, if available
* The definition of "at-risk" and the score on the reading readiness assessment is designed to measure
* A plain language description of the literacy skills the reading readiness assessment is designed to measure.
If a child is promoted to the 4th grade without completing their personal reading plan, parents must be notified in writing along with a description of the reading interventions the child will continue to receive.
As is common practice at Lomira School District, all families will receive their child's results on all universal screening assessments. These results will be printed reports from the assessment and a letter explaining the results and all other required information related to special education and dyslexia. All communication will be translated into the family's preferred language.
In addition, Lomira School District staff will communicate and collaborate with families about the need for additional diagnostic assessments and the development and progress in the personal reading plan.
If students are identified as at-risk on a universal screening assessment or diagnostic assessment, a personal reading plan must be created that includes"
* The specific early literacy skill deficiencies,
* Goals and benchmarks for the pupil's progress toward grade-level literacy skills,
* How progress will be monitored, a description of interventions and additional instructional services being provided,
* The science-based reading programming the teacher will use,
* Strategies for the parent to support grade-level literacy skills, and any additional services available and appropriate.
Local education agencies (public schools and independent charter schools) will provide a copy of the personal reading plan to parents as well as provide a progress update after 10 weeks.
Lomira School District will create a Personal Reading Plan for all qualifying students. A copy of the plan used during the fall pilot can be found HERE. All plans will be shared with families.
Schools must have a policy for promotion from 3rd to 4th grade, based on a DPI model policy, by July 1, 2025. This would go into effect September 1, 2027.
Lomira School District will adopt a model policy when one becomes available from the state.
Act 20 requires each school district to articulate and post an early literacy remediation plan that includes all of the following.
* The name of the diagnostic reading assessment the school district uses
* A description of reading interventions the school district uses to address characteristics of dyslexia
* A description of how the school district monitors pupil progress during interventions, including the tools used and their frequency
* A description of how the school district uses early literacy assessment results to evaluate early literacy instruction
* A description of the parent notification policy that complies with ACT 20.
School districts are still required to publicly post the academic standards they use and to provide a link to Wisconsin's Information Guidebook on Dyslexia and Related Conditions on their school district website.