The Strong Readers Act serves to ensure that all students are screened, beginning in kindergarten, to determine their proficiency in grade-level reading skills. In OKCPS, elementary students are assessed in the beginning of the year, middle of the year, and end of the year to determine reading proficiency levels and to identify students at risk for reading difficulties. In addition to administering this screener three times per year, OKCPS teachers utilize progress monitoring throughout the year to determine the extent to which instruction and reading interventions are meeting students’ needs. Exemptions will be made for students who assess with the OAAP (Oklahoma Alternative Assessment  Program, or or it is their 1st year in the country) or whose main communication is through Braille or Sign Language. Students in K-3 will be screened for Dyslexia. Families of students who are at risk for the characteristics of dyslexia should also receive the following: 

• Information on the characteristics of dyslexia

• Resources for additional information on dyslexia. Sample information sheet can be found on the Strong Readers for Schools webpage.

The Strong Readers Act emphasizes the importance of parent communication; specifically,  parents are promptly notified if their children are not meeting grade-level targets in reading according to the state-approved screener. In addition, these students will be provided with a Student Literacy Intervention Plan (SLIP). This individualized plan includes the student’s most recent academic data, the instructional supports provided by the school, and additional supports requested to be provided at home. Parents/guardians and teachers will review this plan together twice a year at Parent/Teacher Conferences. A student’s SLIP will be included in the student’s RSA folder, along with district screener results, and benchmark assessments.

The Strong Readers Act requires that specific amounts of time be reserved every day for literacy instruction. Every student in grades K-4 receives 90 minutes of core literacy instruction. During this time, instruction is designed to help students master grade-level literacy skills. In addition to the 90 minutes of core reading instruction, students who are not meeting grade-level targets will receive additional support through targeted, small-group reading interventions. This extra instruction is designed to fill gaps in students’ understanding of the reading process.