English Language Arts
Monthly Newsletter
Embedded Files
WE ARE BACK FOR 2025
WE ARE BACK FOR 2025
Welcome Back to the KSDE ELA Newsletter!
Make sure you and your colleagues are signed up to receive updated Information, professional development opportunities, and guidance documents each month. Click the link HERE to join our KSDE Listserve.
And look for upcoming Information regarding all things ELA! Including an English for Speakers of other Languages Page!
ELAStandardsToolkit .pdfELA STANDARDS TOOLKIT
ELA STANDARDS TOOLKIT
The ELA Standards Toolkit is Now Available!
We are happy to finally launch the ELA guidance document for districts to utilize. Thank you for your patience awaiting the release of this document. We hope It will be an effective tool for your teachers and districts.
Click the pdf link on the left side to access the guidance document to download and make a copy for you and your school.
Let's Work Together!
Let's Work Together!
Are you seeking ELA professional development? KSDE is coordinating with the service centers across the state to offer FREE PD; You can also earn .5 graduate credit!
Our KSDE ELA and Early Literacy/ Dyslexia Team and other content area teams are very happy to be working on a state-wide collaborative effort with our Kansas Educational Service Center partners to provide ongoing professional learning in support of the new KSDE School Improvement Model. We are offering several different professional development opportunities.
Below are upcoming sessions and dates for English Language Arts. Click on any or all of the presentation titles to register today. Space is limited!
Text Complexity Is the New Black: Grade 3-12 teachers will learn what text complexity is, why complex text is vital to assist in raising the rigor for our students, and how best to scaffold learning using evidence-based strategies.
January 9 Orion (Clearwater)
January 17 ESSDACK (Hutchinson)
January 23 Smoky Hill (Salina)
January 27 Greenbush (Girard)
ELA Standards and Mini tests / Interims: Using Data to Help Drive Instruction: Grade 3-12 teachers will learn changes in KAP interims and in the mini-tests that schools are advised to use for practice to gauge how students are doing across standards prior to taking the state assessment.
February 13 Greenbush (Lawrence)
February 13 ESSDACK (Hutchinson)
March 5 Orion (Clearwater)
March 11 Greenbush (Girard)
March 13 Southwest Plains
April 15 Smoky Hill (Hays)
Clear, Intentional, and Effective Writing - The Writing Tenets: Come to this session to learn about the new KSDE Writing Tenets and how they will assist Kansas teachers in providing quality writing instruction.
April 3 Southwest Plains
April 10 Greenbush (Lawrence)
April 15 ESSDACK (Hutchinson)
April 17 Greenbush (Girard)
April 24 Orion (Clearwater)
May 6 Smoky Hill (Salina)
KAP Interim Information
KAP Interim Information
Needing help understanding how to use your KAP Interim data?Click on THIS VIDEO LINK to show you how to access your Interim reports and data!
Reminder: The next Interim window for ELA is January 20 - January 31, 2025
Kansas Standards forEnglish Language Arts vertical alignment.pdfADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ASSESSMENTS
INTERIM EXAMS and MINI-Tests
Are you wondering how your students are doing against standards? You may have taken the Fall Interim exam. If you missed it, there will be a spring opportunity as well!
Do my students need to take an interim? Does It provide any valuable Information? YES!
The January interim will approximate both the text complexity level and questions students will see on the state assessment.
The January Interim will require students to read dual passages comparing texts and build upon all standards that align with those skills (RI/RL.9).
The January interim can help teachers and districts Identify what skill or standards students are struggling to understand or what students may need additional tiered instruction.
If used appropriately, the data can help teachers and districts drive Instruction before the spring assessment test.
To take the interim exams, contact your district testing coordinator!
LINK TO INTERIM ADMINISTRATORS MANUAL
MINI-TESTS
The mini-test items are available when you click “build or copy a test” on Kite. These items are available all year and can be administered any time. These tests can be selected and assigned by the classroom teacher, can be used throughout the year, and have flexibility in use because the questions can be talked about, collaborated on, and students can be re-assigned mini-tests for retakes if you want.
Before you can assign mini-tests you will still need to check with your testing coordinator that students have been registered with KIDS: TASC Record but once students have been registered the mini-tests can be managed by the classroom teacher.
For mini-tests: Educator portal is used to select or build a test, assign a test to students, and view reports after testing.
Reach out to KAP for support:
Phone 855-277-9752
Email: kap-support@ku.edu
2024 Writing Tenets-Appendix B and Bibliography .docxThe Writing Tenets
The Writing Tenets
The KSDE Writing Tenets reinforces the need to explicitly teach writing skills to all students across all curricular areas. While a focus centered on reading instruction is clearly warranted, the use of writing to cement and transfer the learning will yield a greater positive effect than reading alone.
KSDE would provide any professional development regarding the Writing Tenets and how to successfully incorporate writing strategies Into all curricular areas and across all grade levels. Please contact mlonker@ksde.org for more Information or possible PD for school.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse