Resources

Fly Leaf Decodable Books

Little Learners Love Literacy APP

Tumble Books

Learning Ally

Book Share  Now free!

Parents are the primary advocates

• Keep Records:

1. Make requests and communicate concerns in writing and include dates.

2. Emails make wonderful paper trails. Follow-up conversations to document.

3. Save all test scores and samples of student work or classroom assessments.

• Questions to Ask the School

1. Where is the RtI or MTSS process shared with families so we can understand the school's process?  Where is my child in this continuum?

2. What assessments is the school using for either reading readiness or universal screening?

3. How and when will the results of these tests be shared?

4. How often is the assessment being administered?

5. How does the school determine if a student is at risk for difficulties or if a student qualifies for intervention?

6. What does the publisher of the assessment being administered consider "at risk"?

7. If my child comes up "at risk" are additional assessments given and by whom?

8. How is an intervention selected for a child? 

9. Can I see my child's reading assessments and a comparison to other students at this school?

10. WI families:  Does the school use the Foundational Reading skills Tool (FRST) to determine the effectiveness of literacy instruction?  If so, what were the results?  If not, can you provide us evidence that our school is meeting WI DPI's guidance on literacy instruction in grades K-2?

Materials to share with the school

• Private evaluations

• Updates from outside providers

• Medications child takes

• Strengths, interests, & concerns

Federal Law & Information

• 1/21/11 Memo that the RTI process cannot be used to deny or delay an evaluation for eligibility under IDEA

• Child Find Law under IDEA: not only can a parent request an evaluation, but if denied can go through due process for financial reimbursement for private evaluations and services from the school district

• The Child Find mandate under IDEA requires school to identify and evaluate any student who has a disability including students receiving passing grades or that are "advancing from grade to grade. " (34 CFR 300.111c) The law does not require students to be classified or labeled by their disability (20 USC 1412(a)(3)(B); 34 CFR 300.111(d).  For more information visit WrightsLaw about Child Find

• Teacher assessments and interventions do NOT meet the criteria for an evaluation. IDEA states that "the screening of a student by teacher or specialist to determine appropriate instructional strategies...shall not be considered to be an evaluation..." 20 USC 141(a)(1)(E).  This law is clear about requiring a school to complete an evaluation and sharing the results from the assessments with parents for special education eligibility when requested by a parent.  Read more at Wright's Law.

• The Code of Federal Regulations has a useful website to help understand eligibility, evaluations, eligibility, and procedural safeguards.

• US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 67 F.3d.484 Case law that supports school districts can be held financially accountable for attorney fees, outside evaluations, and services for students when a school denies an evaluation and eligibility for special education services.

Wisconsin Law & Information

Assessment of Reading Readiness - WI Stat. 118.016  - Required screening for phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge, and it must be reported to parents or guardians.

If the score on the literacy screen indicates the student is at risk of a reading difficulty, schools are required to provide interventions that are scientifically based and address the student's deficiencies - WI Stat. 118.016 and WI Stat. 121.02(1)(c)

WI DPI published the Foundational Reading skills Tool (FRST) for school to evaluate early elementary literacy instruction ensuring it is explicit and systematic in the way it teaches foundational reading skills.

• WI Introduction to Special Education booklet for families

• WI Special Education in Plain Language

Other Resources:

Decoding Dyslexia Wisconsin

Disability Category Criteria Worksheets and Guides all will be required to be used for the 2022-2023 school year.

August 1, 2021 the category of Speech or Language Impairment became effective as outlined in PI-11.36

WI law defining Specific Learning Disability

WI explains Specific Learning Disabilities and how reading difficulties fit in. 

2/19/16 Dyslexia & Specific Learning Disabilities Memo from Tony Evers

Organizations that support ongoing efforts for both parents and children.

• The Reading League

• The Reading League Illinois

• National Center for Learning Disabilities

• The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity

• The International Dyslexia Association

• Learning Ally

• Everyone Reading Illinois

• Illinois Early Literacy Coalition

• Wilson Language

• PaTTan Literacy 

• AIM Institute for Literacy and Learning

• Spelfabet

• Kastner Collection Wakelets

At all ages these tools can help children have better habits.

• No Red Ink Check this out for helpful lessons & practice with anything language arts & writing related. free

• Rainbow Sentences Color code parts of speech and learn how the parts of a sentence work together.

• Book Creator Write your own books and add videos, voice, pictures, as well as using the text to speech feature. free

• Search for something that meets your needs here.

• Resources for planning and notetaking here.

Organizers for Planning Writing:

•     Basic Outline

•     Transitions

•     Graphic Organizers

•     Basic 5 Paragraph Essay Organizer

•     BRACES

• ​     RACE

Notetaking

• Cornell Notetaking

Study Skills for Older Students

• Games and Tools for all ages

• Thinking Maps

• SQ3R

• Plot Diagram

Vocabulary.com

• study morphology

Websites with games and activities

• Word Wall

• Nessy

• Lailo

• Quizlet

• Pink Cat Games