WI Act 20 in the ECSD
In alignment with its mission of all students thriving, contributing and belonging, ECSD schools place a strong emphasis on developing the foundational skills in grades 4K-3 that will support students in robust and challenging academic coursework and experiences for years to come. As a strong foundation in literacy skills will support student growth in all other academic areas, the ECSD is committed to providing the necessary steps to ensure that all students develop these strong foundations throughout their elementary years.
In 2023, WI Act 20 was put into law by our state legislature addressing these foundational skills throughout Wisconsin public schools. WI Act 20 focuses on the following aspects of literacy instruction in grades 4K-3.
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Science of Reading-Based Instructional Practices
The Science of Reading (SoR) is an extensive body of scientifically-based research detailing best practices in reading instruction. This research has been conducted and compiled over decades around the world.
4K-5 Teachers in the ECSD have committed to growing their literacy instructional practices through extensive professional development in the WI Act 20 approved Cox Campus Teacher Training. All teachers at Levi Leonard Elementary School and Theodore Robinson Intermediate School began this professional learning in August of 2024 and will continue to engage in this learning throughout the 2024-2025 school year while implementing these high leverage literacy instructional strategies in their classrooms.
Scarborough’s Reading Rope details the ways in which critical aspects of literacy instruction coincide with one another. Through Science of Reading-based instruction, each aspect of Scarborough’s rope will be provided for each learner.
The implementation of SoR-based instructional strategies will result in a variety of shifts to previous literacy teaching practices including:
- an increased emphasis on shared reading and systematic phonics instruction
- the use of a variety of texts to include both leveled and decodables texts aligned to phonics features
- student use of phonics knowledge to solve unknown words
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Science of Reading-Based Literacy Curricular Resources
WI Act 20 also requires the use of SoR aligned curricular resources grades 4K-3. Through the spring of 2024, teachers in the ECSD reviewed and piloted various WI Act 20 approved curricular resources. Following this extensive pilot process, teachers recommended the Amplify CKLA curriculum to the ECSD Board of Education who approved these resources in compliance with WI Act 20. The CKLA resources place a significant emphasis on a research-based, systematic scope and sequence designed to support instruction in decoding, the ability to recognize written words, as well as the vocabulary and background knowledge necessary for students to comprehend the words they decode. Teachers have since been aligning their learnings around the SoR with the CKLA curriculum and have received very positive feedback from both students and families.
Universal Screening of Early Literacy Skills
Rooted in the Science of Reading, each student in grades 4K-3 will be assessed through the aimswebPlus universal screening measures detailed in the table below. Through fall, winter and spring assessment windows, this screener data will help ECSD staff to identify student strengths and opportunities of growth.
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Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade
To achieve the goal of all students reading at grade level by the end of third grade, the ECSD has implemented the Act 20 aligned three-step process. Families will be provided ongoing information about each step in this process as it applies to their child.
1. Assessment
Each fall, winter and spring, the ECSD will assess students in grades 4K-3 to identify both strengths and opportunities for growth. All students in grades K-3 will be assessed three times per year using aimswebPlus, a nationally normed screening screener.
2. Collection of Diagnostic Data
When screener data reflect scores below 25th percentile, ECSD staff members take a closer look at literacy foundational skills through additional assessments. This information is used to create a Personal Reading Plan focusing on additional targeted instruction tailored to individual student needs.
3. Additional Targeted Instruction
Individualized and targeted student instruction detailed in Personal Reading Plans will be conducted through the use of research-based strategies and resources designed to strengthen foundational reading skills. Progress will be monitored through the use of data collection, driving instructional pivots along the way and potential dismissal from Personal Reading Plans.
This flowchart provides information regarding the processes and pathways described in the ECSD’s three-step process listed above.
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Act 20 Requirement
All K-3 teachers, principals, and reading specialists must begin training on science-based literacy instruction by July 1, 2025. This must be from an approved list.
Act 20 in the ECSD
The ECSD’s 4K-5 principals, interventionists, literacy coaches and EL coordinator attended the CESA 6 Early Literacy Academy Leader Training throughout the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school year. Through this professional development around the Science of Reading and WI Act 20, this team of leaders has been able to collaborate with leadership teams from other school districts and provide updates to the ECSD staff.
All 4K-5 educators in the ECSD have engaged Science of Reading training through the Cox Campus Structured Literacy Training Modules. This work began in August of 2024 and will continue throughout 2025. This online training platform consists of 12 modules totalling over 32 hours of professional learning.
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Act 20 Requirement
Act 20 requires all Wisconsin schools to provide science-based early literacy instruction in both the universal and intervention settings. Science-based early literacy instruction is both systematic and explicit consisting of all the following elements:
- Phonological Awareness
- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Building Background Knowledge
- Oral Language Development
- Vocabulary Building
- Instruction in Writing
- Instruction in Comprehension
- Reading Fluency
Act 20 in the ECSD
The Act 20 approved Amplify CKLA curriculum implementation began in September of 2024. This curricular resource is science-based and includes all of the components of systematic and explicit instruction noted in Act 20. ECSD staff received professional development for the implementation of the resource in August of 2024.
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Act 20 Requirement
4K Assessment
Act 20 requires two 4K aimswebPlus screeners focusing on fundamental literacy skills each fall and winter. 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-3 Assessment
Students in grades 5K-3 will take Act 20 required aimswebPlus screener in the fall, winter and spring of each school year.
Universal screeners in each grade level are detailed in the table below.
Diagnostic assessments are required by Act 20 when universal screener data reflect scores below the 25th percentile. This occurs no later than the second Friday of November for the Fall assessment or within 10 days after the 2nd universal screening.
Act 20 in the ECSD
All 4K teachers in the ECSD will use the aimswebPlus screeners noted in the table below each fall and spring.
All 5K-3 students will be assessed through aimswebPlus measures in the fall, winter and spring as noted in the table below.
An assessment team at both Levi and TRIS will monitor the results of screening assessments to determine, develop, and implement plans to follow-up with additional diagnostic assessment with our 5K-3rd grade students.
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Act 20 Requirement
Beginning in 2025, the ECSD will provide families with the results of the reading readiness screener no later than 15 days after the assessment is scored detailing the following information:
- the student’s score on each early literacy skill category assessed by the reading readiness screener.
- the student’s percentile rank score on the reading screener.
- If a child is promoted to 4th grade without completing their personal reading plan, parents must be notified in writing along with a description of the reading interventions that child will continue to receive.
Act 20 in the ECSD
Families will receive notification and information throughout the screening and diagnostic assessment process. This includes information about screening assessments, screening assessment results, and if additional diagnostic assessment is warranted. If additional diagnostic assessment is warranted, additional information will also follow including those results and related instructional planning for Personal Reading Plans. All communications will occur according to the timelines indicated in Wisconsin Act 20.
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Act 20 Requirement
Students identified as at-risk, below the 25th percentile, on a universal screener or diagnostic assessment, will receive a Personal Reading Plan that includes:
- the specific early literacy skill deficiencies.
- goals and benchmarks for the student’s progress toward grade-level literacy skills.
- a description of interventions and additional instructional services being provided as well as the progress monitoring tools and processes used.
- 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 progress updates after 10 weeks.
Act 20 in the ECSD
An assessment team at both Levi and TRIS will monitor the results of screening assessments to determine, develop, and implement plans to follow-up with additional diagnostic assessment with our 5K–3rd-grade students that fall below the 25th percentile according to the initial screening measures in reading.
Students that fall below the 25th percentile in the screening measures will receive a Personal Reading Plan. Families will be notified and will have access to the plan. Educators will regularly review student growth, and families will be notified of progress.
Families are welcome to review student progress at any time online.
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Act 20 Requirement
Schools must have a policy for promotion from third to fourth grade, based on a DPI model policy.
ECSD Plan
The ECSD promotion policy will be reviewed/revised as needed in 2025 when the DPI guidance is in place.
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Act 20 Requirements
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 the reading interventions the school district uses to address characteristics of dyslexia
- a description of how the school district monitors student 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
ECSD Plan
In alignment with Act 20, the ECSD uses a variety of assessments to identify students who would benefit from additional support in reading, including those with symptoms of dyslexia. Teachers use these assessments to understand each student's needs and plan the best ways to support them.
Support plans include a variety of instructional strategies such as:
- teaching how to recognize sounds and patterns
- practicing reading skills
- providing direct instruction on language and spelling.
All students receive regular practice with reading and are given feedback to help them improve. To monitor progress students are assessed multiple times throughout the school year. Families are notified of student progress following assessments. For students receiving personal reading plans, progress is reviewed more frequently to inform any necessary instructional changes to ensure student growth.
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