Elementary English Language Arts
The implementation of the requirements of Wisconsin Act 20 focuses our work at the elementary level on increasing the number of our students reading on grade level by the end of third grade.
This focus is in alignment with the mission of the Sun Prairie Area School District which states that we will “Inspire and prepare every child, every day, by providing relevant, engaging and innovative learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom.”
If you are looking for more information about the District’s selection of instruction materials for elementary English Language Arts and modifications made to them, please visit the page below:
We want children to read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade!
To ensure that children are on track to meet this goal, we have a three-step process. Parents/caregivers are informed about each of the steps in this process that apply to their child.
Our Plan to Address Act 20
The information below is provided to inform parents, caregivers, and the community about Sun Prairie’s plans to fulfill our mission and meet the true intent of Act 20.
- Required Reading Training
- Curriculum & Instruction
- Assessments
- Personal Reading Plans
- Promotion Policy
- Family Notification/Communication
- Early Literacy Remediation Plan
- Frequently Asked Questions
Required Reading Training
Act 20 Requirement
All K-3 teachers, principals where there are grades K-3, and reading specialists must begin training on science-based literacy instruction by July 1, 2025. This must be from an approved list.
SPASD Plan
Our elementary principals and reading specialists have begun “Impactful Early Literacy Practices Leadership Institute provided by CESA 6” and will complete the training in the 2024-2025 school year. This is a 6-day Wisconsin Act 20-approved reading training for school districts and system leaders.
All K-5 educators will engage in the Cox Campus Structured Literacy Training Modules beginning in April of 2025. This is an online training platform that includes 12 modules for a total of 30 hours.
Curriculum & Instruction
Act 20 Requirement
What type of early literacy instruction and intervention do schools need to provide?
Act 20 states that all Wisconsin schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction in both universal and intervention settings. Science-based early literacy instruction is defined as the following.
Instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of all 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.
SPASD Plan
All 4K-5 educators will implement Amplify CKLA beginning September of 2024. This curricular resource is science-based and includes all of the components of systematic and explicit instruction listed above. Amplify CKLA is at the top of DPI’s list of approved curricular resources. Staff received professional development for the implementation of the resource in April and May of 2024 and will have additional professional development in August of 2024.
See below for intervention instruction under Personal Reading Plans and/or Early Literacy Remediation Plan.
Assessments
Act 20 Requirement
4K Assessment
Students are to be assessed twice during the school year using a fundamental skills screening assessment selected by the 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-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 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. 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.
SPASD Plan
All 4K educators will use fundamental skills screening assessments selected by DPI and others selected by SPASD three times throughout the school year, and in accordance with screening windows.
All 4K-3rd-grade educators will use AimswebPLUS screening assessments three times throughout the school year, in accordance with DPI published screening windows.
An assessment team at each elementary school will monitor the results of screening assessments to determine, develop, and implement plans to follow up with additional diagnostic assessments with our 5K-3rd-grade students. A legal guardian has the right to submit a request for diagnostic assessment at any time, including the right to request an evaluation through special education.
Screening and diagnostic assessment results are visible to caregivers at any time via family access to NextPath. When a caregiver logs in with their email address provided to the schools, they can view these results, as well as results of state assessments and any support plans in place.
More information about District assessments and their timelines can be found by viewing this document.
Personal Reading Plans
Act 20 Requirement
If students are identified as at-risk (below the 25th percentile) 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 progress updates after 10 weeks.
SPASD Plan
Students who fall below the 25th percentile according to the screening measures in reading will receive a Personal Reading Plan. Parents/Caregivers will be notified and will have access to the plan online via family access to NextPath, or optionally in paper form at Parent/Caregiver and Teacher conferences, where the plan will be discussed. Additionally, Parents/Caregivers can request a copy at any time by reaching out to their student(s) classroom teacher. Educators will regularly review student growth (approximately every four to six weeks), and Parents/Caregivers will be notified of progress just following educator review. Parents/Caregivers can also review their student(s) progress at any time online since their support plan is updated with this information.
For more information on Parents/Caregivers accessing their student(s) information, please see the details of SPASD’s partnership with NextPath Education under Family Notification/Communication.
What Should Parents/Caregivers Keep in Mind?
We are all partners in the effort to ensure all students develop as readers. Our literacy curriculum provides all students with strong instruction on the foundational skills students need to be able to become fluent readers. We know that many students may struggle with different aspects of reading as they develop and progress through elementary school. It is not unusual for students to need some additional support in learning to read. Our schools have systems in place to make sure that students who might be struggling with different skills in reading are provided with appropriate levels of support. A Personal Reading Plan is how we document the support provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question |
Response |
|---|---|
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Why does my student need a Personal Reading Plan (PRP)? |
The purpose of a PRP is to document the additional support your student is receiving to develop as a reader. It’s one way for us to know what a child needs to work on and how things are going in their reading development. We have been providing reading support to students in previous school years. PRPs are being created this school year as a way to communicate the identified reading skill we’re working on and how we are supporting your student in strengthening these skills. We are striving to do a better job of communicating with you what we are doing for reading support, and the PRP is a reflection of that learning. |
|
What can I do to support my child at home? |
We are partners in supporting the students' reading development. There are specific, easy-to-implement strategies for home, such as reading together, asking questions about stories, or practicing high frequency words. We want students to love reading, and strategies used at home should be fun and aimed at building that love. Parent/caregiver involvement is important. Small, regular efforts can make a big difference. For ideas, see the Parent/Caregiver Curriculum Guides linked here. |
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How will I know if my child is making progress? |
We monitor the progress of how all students are doing across different areas of reading according to the goals we set. Throughout the yea, we will electronically send home copies of the student’s PRP, which will show you how they are doing in the area we are working on. Paper copies are available upon request. We can also discuss how things are going at parent/caregiver conferences throughout the year. |
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Does my child have dyslexia? |
Dyslexia is a medical term used to describe a specific type of reading disorder. While medical diagnoses made outside of schools can be helpful information in designing supports at school, we do not make medical diagnoses in schools, nor do medical diagnoses directly inform specific actions schools must take in order to support students. The screening and intervention process that we are using to develop PRPs will take into consideration any impact dyslexia might have on a child’s reading development. Our school psychologist or associate principal is the best person for you to contact with questions you may have. The SPASD Dyslexia Guidebook Summary provides more information. |
|
Does my child need special education? |
Classroom teachers support students with a variety of needs. It is not unusual for students to need some additional support in learning to read because children learn to read at different rates. A student may need to grow their skills in reading, but that does not necessarily mean that they would be eligible for special education. If a student does have a disability in reading, our reading support processes and testing will help us determine that. If you have more questions our associate principal or school psychologist is the best person for you to contact; they will have the best information for you about when students might require special education. |
|
How do I know what my child is struggling with in reading? |
The PRP provides information about the foundational skills that we are working to strengthen. We will continue to communicate throughout the year on how things are going. If you have more questions, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher. |
Click here to see a sample personal reading plan.
Promotion Policy
Act 20 Requirement
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 Sept 1, 2027
Any current 3rd-grade student who has not yet successfully exited their Personal Reading Plan will be invited to attend summer school, where they can receive additional reading instruction.
Family Notification/Communication
Act 20 Requirement
Beginning in the 2024-2025 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 readiness assessment.
- The pupil's percentile rank score on the reading readiness assessment, if available.
- The definition of “at-risk” and the score on the reading readiness assessment that would indicate that a pupil is at-risk.
- A plain language description of the literacy skills the reading readiness assessment is designed to measure.
- 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.
SPASD Plan
Parents/caregivers will receive notification and information throughout the screening and diagnostic assessment process. This includes information about screening assessments, screening assessment results, and whether additional diagnostic assessments are warranted. If additional diagnostic assessment is warranted, additional information will also follow, including those results and related instructional planning (Personal Reading Plan). All communications will occur according to the timelines indicated in Wisconsin Act 20 and are supported through a partnership with NextPath Education.
Accessing Your Student(s) Information in NextPath
Go to NextPath and follow these directions as needed: Family Login Directions in English and Spanish. The additional steps of securely identifying your student(s) through the “claiming process” are required during the first login only.
Having trouble logging in?
Here are a couple of common issues and how to solve them:
- Email address doesn't match the one on file
- Be sure to use the same email to log in as your primary email in Infinite Campus.
- If you update your primary email in Infinite Campus Parent Portal, allow for an overnight sync for the changes to update across online locations.
- Unclaimed Students or Incorrect Student Birthdate
- Claim all household students (all grades) to proceed by indicating their initials and date of birth (matching Infinite Campus records).
- Documents available to you, including screening results, state assessment results and any support plans will appear after all students are claimed under their associated name(s).
Need more help?
Please email rrgardn@sunprairieschools.org.Thank you!
Early Literacy Remediation Plan
Act 20 Requirement
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 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; and a description of the parent notification policy that complies with Act 20. School districts are still required to publicly post the academic standards that they use and to provide a link to Wisconsin’s Informational Guidebook on Dyslexia and Related Conditions on their school district website.
SPASD Plan
In line with state requirements, the Sun Prairie School District uses a variety of assessments to identify students who need help with reading, including those with symptoms of dyslexia. Teachers use these assessments to understand each student's needs and plan the best way to support them. Support plans include different instructional strategies such as teaching how to recognize sounds and patterns, practicing reading skills, and 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, and caregivers 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I learn more about this assessment and understand my child’s scores?
It is important to communicate this information through notifications about the screening, the results, and any next steps. This also includes your ability to view your child’s scores at any time at https://nextpath.app/login, as well as having conversations about them, like at parent-teacher conferences. We hope that you may also find this Understanding My Child’s Scores resource helpful. Here is an English description and a Spanish description of that information in the resource.
How can I understand changes in my child’s scores from the 2024-2025 School Year to this school year?
Every 10 years, assessments go through a “re-norming” process to provide updated and accurate information about how students are performing nationwide. This is normal and expected in educational practices. Since the national performance information is updated in Reading this year, this means that percentiles related to performance in Reading are different from last year. If you notice that your students' percentile performance is different from last year, remember that it is reflecting updated information about how students in the same grade are performing nationally. Educators will continue to use this information to provide helpful comparisons about how teaching and learning is going in Sun Prairie Schools and to provide extra teaching where needed.
My child is not performing as expected. Will my child receive an intervention?
Yes, all students performing below expectations are provided with a responsive plan to support their needs. This is often scheduled during what we refer to as “What I Need” (WIN) time. The type of instruction the student is provided is dependent upon what they need in their learning. Progress is monitored throughout the year, and instruction during this time or other times of the day may change as student needs change.
If my child currently receives special education services, does this support look different?
All students, including those receiving special education services, are provided with strong core reading instruction and additional support as needs change throughout the school year. Any student determined to need additional reading instruction is provided with an individualized plan that indicates the type of instruction needed and progress being made.
If my child performs above expectations, will my child receive additional support?
Part of strong core instruction is differentiating for children with a variety of needs, including those students performing above expectations. All buildings in the Sun Prairie School District have an Advanced Learning Teacher who you can contact with any questions. For more information, see our website.
What ways can I support my child at home?
If you are wondering about ways to support your student’s reading development at home, your child’s classroom teacher or a Learner Strategist at your school building are great places for ideas about what might be best for your child to work on outside of the classroom. You could also reference our Parent/Caregiver Curriculum Guides on our district website for ideas and suggestions around practice of grade-level skills.
How do I know if my child has a reading disability?
Sun Prairie has a responsive system of supports that assesses how students are progressing in their reading skills after being provided with additional instruction to support their development. Students who are significantly below expectations and not making expected progress over a period of time may be referred for further evaluation to determine if they meet criteria for a disability category, such as specific learning disability in the area of reading, and if they need specially designed instruction through an IEP. The IEP team must discuss whether the student can succeed in the general education classroom with high-quality general education instruction, short-term interventions, and reasonable classroom accommodations, so students receiving assistance offered through our multilevel system of support are an important part of knowing whether a child has a disability and needs special education.
How do I know if my child has dyslexia?
While dyslexia is a medical diagnosis not used in school districts, Sun Prairie School District provides additional instruction to all students based on their specific areas of need. More information specific to the area of dyslexia can be found here.
