Holmen reports full K–12 rollout of new ELA materials, shifts K–3 screening to AIMSweb under Wisconsin Act 20

Holmen School District instructional staff presented an annual evaluation of the K–12 literacy program at the June 9 board meeting and described curriculum changes, assessment results and new state screening requirements under Wisconsin Act 20.

Executive Director of Instructional Services Kim Edwards said the district completed K–12 implementation this year after a multi‑year rollout. "In 20 four‑twenty 5, this most current year, we had full implementation K‑twelve," Edwards said, and noted the district adopted Amplify CKLA in kindergarten through grade 5 and an Amplify middle‑school ELA resource to provide continuity into grade 6.

On assessments, staff reported that Holmen outperformed the state and peer districts on the Wisconsin Forward assessment with 66.7% of students reaching proficiency; the district also reported a 55.7% proficiency rate on the PreACT‑8/9 ELA measure and a 47.5% proficiency rate on the ACT for 11th graders. District staff cautioned that some public data are from the 2022–23 school year because later statewide results had not been released publicly.

Under Wisconsin Act 20 the state selected AIMSwebPlus as the required screener for 4K through grade 3. Kim Edwards said the district moved K–3 screening to AIMSwebPlus this year and must report screening and diagnostic findings to families and to the Department of Public Instruction (WISE) by July 15. Edwards described the state’s 20th‑percentile threshold for “at‑risk” identification and said students who fall below that threshold must receive diagnostics and, where appropriate, a personal reading plan.

District staff said they used AIMSweb diagnostics for students flagged below the 20th percentile and supplemented district processes with additional team‑level (level‑3) diagnostics where needed. Tracy Seberfeldt, district literacy coach, said teachers and specialists create personal reading plans and monitor progress at least every 10 weeks; teachers must report screening results and the student’s at‑risk status to caregivers.

Edwards highlighted the district’s partnership with Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps tutoring program, noting tutors served students at each elementary building and that Reading Corps data show many students reached targeted growth. The district also launched an intensive summer reading program required for students who do not complete a personal reading plan by the end of third grade; the program runs in two three‑week sessions and, Edwards said, had about 86 students enrolled in the June session and roughly 126 students planned to be served across sessions for the summer.

Staff reported district training plans under Act 20. Holmen selected Institute for Multisensory Education Orton‑Gillingham (IMSE OG) training; Edwards said 93% of required K‑3 staff had completed training with the remaining 7% expected to finish over the summer and that 100% of administrators had completed the training.

Board members asked whether the 20th‑percentile benchmark referenced national norms; staff replied the percentile is national. The board also asked about integration of personal reading plans with Individualized Education Programs; staff said where an IEP exists it generally takes precedence and the reading plan content is integrated into the IEP.

Edwards said the Act 20 rollout increased the number of students identified for diagnostics but helped the district “pinpoint literacy instruction more so than we ever had.” She added that district teams and vendors are refining data tools and reporting workflows so caregivers receive required notifications.