Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Early Literacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Millbrae district adopts DIBELS reading screener to meet state mandate
Summary
The Millbrae City School District board approved adopting MCAS/DIBELS as its reading-difficulty screener to comply with California Senate Bill 114, including plans for teacher training, parent notification and follow-up interventions for students identified at risk.
The Millbrae City School District board voted to adopt the MCAS/DIBELS reading difficulty screener and the accompanying contract, moving to align district kindergarten through second-grade screening with Senate Bill 114 requirements.
The decision, presented by a district curriculum lead identified in the meeting as Katherine, follows state guidance requiring districts to adopt an approved screener by June 30, 2025 and to notify parents 15 calendar days before screening. Katherine told trustees the law also requires districts to report results, provide interpretations and suggested next steps within 45 days after screening.
Katherine said the district has trained nearly all K–2 teachers on MClass DIBELS in March and plans to integrate the platform with district systems after logins go live in early July. She said the district plans to use DIBELS each trimester going forward, though the law only requires one annual screening. “The earlier we identify reading struggles, the better chance we have of changing the trajectory,” she said, quoting the rationale behind the state requirement.
The presentation noted differences between the newly chosen screener and the district’s previous platform, FastBridge. Katherine said DIBELS provides a second-grade reading-comprehension measure that FastBridge did not, and she described teacher feedback that DIBELS’ interface was easier to navigate. The district’s Big Lift partners and neighboring districts’ adoption of DIBELS also influenced the choice, she said.
Board members asked how DIBELS compares to FastBridge and whether the screener functions as a dyslexia evaluation. Katherine emphasized that the screener is not a diagnostic or eligibility test and “it is not a dyslexia screener.” She added that identified students will receive targeted supports—structured literacy instruction, small-group work and built-in progress monitoring—and may receive additional diagnostic assessment if needed.
The board approved the action after a motion and second; the motion passed and was recorded as carried.
