Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Act 20 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District outlines tight timeline, staffing needs to implement Act 20 reading law
Summary
District administrators presented steps to implement Wisconsin's Act 20: universal screening with AIMSwebPlus, diagnostic follow-up for students below the 25th percentile, personalized reading plans with parent notification within 10 calendar days, and weekly progress monitoring — all requiring extra staff time and DPI-approved training.
District administrators laid out a compressed, multi-step plan to comply with Wisconsin's Act 20 reading legislation, emphasizing assessments, individualized plans and staff training.
At the board meeting, the district's curriculum director (S11) said the process starts with universal screening in fall, winter and spring using AIMSwebPlus and noted that kindergartners are screened twice while older grades are screened three times a year. The assessment coordinator (S12) added that any student who scores below the 25th percentile on the screener must receive a diagnostic assessment before a personalized reading plan (PRP) can be written and that schools have 10 calendar days to complete diagnostics and notify families.
"Once that plan is written and sent out, we now have to progress monitor," the curriculum director said, describing weekly oral-reading-fluency checks and a formal 10-week progress update to parents for students on PRPs. The coordinator explained that PRPs include multiple required components and estimated 30'0—05 minutes of staff time per plan to complete the eight-section document and coordinate supports.
Administrators acknowledged the workload and scheduling challenges this creates. The curriculum director said district staff are planning supports such as using title teachers, reading specialists and targeted small-group slots; the district will also provide DPI-approved trainer-led professional development through CESA 6 for administrators and teachers. The coordinator said the district chose AIMSwebPlus in part because most of the subtests used are free.
Presenters flagged specific challenges: administering individual assessments for young or nonverbal students, coordinating teams to write the PRPs within the 10-day window (which includes weekends), and finding sustained staffing for three screening windows per year. The curriculum director said the district is piloting processes and pulling "all hands on deck" for the first cycle and will refine staffing models for sustainability.
The board was shown draft calendar options for timing screenings, diagnostics and PRP writing that align with Act 20 windows. Administrators said they will bring a recommended calendar forward at the next board meeting for first reading, with a possible second reading and approval in February.
Next steps: the district will continue immediate screening work for the winter window, schedule DPI-approved trainings for staff, finalize an implementation calendar for board consideration and report back to the board on logistics for sustaining the additional diagnostic and PRP workload.
