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La Mesa‑Spring Valley to pilot state‑approved K–2 reading screener; recommendation due in June
Summary
The school board heard a detailed presentation on ED Code 53008 requiring annual K–2 screening for reading difficulties. District staff are piloting two approved screeners (MCLASS with DIBELS and Amira) and will recommend one for board adoption in June to meet a July CDE deadline; implementation, training and Spanish‑language access remain to be finalized.
The La Mesa‑Spring Valley School Board on May 6 heard a detailed briefing on the new state requirement that all kindergarten through second‑grade students be screened for reading difficulties.
Julie, the district’s director of learning support, told trustees the law (Education Code 53008) requires annual screening of K–2 students, provision of parent reports, and intervention in general education for students who are flagged. She said families may be notified and may opt out, and that the tool is not a diagnosis. "This is one tool that now we are required to use," Julie said, adding that the goal is early identification so teachers can intervene sooner.
The district is piloting two screeners cleared by the California Department of Education: MCLASS with DIBELS (Amplify) and Amira (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Julie said both offer beginning/middle/end year administrations and progress‑monitoring tools; teachers on the district pilot are testing the tools with sample students and will report back on May 22. "Our number one goal is which screener will give us the best data to inform instruction," she said.
Trustees and teachers raised implementation questions about timing, the time per student, Spanish‑language access and use with students who already have individualized education programs (IEPs). Julie said the district must offer the screener in Spanish when students cannot access it in English and that the pilot committee includes kindergarten–second grade teachers, reading specialists and the special education coordinator. She also said the district will train a new TOSA (teacher on special assignment) to lead site implementation and to help teachers turn screener results into classroom interventions.
District staff said the two piloted tools differ in administration model: one is computer‑administered for independent student completion, while the other is a one‑on‑one teacher‑administered assessment that can capture qualitative responses in real time. Julie estimated individual administration would take roughly 10–15 minutes per student for the one‑on‑one model.
Trustees were told the district must adopt a board‑approved screener by July to comply with CDE guidance. Staff said they will return in June with a recommendation for adoption and an implementation plan that includes training, family communications and guidance for special education teams.
The board did not take a vote on the screener at the May 6 meeting; the pilot and committee feedback will inform next month’s recommendation and the timeline for expanded rollout.
