Fundamental Skills Screening (4K) and Universal Reading Screening (5K through grade 3)
Per Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 DPI has selected aimswebPlus by Pearson for early literacy screening in 4K through grade 3.
Visit the Wisconsin-specific aimswebPlus page for all resources, including training and customer service contact information, related to administering early literacy screening.
The school board or operator of the independent charter school is responsible for ensuring fundamental skills screening and universal reading screening are administered in accordance with Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016. To accomplish this, each LEA will establish and implement a screening window for administering the fundamental and universal reading screeners. Visit the Wisconsin-specific aimswebPlus page and/or use this document to to support local administration that meets statutory requirements.
Diagnostic Early Literacy Assessment
Diagnostic Assessment Guidance and List
Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 requires DPI to maintain a list of diagnostic assessments approved by DPI as meeting the requirements set forth in Act 20. Diagnostic assessments on the list provided by DPI must:
- include all the specific literacy subskills enumerated in Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 (phonemic awareness, decoding skills, alphabet knowledge, letter sound knowledge, oral vocabulary, rapid naming, phonological awareness, word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension);
- meet the technical specifications in Act 20 (a sensitivity rate of 70%, a specificity rate of at least 80%; and
- include a growth measure.
School boards and independent charter schools that purchase and implement a diagnostic assessment from the list provided by DPI will be eligible for funds through a reimbursement process. DPI cannot guarantee any amount of funding that will be available for this purpose.
LEAs must use a diagnostic assessment or assessments that meet the content and technical specifications of Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 listed above. LEAs are not required to use an assessment from the list provided by DPI nor are they required to use a single diagnostic assessment to address all areas required by Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016. For example, an LEA could create a menu of diagnostic assessments that allow for in-depth assessment of particular subskills (such as phonological awareness or word recognition) as components of a robust system of diagnostic assessments that meet the sensitivity, specifity, and growth measure requirements. The system would include processes for using data from early literacy screening to make decisions about administration of particular diagnostic assessments.
For diagnostic assessments not on the list published by DPI, LEAs are responsible for all costs.
LEAs must procure diagnostic assessments on their own; there is not a state contract.