Resources included here are intended to support local implementation of Act 20. Unless otherwise noted, these are templates and samples that can be modified for local use.
Latest Updates
Early Literacy Curriculum (February 17, 2025: existing content moved to a new page)
Promotion Policy (December 30, 2024)
Act 20 and Federal Funds (December 2024)
The following are included on this page:
District Early Literacy Remediation Plan Toolkit
Communication about Reading Readiness Assessment (Family/Caregiver Letters)
To support local education agencies (LEAs) in meeting/exceeding the parent/caregiver communication requirements within Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has prepared a series of four letter templates. These templates include:
- an optional introductory letter explaining what to expect in the upcoming early literacy screening;
- a letter to be sent after the early literacy screening, which includes the required communication per Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016;
- a letter inviting parents/caregivers to participate in writing their child’s personal reading plan (PRP); and
- a letter to accompany a student’s PRP, including the required communications per Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016.
Supporting Communication about Reading Readiness Assessments includes guidance and letter templates.
District Early Literacy Remediation Plan
Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 requires that each school district or independent charter school create and publish an early literacy remediation plan that applies to grades 5K through grade 3. It includes some elements that focus on all students and some elements that focus on students in need of additional supports. For students in need of additional supports, the early literacy remediation plan, is a representation of only part of a local equitable multi-level system of support. Per Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016, the early literacy remediation plan must only detail supports provided to students performing below the 25th percentile on the reading readiness assessment(s) and engaged in a personal reading plan, and therefore, does not provide parents or caregivers with a complete picture of the entire continuum of supports for reading.
The Early Literacy Remediation Plan Toolkit is available at this link.
While these optional resources were designed to support the development of early literacy remediation plans based on the requirements of Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016, each school/district maintains local decision-making authority and should utilize the expertise of their school communities when designing early literacy remediation plans.
Family History Survey
Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 part of 2023 Wisconsin Act 20 (Act 20) requires local education agencies (LEAs) to conduct “diagnostic assessments” to any student in 5K through grade 3 who obtains a score below the 25th percentile on the reading readiness screener. As part of the diagnostic assessment, LEAs must include a “family history survey,” defined as “a questionnaire that includes questions about previous recommendations for summer reading support or outside tutoring, general interest in reading and books, family history of characteristics of dyslexia, and any known family struggles in reading or spelling” (118.016(1)(d)). LEAs must provide the family history survey; parents/caregivers are not required to respond.
DPI's Family History Survey: Sample and Guidance, includes:
- options for administering the family history survey
- considerations for choosing how and when to administer the family history survey
- considerations for meaningful family engagement
- a sample family history survey
The sample survey is available in English, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish. All translations are found at the end of the document linked above.
Personal Reading Plan
Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016 mandates criteria for supporting 5K-3rd grade students scoring below the 25th percentile on a state reading readiness assessment. Specifically, schools/district must engage in collaborative efforts to identify those students’ literacy strengths and needs in order to develop personal reading plans to advance their early literacy proficiency.
At minimum, these personal reading plans for 5K-3rd grade students must include the following components:
- Universal instruction
- Areas of literacy skill needs
- Literacy goals and benchmarks
- Reading interventions and instructional services
- Progress monitoring
- Additional instructional services
- Support strategies for the parents/caregivers
- Signature of parents/caregivers after reviewing the plan
The Personal Reading Plan Toolkit is available at this link.
Information about the intersection between a personal reading plan and an individualized education plan (IEP) is available at this link.
While these optional resources were designed to support the development of personal reading plans based on the requirements of Wis. Stat. §§ 118.016, each school/district maintains local decision-making authority and should utilize the expertise of their school communities when designing personal reading plans.