Early Literacy Assessment and Act 20
This page includes information about early literacy assessment as required by 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, specifically Wis. Stat. § 118.016. The page includes:
- early literacy screening in 4K through 3rd grade
- diagnostic assessment for students below the 25th percentile on required screening in 5K through 3rd grade
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. (Note: Fall 2024 and midyear 2024 - 2025 screening windows were updated 10/3/24 to reflect statutory requirements.)
Diagnostic Early Literacy Assessment
Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement for 2024 - 2025 - Added 3/31/25
Diagnostic Assessment Guidance
Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement for 2024 - 2025 (Updted 4/2/25)
April 23, 2025, districts and independent charter schools will receive access to EarlyRead, an application within WISEsecure. EarlyRead includes Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR), a digital form to request reimbursement for early literacy diagnostic assessment for 2024 - 2025, as required by Act 20.
The form includes:
- Number of students (unduplicated count) who required diagnostic assessment after the midyear or spring screening window by grade-level (5K through 3rd grade)
- Drop down menu to select the diagnostic assessment(s) from the DPI provided list used within the district or independent charter school
- Total amount of reimbursement requested (reimbursement will be prorated; the exact reimbursement rate will be known after the application window closes)
- Attestations about accuracy of the request and existence of documentation of the purchase
More information, including what qualifies for reimbursement can be found in the guidance below.
Reimbursement requests will be accepted through May 23, 2025.
District assessment coordinators (DAC) will automatically have access to EarlyRead and ELDAR. Others who need access (such as a business manager) can request access through WISEsecure; the request must be approved by the DSA. Click here to access WISEsecure.
The funds for diagnostic assessment reimbursement are from a state budget appropriation for assessment (separate from the funds for Act 20 work held up in a lawsuit). The diagnostic assessment funds are available and will be distributed shortly after the application window closes.
Growing Readers will also be used for the annual Act 20 data reporting requirement. The reporting portion of the application will be available May 5, 2025.
1. Which assessments are eligible for reimbursement?
2. What can I request reimbursement for?
3. How were assessments eligible for reimbursement selected?
4. Will reimbursement be prorated?
5. How will the reimbursement be distributed to the district or independent charter school?
1. Which assessments are eligible for reimbursement?
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. For 2024 – 2025, the list is:
- aimswebPlus by Pearson
- FastBridge and Star by Renaissance Learning
- HMH Amira by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- iReady by Curriculum Associates
- MAP Fluency by NWEA, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Because all of the early literacy subtests within aimswebPlus are available through Wisconsin’s contract with Pearson, the only reimbursable cost associated with aimswebPlus is RAN Objects and/or RAN Colors and Shapes. It is an add-on measure to aimswebPlus which must be purchased by a district or independent charter school.
Per statute, reimbursement is available only for assessments on the list. Although an assessment or collection of assessments may meet the requirements of Act 20, they are not eligible for reimbursement unless they are on the list.
2. What can I request reimbursement for?
Reimbursement includes:
- diagnostic assessment administered to meet the requirements of Act 20 (either after screening or due to a parent/caregiver request);
- the exact cost of the reading diagnostic assessment (not any instruction, practice, or tutoring that might accompany the diagnostic assessment);
- the cost of the reading portion of the assessment (not any other content areas, such as math); and
- one diagnostic assessment per student (an unduplicated count).
Reimbursement is not available for:
- consumables, printing, or supplies or
- administration costs, such as teacher or substitute pay.
3. How were assessments eligible for reimbursement selected?
The DPI reviewed all diagnostic assessments submitted by vendors or publishers. To be approved by DPI, the diagnostic assessment 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 statute (a sensitivity rate of 70%, a specificity rate of at least 80%); and
- include a growth measure (also required by statute).
Vendors or publishers can submit diagnostic assessments for review at Information for Vendors and Publishers.
4. Will reimbursement be prorated?
Reimbursement for early literacy diagnostic assessment will most likely be prorated. The exact percentage of reimbursement depends on the total statewide requests; it will not be known until all requests for reimbursement have been received.
5. How will the reimbursement be distributed to the district or independent charter school?
3/31/25: Answer coming soon
6. Where is the diagnostic assessment reimbursement form?
Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR) is within EarlyRead, an application in WISEsecure.
April 14, districts and independent charter schools will receive access to EarlyRead, and Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR) can be found within EarlyRead.
District assessment coordinators (DAC) will automatically have access to EarlyRead and ELDAR. Others who need access (such as a business manager) can request access through WISEsecure; the request must be approved by the district security administrator (DSA). Click here to access WISEsecure.
7. Who can complete the diagnostic assessment reimbursement form?
The department recommends that one person in the district or independent charter school complete Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR). That person should know how many students (unduplicated count) required diagnostic assessment per Act 20 and the exact cost of the assessment. Therefore, the department recommends ELDAR be completed by the district assessment coordinator (DAC) or business manager, or equivalent.
8. Is reimbursement at the school or district level?
Independent charter schools may submit one application for reimbursement.
Districts may submit one application per district; a district’s application for reimbursement should include all schools in the district (including district-sponsored charter schools).
In a multi-district charter, the authorizing district will submit for reimbursement for the multi-district charter school along with the request for other schools in the district.
9. What is included in the diagnostic assessment reimbursement form?
To complete Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR), the following must be entered:
- an unduplicated count of students who completed diagnostic assessment as part of Act 20 requirements separated into 5K, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade;
- the name of the assessment used from the list provided by DPI (selected from a drop down menu);
- a confirmation that the following attestations are true:
- The agency administrator and business officer (or equivalent) are aware of and in agreement with this submission.
- The total amount requested for reimbursement reflects the exact cost of diagnostic assessments for early literacy in 5K through grade 3 administered as part of Act 20. Note: The DPI will not provide reimbursement for diagnostic assessment outside of early literacy (e.g., if the purchase price of the assessment includes math and reading, only the reading portion of the assessment is eligible for reimbursement).
- The amount requested includes one diagnostic assessment per student in need of diagnostic assessment. If a student completes multiple diagnostic assessments, the student should be counted once.
- The number of students on this form is equal to the number of students requiring diagnostic assessment per Act 20. That is students who scored below the 25th percentile on the early literacy screener plus any diagnostic assessments completed after a parent/caregiver request.
- The diagnostic assessments were administered with fidelity.
ELDAR does not require uploading any documentation. Rather, local records to confirm the attestations (such as data to support the count of students or the receipt(s) for the purchase) should be maintained according to local records retention policy. Documentation must be provided, upon request.
10. For 2024 – 2025, what is the deadline for diagnostic assessment reimbursement requests?
Early Literacy Diagnostic Assessment Reimbursement (ELDAR), the portion of EarlyRead (an application within WISEsecure), is available from April 14 – May 15, 2025.
11. Can private schools, including those participating in private school choice programs (PSCP), apply for reimbursement?
The screening, diagnostic assessment, and personal reading plan requirements of Act 20 do not apply in private schools, including those participating in private school choice programs (PSCP). Therefore, private schools cannot apply for early literacy diagnostic assessment reimbursement.
Diagnostic assessment reimbursement is not the same thing as applying for a curriculum grant. Private schools participating in PSCP may apply for curriculum grants. Visit Early Literacy Curriculum Grants for more information.
Diagnostic Assessment Guidance
Printable Diagnostic Assessment Quickstart Guide found here.
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.
Wisconsin CESAs created guidance to support selection and administration of diagnostic assessment, including steps in diagnostic assessment and a list of diagnostic assessment tools organized by subskill.