Act 20 Requirement

All K-3 teachers, principals where there are grades K-3, and reading specialists must begin training on science-based literacy instruction by July 1, 2025. This must be from an approved list.

TRPSD Plan

Our elementary principals and reading specialists have begun “Impactful Early Literacy Practices Leadership Institute provided by CESA 6” and will complete the training in the 2024-2025 school year.  This is a 6-day Wisconsin Act 20-approved reading training for school districts and system leaders.  

All 4K-8 literacy educators will engage in the Cox Campus Structured Literacy Training Modules beginning in April of 2025. This is an online training platform that includes 12 modules for a total of 30 hours.

Act 20 Requirement

What type of early literacy instruction and intervention do schools need to provide?

• Phonological awareness
• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Building background knowledge
• Oral language development
• Vocabulary building
• Instruction in writing
• Instruction in comprehension
• Reading fluency

See the Wisconsin Reads website for more information

*School board retain the independent authority to select the early literacy instructional materials they will adopt and implement. Those instructional materials are required to meet the definition of "science-based early literacy instruction" found in Act 20.

TRPSD Plan

All K-8 educators currently implement Wit & Wisdom English Language Arts curriculum. In grades 4K-5 curriculum is supported by The Really Great Reading phonics resource. In grades K-2 further reading fluency is supported through the implementation of Geodes. These curricular resources are science-based and include all of the components of systematic and explicit instruction listed above. The package of Wit & Wisdom, Really Great Reading, and Geodes is at the top of DPI’s list of approved curricular resources. Staff have received professional development for the implementation of these resources beginning in 2022.

The below graphics showcase how the TRPSD early literacy instructional materials support the development of Scarborough's Reading Rope

See below for intervention instruction under Personal Reading Plans and/or Early Literacy Remediation Plan.

Act 20 Requirement

Act 20 Requirement
4K Assessment: Students are to be assessed twice during the school year using a fundamental skills screening assessment selected by the DPI. The first is to be completed by the 45th school day and the second by 45 days before the end of the school year.

5K-3 Assessment: Administer at least 3 universal screenings during the school year.  The first must be before the 45th day of the school year, the second in the middle of the school year, and the third by 45 days left in the school year.  Universal screenings must include phonemic awareness, decoding, alphabet knowledge, letter-sound knowledge, oral vocabulary

A diagnostic assessment must be used when a universal screening assessment indicates a pupil is at-risk (below 25th percentile). This occurs no later than the second Friday of November for the Fall assessment or within 10 days after the 2nd universal screening.  Diagnostic assessments must also be given within 20 days when a teacher or parent suspects a student has characteristics of dyslexia and submits a request.

TRPSD Plan

District staff will administer the required early literacy screener, aimswebPlus, as provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, following the DPI's screening windows throughout the school year.

AimswebPlus will be used for the initial diagnostic assessment. Legal guardians may request a diagnostic assessment or an evaluation through special education at any time.

For more information, click here to review the TRPSD Early Literacy Assessment Calendar.

Act 20 Requirement

Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, provide parents and families with the results of the reading readiness screener no later than 15 days after the assessment is scored in an understandable format that includes all of the following:

• The pupil's score on the reading readiness assessment.
• The pupil's score in each early literacy skill category is assessed by the reading readiness assessment.
• The pupil's percentile rank score on the reading readiness assessment, if available.
• The definition of “at-risk” and the score on the reading readiness assessment that would indicate that a pupil is at-risk.
• A plain language description of the literacy skills the reading readiness assessment is designed to measure.
• If a child is promoted to 4th grade without completing their personal reading plan, parents must be notified in writing along with a description of the reading interventions that child will continue to receive.

TRPSD Plan

Parents/caregivers will receive notification and information throughout the screening and diagnostic assessment process through the next path portal. Information for how to sign up for NextPath portal can be found here.   This includes information about screening assessments, screening assessment results, and if additional diagnostic assessment is warranted.  If additional diagnostic assessment is warranted, additional information will also follow including those results and related instructional planning (Personal Reading Plan).  All communications will occur according to the timelines indicated in Wisconsin Act 20. 

Act 20 Requirement

If students score below the 25th percentile on the universal screening assessment, a personal reading plan must be created that includes

• The specific early literacy skill deficiencies
• Goals and benchmarks for pupil's progress toward grade-level literacy skills
• How progress will be monitored, a description of interventions and additional instructional services being provided
• The science-based reading programming the teacher will use
• Strategies for the parent to support grade-level literacy skills, and any additional services available and appropriate

Local education agencies (public schools and independent charter schools) will provide a copy of the personal reading plan to parents as well as provide progress updates after 10 weeks.

TRPSD Plan

Students that fall below the 25th percentile according to the screening measures will receive a Personal Reading Plan. Parents/Caregivers will be notified and will have access to the plan online via the NextPath Portal. Parents/caregivers can also request a hard copy of the plan from their school. Educators will review progress weekly and parents/caregivers will be provided a progress update after ten weeks.

Act 20 Requirement

Schools must have a policy for promotion from 3rd to 4th grade, based on a DPI model policy, by July 1, 2025.  This will go into effect Sept 1, 2027

TRPSD Plan

The Two Rivers promotion policy will be reviewed, revised, and posted by July 1, 2025.

Act 20 Requirement

Act 20 requires each school district to articulate and post an early literacy remediation plan that includes all of the following: 

• The name of the diagnostic reading assessment the school district uses.
• A description of the reading interventions the school district uses to address characteristics of dyslexia.
• A description of how the school district monitors pupil progress during interventions, including the tools used and their frequency.
• A description of how the school district uses early literacy assessment results to evaluate early literacy instruction.
• A description of the parent notification policy that complies with Act 20. 

School districts are still required to publicly post the academic standards that they use and to provide a link to Wisconsin’s Informational Guidebook on Dyslexia and Related Conditions on their school district website.

TRPSD Plan - View Full Plan Here

In line with state requirements, the Two Rivers Public School District uses a variety of assessments to identify students who need help with reading, including those with symptoms of dyslexia. Teachers use these assessments to understand each student's needs and plan the best way to support them. Support plans include different instructional strategies such as teaching how to recognize sounds and patterns, practicing reading skills, and providing direct instruction on language and spelling. All students receive regular practice with reading and are given feedback to help them improve. To monitor progress students are assessed multiple times throughout the school year, and caregivers are notified of student progress following assessments. For students receiving personal reading plans, progress is reviewed more frequently to inform any necessary instructional changes to ensure student growth. 

Recommendations for Parents from School Professionals

We know that one of the most important ways to support your child's education is by fostering a love for reading and writing at home. When we work together, we can help them build strong literacy skills that will last a lifetime.

Here are a few fun, easy ways to engage with your child and grow their literacy skills together:

1. Read together every day: Set aside time each day to read with your child. Whether it’s a storybook, a chapter from a favorite series, or even a recipe or instruction manual, reading together sparks curiosity, increases the amount of language your child hears, and improves fluency.

2. Support your child in learning new words: When your child sees a word they don’t know, ask them to use the letters sounds to read the word. If your child still needs help, show how you say each sound in the word, and then blend the sounds together to read the word. Have your child repeat the word so they practice saying it and hearing how the sounds go together to make the word.

3. Ask questions and encourage discussion: After reading, ask questions about the story. “Who is the main character in the story?”, “Where and when does the story take place?”, "What do you think will happen next?" or "How would you have solved that problem?" Encouraging conversation helps with comprehension and critical thinking.

4. Explore letters and sounds: Ask your child to find specific letters in a newspaper, a menu, signs in a store, or posters in a doctor’s office. You can also point to a letter and ask your child what sound the letter makes. Making connections between letters and sounds is crucial to learning to read and write.

5. Create a literacy-rich environment: Label items around the house, create a family word wall, or make a “book corner” where your child can access a range of books. Seeing words everywhere helps make reading part of everyday life.

6. Play with words: Scrabble, rhyming games, clapping out syllables in the names of things you see while you are out and about, or simply talking about new words they encounter can make learning fun! The more words your child learns, the more confident they become as readers and writers.

7. Encourage writing: Encourage your child to write about their day, create stories, or even send a note to a friend or family member. Writing helps reinforce what they’re learning through reading and allows them to express themselves creatively.

Remember, the key is to make it fun and engaging! Literacy isn't just about reading and writing—it’s about creating moments where learning happens naturally, and we are here to support you every step of the way.