ESSB 5946: Part 1
Learning to Read, Reading to Learn
Implementation Discussion
WSSDA Annual Conference
November 2014
3rd Grade Reading Bill – SB 5946
What is required in Schools in 2014-15?
Component
Comment/Questions?
- Have a “Comprehensive System of
Reading”
A useful guide for developing or improving a system can be
found at: http://k12.wa.us/ELA/pubdocs/CLP.pdf.
… Screening assessments/tools to identify at-risk
readers in K-4
A review of screening tools is available at:
http://www.rti4success.org/resources/toolscharts/screening-tools-chart. What are you currently using?
… Family involvement/engagement strategies to
help students read
Have you found any documents/tools that are especially
effective?
- For students
How should being at “grade-level” be defined? Should it be
“on track” to be reading at the end of 3rd grade? What
assessments will work for this? To what extent should
teacher judgment be considered?
who are not at “gradelevel,” teachers must explain to parents
the:
… Intervention strategies that will be used; and
… Strategies for improving reading skills that can be
used at home
See www.k12.wa.us/SSEO/ELAMenuBestPractices.aspx.
Based on your real world experience, what strategies work
especially well?
How can principals, OSPI, others help teachers become more
knowledgeable about this? What tools/documents and PD
3rd Grade Reading Bill – SB 5946
What is required in Schools in 2014-15? Continued…
Component
Comment/Questions
- Beginning in Spring 2015, if a student receives a score of “below-basic” on the 3rd
grade ELA assessment:
… the principal/designee, teacher, and parents to
meet before the end of the school year to discuss:
The testing window for the 3rd grade assessments will be
March 10 through April 15 (paper)/April 23 (online). Results
will be returned to the district by the 3rd week in May, and
earlier if online assessments are completed earlier in the
testing window. Would it make sense to schedule meetings
with the parents of struggling readers even before the results
are obtained?
. intensive improvement strategies that is to
include a summer program or other option
identified by the parents, teacher, principal/
designee.
. Appropriate grade placement
… Parent consent to be obtained regarding grade
placement and the strategies to be implemented
What intensive improvement strategies would make a
difference? Is the district office working on this? What can
OSPI and partners do to assist you in planning for this?
What should go into the grade placement decision? What
does the literature say regarding grade retention? Would it
be helpful to have a state-wide policy on this? Perhaps Paula
could lead a group???
3rd Grade Reading Bill – SB 5946
What is required in Schools in 2014-15? Continued…
Component
Comment/Questions
- Report cards to include:
… How the student is progressing in
acquiring reading skills; and
Do your current report cards include this information?
If not, does your district need some examples?
… Whether the student is at “grade-level” in
reading.
See discussion regarding “grade-level” earlier in the
document.
- Report on the number of students
at “grade-level”
.. Schools to report to the district the number
of K-4 students who are reading below “gradelevel” and the reading interventions that are
being provided, with the info disaggregated by
subgroups.
.. Districts to compile data, send it to OSPI,
and OSPI to submit a report to the Legislature
and Educational Opportunity Gap Committee.
What will be the best way to collect this data? Will
aggregated data at the district-level suffice?
At this point, OSPI plans to request this data at the end
of each school year.
Key Issues for Further Exploration
• Definition of “Reading at grade-level”
• Criteria and process for determining whether a child is “reading at grade-level”
• Guidance will be needed when OSPI collects the “grade-level” data in spring 2015
• What tools, documents, and PD is needed with regard to providing parents
information on how to help their children learn to read?
• What information would be helpful for principals and teachers in the “grade
placement” discussions with parents?
• What are the characteristics of an effective intensive summer program? How
should this information be shared?