December 9, 2015
( X ) Action Required
Due date: 2015–16 School Year
and Summer 2016
( X ) Informational
BULLETIN NO. 068-15 TEACHING & LEARNING
TO:
ESD Superintendents
School District Superintendents
ESD Assistant Superintendents
School District Teaching and Learning/Curriculum Directors
School District Title I/LAP and Special Education Directors
School District Assessment Directors
School District Early Learning Contacts
FROM:
Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE:
2015–16 K–4th Grade Literacy Requirements and Resources
CONTACT: Aira Jackson, Literacy/English Language Arts Director
aira.jackson@k12.wa.us, 360-725-6228
Paula Moore, Title I/LAP/CPR Director
paula.moore@k12.wa.us, 360-725-6100
Purpose
The purpose of this bulletin is to clarify expectations for the implementation of required
actions in the 2015–16 school year related to K–4 literacy and English Language Arts
(ELA) mandated by ESSB 5946 (2013) – Strengthening Student Educational Outcomes
(SSEO) and amended by SSB 5803 (2015). For your reference, the codified RCWs are
provided for each requirement below. Additional resources, tools and information to help
school districts implement the requirements in the law, including the ELA Menu of Best
Practices and Strategies, are available on the OSPI K–4 Literacy SSEO website.
K–4 Literacy Requirements for All Schools
1. Intensive Improvement Strategies Based on Student Performance on 3rd
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Grade State Assessment: For any student scoring Below Basic (Level 1) OR
Basic (Level 2) on the 3rd grade ELA assessment the prior year, the district must
implement an intensive reading and literacy improvement strategy from the state
ELA Menu of Best Practices or an alternative practice or strategy as described
below. See RCW 28A.655.235.
2. Schools with Over 40 Percent of 3rd Graders Not Meeting Standard on the
3rd Grade State Assessment: Starting with the 2015–16 year (based on Spring
2015 3rd grade state ELA assessment results), for any school where more than
40 percent of tested students score Below Basic (Level 1) OR Basic (Level 2) on
the 3rd grade ELA assessment the prior year: the district must implement an
intensive reading and literacy improvement strategy for students in grades K–4 at
the school(s) from the state ELA Menu of Best Practices. School districts may
use an alternative practice or strategy not on the menu for two school years.
Schools After two years, to continue with an alternative, districts will need to
demonstrate to OSPI it resulted in improved student outcomes at levels
consistent with practices on the menu. See RCW 28A.655.235.
Schools with more than 40 percent of 3rd graders scoring basic or below basic on
the 3rd grade ELA state assessment administered in spring 2015, received
communication from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) the
first week of December. The full list of schools is available in the Washington
Assessment Management System (WAMS) for district access.
3. Required Parent/Guardian Meetings: Parent/guardian meetings and intensive
improvement strategies are required for all students who are reading below
grade-level and/or are likely to receive a score of basic (Level 2) or below basic
(Level 1) on the 3rd grade ELA assessment. OSPI recommends using multiple
measures, including diagnostic and formative assessments to determine whether
or not a child is likely to score at Level 1. These meetings should occur
throughout the year (such as during planned conferences) with the spring
meetings being focused on the school’s plan for supporting the student and the
student’s progress. At the end of the school year, the school district must receive
parent/guardian consent regarding appropriate grade placement and the
intensive improvement strategy to be implemented. If the school district does not
receive a response from a parent by the deadline, or a reasonable time
thereafter, the principal or his designee shall make a decision on the student’s
grade placement for the following year and the intensive improvement strategies
that will be implemented during the following school year. If the school principal
and parent cannot agree on the appropriate grade placement and improvement
strategies from the list of available options, the parent’s request will be honored.
See RCW 28A.655.230.
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4. Report Cards Requirements: K–4 report cards are to include: 1) How the
student is progressing on acquiring reading skills; and 2) Whether the student is
at grade level in reading. If a student is not reading at or above grade level, the
teacher must explain to the parent/guardian (as part of ongoing communications
and/or through the meetings referenced in number 3): a) Which interventions and
strategies will be used; and b) Which strategies for improving the student’s
reading skills can be used at home. See RCW 28A.320.208.
5. Required Reporting for All Students in Grades K–4: Schools/districts are
required to report to OSPI at the end of the school year: 1) The number of K–4
students reading below grade level; and 2) The interventions provided to improve
the reading skills of the students. See RCW 28A.320.208. Schools/districts will
submit 2015–16 data through the Education Data System (EDS) portal by
September 1, 2016. Please refer to the K–4 literacy SSEO website for more
information.
Key Messages: Establishing a New Baseline with Smarter Balanced Assessments
With the implementation of Washington’s 2011 State Learning Standards for ELA (the
Common Core State Standards) and the administration of the new Smarter Balanced
assessments, Washington is in a period of transition. The spring 2015 assessments
provide a new baseline to work from as we strive to ensure that all students are entering
4th grade with the support they need to be successful. The implementation of these new
requirements around K–4 literacy provides an important early opportunity to address
the learning needs of students and schools through intensive improvement strategies
for improving reading and literacy skills.
It is important to note that the 3rd grade ELA Smarter Balanced is just one measure of
student progress and achievement. Districts will use the results of this and other
assessments to design appropriate strategies that meet the needs of schools and
individual students. The revised ELA Menu of Best Practices and Strategies presents
evidence-based strategies and should help inform district and school decision making.
Additional Information and Tools
Additional resources (including the state ELA menu of best practices), tools, and more
detailed information regarding the provisions of the legislation are available on the OSPI
K–4 literacy SSEO website.
Consolidated Program Review Process Considerations
For districts participating in the 2015–16 Consolidated Program Review, OSPI staff will
include questions about implementation of these requirements at the district entrance
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interview and at the school building meeting. OSPI staff will be responsible for
documenting the conversations. Questions will not be part of the formal checklist for the
2015–16 school year.
If you have any questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Aira Jackson,
Literacy/English Language Arts Director at 360-725-6228 or aira.jackson@k12.wa.us
and Paula Moore, Title I/LAP/CPR Director at 360-725-6100 or
paula.moore@k12.wa.us.
The agency TTY number is 360-664-3631.
K–12 EDUCATION
Gil Mendoza, Ed.D.
Deputy Superintendent
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Jessica Vavrus
Assistant Superintendent
SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Gayle Pauley
Assistant Superintendent
ASSESSMENT AND STUDENT INFORMATION
Robin G. Munson, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent
EARLY LEARNING
Bob Butts
Assistant Superintendent
RD:as
OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national
origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the
presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a
disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at 360725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.