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Literacy Transparency

Literacy Transparency Act

The purpose of this webpage is to ensure the general public has information related to how Westminster Public Schools is remaining in compliance with SB 21-151, the Literacy Curriculum Transparency Act.  For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Education's Literacy Curriculum Transparency Dashboard: https://www.cde.state.co.us/code/literacycurriculumtransparency-dashboard

Literacy Curriculum

Westminster Public Schools organizes the Colorado Academic Standards for English Language Arts, developed by the Colorado Department of Education, into literacy levels PK-12. In our Competency Based System, student progress is recorded and reported towards each of these standards, organized into proficiency scales in our system.

Core & Supplemental Curricular Resources

The core curricular resource for K-5 literacy is Wonders (2020 Edition). This is an approved core instructional resource per the Colorado Department of Education’s list of approved core programs. For levels 6-12, the core curricular resource is StudySync. In addition, reading instruction is supplemented with Lexia Core5 (K-5) and Lexia PowerUp (6-8).

Reading Intervention Resources

WPS ensures that students who require additional support in learning to read can receive intervention at the Tier 2 level to help fill learning gaps. Resources used to supplement Tier 1 instruction may include:

  • WonderWorks - K-6 Reading Intervention Program
  • Lexia Core5 Reading

Literacy Assessments

Westminster Public Schools use the DIBELS 8th Edition to determine overall reading level and skill deficits for all students in grades Kindergarten-3rd grade. DIBELS 8th Edition is an approved assessment per the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)’s approved list.

READ Act

The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act) was passed by the legislature in 2012 and focuses on early literacy learning to catch those students at risk of not reading on grade level by the end of third grade. The READ Act requires that all kindergarten through third grade students are given an approved reading test that is used, along with other information, to determine if a student is performing well below grade level in reading.

READ Plans

If the DIBELS 8 test and other information shows that a kindergarten through third grade student is well below grade level, a READ plan must be created for the student.  Teachers should share DIBELS 8 results at conferences for all students, but especially students on a READ plan. Students stay on a READ plan until they are able to read on grade level. Some students will stay on a READ plan past third grade and will still receive reading supports to help bring students to grade level in reading.

For 2022-23, here are the percentages of K-3 students in WPS with READ plans:

  • 18.6% of Kindergarten students
  • 49.5% of first grade students
  • 45.1% of second grade students
  • 40.5% of third grade students

In 2022-23, 139 students from the previous year no longer required a READ plan.

READ Act Funds

Westminster Public Schools appreciates the funding allocated by the State of Colorado through the Colorado READ act to support our youngest learners.  WPS utilizes our READ allocation in a variety of ways, including:

  • Ongoing support of teacher reading pedagogy.  The district utilizes READ funds to purchase LETRS online licenses for teachers, interventionists, and administrators.  LETRS is a course of study that addresses the structures of English language, the cognitive processes of learning to read, and the teaching practices proven to be most effective in preventing and remediating reading difficulties, including dyslexia.  LETRS is designed to be the cornerstone of a multiyear, systemic literacy improvement initiative.  The majority of WPS K-5 teachers and administrators have completed LETRS in the past two years.
  • Tutoring: READ funds in WPS support K-3 literacy tutoring at each of our elementary and PK-8 schools.
  • Instructional Coaching:  WPS also uses READ funds to pay for ongoing instructional coaching in literacy at each school by providing two district-level coaches who work to implement the WPS instructional model as well as specific literacy strategies.
  • Program oversight: READ funds are utilized to pay a portion of a central administrator’s salary to oversee implementation of early literacy and READ initiatives across the district.

Professional Development

Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K - 3 teachers complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. WPS is meeting this requirement for not only K-3 teachers but also teachers in grades 4 and 5. Teachers had multiple options for meeting this requirement by August 2022 including:

  • Completion of LETRS Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling 3rd Edition, Units 1-8 with 80% passing scores for both units.
  • Completion of a CDE-approved literacy training
  • Obtaining a reading endorsement on the teacher’s CDE license
  • Obtaining a passing score (158 or greater) on the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary 5205 exam.

 

Literacy Curriculum Transparency