This policy will be in place for the 2027-2028 school year.

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Purpose

This policy is designed to help 3rd and 4th grade students reach grade-level reading proficiency

by providing intensive support. We follow Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction standards

and the Right to Read Act 20 to ensure that each student receives the reading instruction,

monitoring, and resources necessary to succeed.

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Who is This For?

This policy applies to all 3rd grade students, their teachers, school administrators, and families. It

includes specific supports and requirements for students with identified reading deficiencies and

includes processes for providing necessary instruction and monitoring progress.

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Policy Goals

1. Identify and Support: Identify students with reading deficiencies and provide them

with intensive instructional services and progress monitoring.

2. Parental Notification: Keep parents informed in writing about their child’s reading

progress and the supports provided.

3. Grade-Level Success: Ensure all students can read at or above grade level by the end

of 3rd and 4th grades, with continued support as necessary.

4. Intensive Summer Program: Offer a summer reading program (in conjunction with the

Freedom Area School District) to support students until they achieve grade-level reading

proficiency.

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Policy Details

1. Assessment and Progress Monitoring

- Reading Assessments: All students (kindergarten - 8th grade) will take reading

assessments three times per year (beginning, middle, and end) to track reading

levels. Students in 3rd - 8th grade will also take the Forward Exam in the spring.

- Additional Assessments: Students that may be given additional assessments to

show specific needs. These assessments include, but are not limited to, Barton,

Kilpatrick, SuperKids, Visualizing and Verbalizing, LiPs, STAR CBM, …

- Progress Reports: For students identified with reading deficiencies,

intervention teachers will provide regular progress updates to parents and offer

specific improvement plans.

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2. Required Services and Supports

- Students that fall below the 25% in reading, using the above mentioned

assessments, will receive a specialized learning plan. This plan will be developed

with our resource teacher team and the classroom teacher.- Intensive Instructional Services: Students identified with reading deficiencies

will receive targeted instruction to address specific areas of need. This would

include weekly interventions with our resource teachers in conjunction with the

enhanced instruction that is taking place with the classroom teacher.

- Progress Monitoring and Remediation: Resource teachers will complete

progress monitoring on a consistent basis to determine whether student growth is

taking place. They will meet with the classroom teacher to compare progress.

Progress monitoring will consist of assessments both formal and informal. Formal

assessments will include but are not limited to STAR CBM and SuperKids.

Assessments will be given monthly.

- Parental Notification: Parents or guardians will be notified in writing if their

child has a reading deficiency. This notification will include a detailed description

of the intensive instructional services and supports being provided to help the

student improve in identified areas. Resource teachers will communicate with

families on a minimum of bi-weekly basis with updates on student progress.

Parents will meet with classroom teachers quarterly to determine progress.

- Learning Plans: Students that fall below the 25th percentile will receive a

written learning plan. This plan will be maintained by the resource teacher and

principal in conjunction with the classroom teacher. This document will be

revised prior to the beginning of each school year. Parents and classroom teachers

will meet twice a year to review progress and make adjustments to

accommodations as needed.

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3. Summer Reading Program

- Eligibility: Students who have not achieved grade-level reading proficiency by

the end of 3rd grade will be enrolled in an intensive summer reading program,

which will continue each summer until they reach grade-level proficiency as

measured by a summative assessment.

- Program Structure: To be determined by the Freedom Area School District

- Duration and Format: To be determined by the Freedom Area School District

- Progress Evaluation: At the end of each summer session, students will be

reassessed to determine if grade-level proficiency has been achieved using STAR

testing or other appropriate assessment based on the child’s areas of concern.

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4. Good Cause Exceptions

Certain students may be eligible for a “Good Cause Exception” from mandatory

summer programs or retention:

- Limited-English Proficient Students: As defined in Wis. Stat. § 115.955(7).

- Students with IEPs: Students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that

specifies that the examination is not appropriate.- Alternative Proficiency Assessment: Students who score proficient on an

alternative, approved standardized reading assessment.

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- Students with 504 Plans or Extended Intensive Intervention: Students with

IEPs or 504 Plans who have received intensive intervention in reading for more

than 2 years and continue to demonstrate deficiencies, including those previously

retained in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

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- Multiple Retentions and Ongoing Deficiency: Students who have received

intensive reading intervention for two or more years, continue to have reading

deficiencies, and have been retained in kindergarten through 3rd grade for at least

2 years.

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5. Advancement to 4th Grade

- Promotion Criteria: Students who meet grade-level reading proficiency by the

end of 3rd grade or after completing the summer program will advance to 4th

grade.

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- Ongoing Support: Students who require additional support in 4th grade will

continue to receive targeted reading intervention to support progress.

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Review and Adjustments

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure compliance with Wisconsin Department of

Public Instruction standards and the Right to Read Act. Adjustments may be made based on

feedback from teachers, parents, and students to enhance the effectiveness of our reading support

programs.