Port Washington-Saukville School District

INTRODUCTION

The implementation of Wisconsin Act 20 strengthens our District’s work at the elementary level by sharpening our focus on building strong foundational literacy skills and increasing the number of students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. This priority aligns directly with the mission of the Port Washington–Saukville School District, Student Focused. Future Ready, ensuring every child receives the support, instruction, and opportunities they need to thrive today and succeed in the future.

We want children to read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade!

To ensure students are on track to meet this goal, we follow a clear three-step process designed to identify needs early and provide the right support at the right time. Parents and caregivers are informed about each step of this process as it applies to their child, keeping families connected, informed, and engaged in their student’s progress.

We ASSESS all students three times per year using AimswebPlus, a nationally normed screening assessment. These assessments take place in September, January, and March.

For students who score below the 25th percentile we then ANALYZE their skill set with additional assessments to better understand what foundational skills need to be strengthened. This information is used to create a Personal Reading Plan that is customized for each student.

Once students have a personalized reading plan, we then teach each student using research-based strategies to ASSIST them in strengthening their foundational reading skills and monitor their progress accordingly.

PWSSD ACT 20 PLAN

REQUIRED READING TRAINING

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.

PWSSD Plan
All K–4 classroom teachers and elementary and middle school special education teachers in the Port Washington–Saukville School District have completed the Cox Campus Structured Literacy Training Modules, a Wisconsin Act 20–approved professional learning program. This online training includes 12 modules totaling 30 hours and equips educators with research-based practices in structured literacy, ensuring every student receives high-quality, evidence-aligned reading instruction. Our 4K classroom teachers and classroom interventionists completed LETRS for early childhood training through Lexia. Finally, our three elementary principals and instructional strategists completed the AIMS literacy leadership training.

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

ACT 20 Requirement
Act 20 states that all Wisconsin schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction in both universal and intervention settings.

Instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of all the following:

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

*School boards 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.

PWSSD Plan
The PWSSD elementary literacy curriculum has been formed using a combination of resources from myView by Savaas, Bridge the Gap by Heggerty, and content from UFLI Foundations. This curriculum is science-based and includes all of the components of systematic and explicit instruction listed above. It has been vetted using the Curriculum Crosswalk Toolkit from the Wisconsin Department of Instruction. Staff continue to receive professional development for the implementation of our established curriculum to ensure proper teaching techniques and continued student growth and success.

ASSESSMENTS

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
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.

PWSSD Plan
All 4K educators will use the fundamental skills screening assessments selected by DPI, along with additional tools selected by PWSSD, two times throughout the school year and within the required screening windows.

All 4K–3rd grade educators will administer aimswebPLUS screening assessments three times each year in accordance with DPI’s published screening windows. At each elementary school, an assessment team will review screening results to determine when follow-up diagnostic assessments are needed for students in 5K–3rd grade. Legal guardians have the right to request a diagnostic assessment at any time, including the option to request a special education evaluation.