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We Are LQPV!

We SOAR as ONE!

The READ Act

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READ Act Legislation

Legislative Session ending May 2023

Signed into law by Governor Walz on May 24, 2023

  • Minnesota Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act)
  • The Goal of this legislation is:
    • to have every Minnesota child reading at or above grade level every year beginning in Kindergarten
      • Previously the benchmark had been third grade
    • to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals.
  • The READ Act replaces Read Well by Third Grade and went into effect July, 1, 2023.
    • Districts will report progress annually in their Local Literacy Plans using a new MDE provided template.
  • Tied to the district’s Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness Plan

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READ Act Legislation

Three Key Components:

  1. Professional Development (PD) For Staff
  2. Literacy Screeners
  3. Curriculum

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READ Act-PD

MDE Phase One = The following staff must complete training from one of the approved vendors by July 1, 2025 (LETRS is an approved vendor):

  • PreK Classroom Teachers
  • K-3 Classroom Teachers
  • K-12 Reading Intervention Teachers
  • PreK-12 Special Education Teachers responsible for reading instruction
  • PreK-5 Curriculum Directors
  • PreK-5 Instructional support staff who provide reading support
  • PreK-5 Employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district

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During the 2022-23 School Year, 18 LQPV Staff members completed the MDE provided LETRS Training:

  • 13 Classroom Teachers
  • Two TOSAs
  • One EL Teacher
  • One Reading Interventionist
  • One Director of Teaching and Learning

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READ Act-PD

Throughout the 2023-24 & 2024-25 School Years, 13 LQPV staff are enrolled in an SWWC LETRS Cohort and will complete the training in May of 2025.

  • Seven Classroom Teachers
  • Two EL Teachers
  • Two SPED Teachers
  • Two Middle School Teachers

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MDE Phase Two = the following staff must complete training by July 1, 2027

  • 4-12 Classroom Teachers responsible for reading instruction/teaching ELA standards
  • PreK-12 Teachers who work with EL Learners (Licensed ELL Teachers)
  • K-age 21 Teachers who work with students who qualify for the graduation incentives program under section 124D.68
  • 6-12 Instructional support staff who provide reading support
  • 6-12 Curriculum Directors
  • 6-12 Employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district

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READ Act-PD

Final Group of LQPV Teachers to be trained will consist of:

  • MS/HS SPED Staff responsible for reading instruction
  • JH/HS Staff responsible for reading instruction

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The LQPV School District is researching the approved training options to ensure the appropriate Science of Reading program is used for future staff training. Options include:

  • LETRS
  • CORE/OL&LA
  • CAREIALL

Additionally, the LQPV School District has a LETRS Trained Facilitator on staff who supports teachers on LETRS implementation.

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READ Act-PD

LETRS Training for Paraprofessionals

  • During the 2025-26 school year, all LQPV paraprofessionals will be trained in the Science of Reading using a specific LETRS Paraprofessional curriculum.
  • The Training will consist of 4 2-hour sessions and will be embedded in the 25-26 academic calendar.
  • Training will be provided on site by a LETRS Trainer from the SWWC.
  • Follow up to the training will be annual.

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READ Act-Screener Information

Approved Screeners (must be implemented in SY 24-25)

    • MDE Approved Screeners are:
      • mCLASS With DIBELS 8th Edition
      • FastBridge
        • Early Reading (K-1) and CBM Reading (1-3)
    • Must be administered to students in Kindergarten through grade 3
      • Within the first 6 weeks of school
      • Within the last 6 weeks of school
      • Three times annually
    • Screener results must be included in the newly developed annual Local Literacy Plan beginning in June 2024
      • MDE will provide a template for districts to use for the NEW Literacy Plan
      • Note: since screeners were recently approved in Jan. 2024, districts will have until June 2025 to use that data in their annual Literacy Plan submission.
    • Any student not reading at grade level starting in Kindergarten, must be progress monitored throughout the school year
    • LQPV’s Literacy Team will be working to decide which option the district will adopt.

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READ Act-Screener Information

  • Student Mastery must be met in the following areas (using one of the approved screeners):
    • Phonemic Awareness
    • Phonics
    • Vocabulary Development
    • Reading Fluency
    • Reading Comprehension
  • Curriculum
    • Districts must use evidence-based curriculum and intervention materials
    • MDE has provided some approved curriculum options; districts do not need to use those options unless they have used READ Act funds for purchase.
      • Districts must use evidence-based curriculum.

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READ Act-Curriculum Information

MDE Approved Curriculum Areas

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READ Act-Curriculum Information

Literacy Curricula that best met the criteria from the CAREI Rubric were identified as approved.

Review Rubric

Comprehensive Curricula

Foundational Curricula

Knowledge Building Curricula

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READ Act-Curriculum Information

Can districts/charters continue to use a curriculum that is not on the approved list?

The READ Act states in the 2023 Minnesota House File 2497, Article 3, chapter 132.18, section 6, lines 143.30-143.31, “A district is not required to use an approved curriculum unless the curriculum was purchased with state funds that require a curriculum to be selected from a list of approved curricula.”

The requirement for districts concerning curriculum is listed on 2023 Minnesota House File 2497, Article 3, chapter 132.18, section 5, lines 142.10-142.15, “Subd. 3. Curriculum. A district must use evidence-based curriculum and intervention materials at each grade level that are designed to ensure student mastery of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Starting July 1, 2023, when a district purchases a new literacy curriculum, or literacy intervention, or supplementary materials, the curriculum or materials must be evidence-based as defined in section 120B.1118.”

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LQPV READ Act-Curriculum Compliance

  • The LQPV Literacy Team will work to ensure that our district continues to use evidence-based curriculum and intervention materials that best meet the needs of our diverse learners.

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READ Act-Check out these Resources!

Below are resources that provide additional information:

    • Emily Hanford podcast: Sold a Story

A Novel Idea: The History of the Science of Reading (podcasts) from the Iowa Reading Research Center.

  • Trailer: A Novel Idea: The History of the Science of Reading = 4 minutes
  • Episode 1: The Science of Reading: Where Are We Now? = 36 minutes
  • Episode 2: Noah Webster Loves Phonics = 39 minutes Episode 3: The Rise of Picture Books = 31 minutes
  • Episode 4: Phonics Fights Back = 40 minutes
  • Episode 5: What’s the Deal With Whole Language? = 47 minutes
  • Episode 6: The Reading Wars = 31 minutes
  • Episode 7: Let’s Get Political = 41 minutes
  • Episode 8: The Science of Reading: Where Do We Go From Here? = 40 minutes

Mechelke, M. (Host). (May 24-July 20, 2023). A Novel Idea: The History of the Science of Reading.

https://anovelidea.buzzsprout.com/?fbclid=IwAR2V1-xorkaogStP9eCtCVSE2a59UxVSsI3lb_N51uvIb5usBZELu5fUD0k

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Additional Information on the READ Act.

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LQPV Science of Reading

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READ Act at LQPV

When you know better, you do better.

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We Are LQPV!

We SOAR as ONE!

LQPV School District and the READ Act

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