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Capitol Update January 31, 2024
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 31, 2024
Tomorrow the Assembly Education Committee will be holding a public hearing. One of the proposals scheduled is Assembly Bill 1017 – this legislation provides the statutory language needed to release the funds associated with Act 20 to DPI. While there is currently no provision included in the bill to extend the implementation timeline of Act 20 – communication to legislators expressing this need would be helpful as Education Stakeholder Organizations, including SAA, are still working hard to have a trailer bill introduced to make the timeline more manageable and increase the likelihood for successful implementation of the new statewide reading screener. I have attached the letter SAA, WiRSA, SWSA and WASB sent to Dr. Jill Underly and other key legislators detailing concerns with the timeline and urging them to consider providing an extended implementation timeline. I strongly encourage everyone to contact their legislators urging them to consider extending the implantation timeline, additional talking points are provided below to assist in drafting any correspondence.
- Act 20 states that all school districts must utilize the statewide literacy screener beginning with the 2024-25 school year. DPI is projecting an August announcement date for the statewide screener which does not provide school districts the opportunity to break their contracts with their current providers for the 2024-25 school year. This reality will not only result in a duplication of efforts as districts will potentially have two screening tools for 2024-25, but it is also a significant waste of time, money, and human resources as it doesn’t provide the time or the ability to shift those resources to other key initiatives in the district.
- To expect school districts across the state to set up and integrate a new screening tool within their existing technology, ensure that it works efficiently and effectively, provide training and professional learning for their administrators and professional educators, as well as successfully launch a new school year is completely unrealistic.
- The request for trailer legislation is simple. Require that districts, during the 2024-25 school year, to begin to transition away from their current screener to the statewide required screener, with the expectation of full implementation of the statewide screener to begin the 2025-26 school year. This is a timeline that positions school districts to implement the requirements of 2023 Act 20 purposefully and confidently.
- Without this trailer bill, school districts across the state will be scrambling to comply with the unrealistic timelines currently outlined, which will result in surface-level implementation, wasting precious resources of time, talent, and budget money, and limit the opportunities for critically important training and professional learning around evidence-based literacy instruction.
If you need to verify who your legislator is or obtain their contact information – please click here. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or receive feedback from your legislators.
The full hearing notice can be viewed here. As a reminder, we are nearing the end of the session – legislation will begin to move forward at a quicker pace given the limited number of floor session days remaining.
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