Madison, WI – Forward Literacy, on behalf of a Wisconsin parent, has formally requested the WI Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to remove misleading early literacy guidance for K-3 students from its website and clearly instruct school districts that they cannot override state law.
“Parents and students deserve consistent enforcement of the law across the state,” said Forward Literacy Executive Director Katie Kasubaski. “DPI must provide clear, accurate guidance so every at-risk child receives the reading support required under Act 20.”
A Wisconsin school district used DPI’s current guidance to adopt a local policy that denies many K-3 students required reading help called a Personal Reading Plan (PRP). The district only provides a PRP if a student scores below the 25th percentile on both the initial screening and a follow-up test. State law, however, requires a PRP and additional reading support for any student scoring below the 25th percentile on either test.
These local rules contradict state statute. The letter urges DPI to take two immediate actions:
- Remove the FAQ recommending districts create “local decision rules” when screening and diagnostic results differ.
- Issue a formal letter from the Director of the Office of Literacy stating that Wisconsin law does not allow districts to add extra requirements or discretion to the PRP mandate.
The statute explicitly uses “or,” not “and.” Despite this, numerous districts have implemented stricter local policies, such as requiring low scores on both assessments or team approval after diagnostic review.
