Wisconsin Legislative Council
ACT MEMO
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Prepared by: Emily Hicks, Staff Attorney March 27, 2024
2023 Wisconsin Act 192
[2023 Senate Bill 990]
Early Literacy Professional
Development and Reading
Readiness Assessments
EARLY LITERACY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2023 Wisconsin Act 20, relating to early literacy instruction, curriculum, and assessments, requires
certain public school staff and University of Wisconsin System faculty to receive professional
development training in science-based early reading instruction offered by particular providers.
Under 2023 Wisconsin Act 192, certain trainings offered by cooperative educational service agencies
(CESAs) satisfy the Act 20 professional development training requirement. Specifically, CESA-provided
training must: (1) have been provided by CESA 6, 8, or 9; (2) have been provided after May 1, 2021 and
before July 1, 2024; and (3) be on science-based early reading instruction.
ASSESSMENTS AND PERSONALIZED READING PLANS
Screening Assessments
Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, 2023 Wisconsin Act 20 requires traditional public schools and
independent charter schools (collectively “public schools”) to administer fundamental skills screening
assessments to students in four-year-old kindergarten (4K) at least twice each year, with the first
assessment administered within 45 days of the beginning of the school year and the second assessment
at least 45 days before the end of the school year. Act 20 also requires public schools to administer a
universal screening assessment to all students in five-year-old kindergarten (5K) through third grade at
least three times each year, with the initial assessment administered within the first 45 days of the
school year, the second administered in the middle of the school year, and the third administered at
least 45 days before the end of the school year.
2023 Wisconsin Act 192 alters these requirements for the 2024-25 school year. Specifically, in the
2024-25 school year, public schools are required to administer the 4K fundamental skills reading
assessment only once, between January 1, 2025 and 45 days before the end of the school year.
Additionally, under the act, during the 2024-25 school year, public schools are required to administer
universal screenings for 5K to third grade students only twice: once in the middle of the school term and
again at least 45 days before the end of the school year.
Diagnostic Assessments
Act 20 also requires public schools to administer a diagnostic assessment to any student whose score on
a universal screening assessment is below the 25
th
percentile, indicating that the student is “at-risk.”
Under Act 20, a public school must administer a diagnostic assessment to a student by the second
Friday of November if the first universal screening of the school year indicates the student is at-risk, or
within 10 days if a mid-year universal screening indicates the student is at-risk. A public school must - 2 -
also administer a diagnostic assessment within 20 days after a teacher or parent who suspects a student
has characteristics of dyslexia submits a request for the assessment.
Act 192 alters this requirement for the 2024-25 school year to remove the requirement for a diagnostic
assessment by the second Friday of November if the first universal screening of the school year
indicates the student is at-risk. Additionally, under Act 192, the requirement to administer a diagnostic
assessment within 20 days of a teacher or parent’s request does not go into effect until January 1, 2025.
Personalized Reading Plans
Act 20 requires schools to create a personalized reading plan for a student within 10 days of that
student scoring below the 25
th
percentile on either a universal screening or diagnostic assessment.
Under Act 192, this requirement first applies after assessments administered in the middle or at the end
of the 2024-25 school year.
Effective date: March 24, 2024
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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