Over one-third of state’s youngest students flagged as at-risk readers

Kayla Huynh

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

USA TODAY NETWORK – WISCONSIN

Nearly 37% of Wisconsin students in 4-year-old kindergarten through third grade scored below the 25th percentile on early literacy assessments last school year, according to the state Department of Instruction.

For Milwaukee Public Schools, over half of 4K through third graders – or nearly 12,500 students – tested below the 25th percentile, results from the exams show.

The assessments, required under the state’s 2023 literacy law Act 20, evaluate students on reading skills and identify children at risk of reading difficulty.

Data from the first year of the literacy screeners, released Dec. 1, show about 97,400 Wisconsin students in 4K through third grade scored in the bottom quarter of students in reading. Under the state’s literacy law, students scoring below the 25th percentile must receive additional support in reading, including a personalized learning plan.

The law also requires the DPI to report results of the screeners to the Legislature annually. State Superintendent Jill Underly said the first year of data will serve as a baseline for student performance.

'These data are critical in helping schools guide instruction and intervention – not to define a student’s potential,' Underly said in a statement. 'With time and a sustained investment in strengthened classroom instruction and, as needed, additional reading support, we can move steadily toward our goal of making sure every Wisconsin child excels at reading by the end of third grade.'

About 39% of 5-year-old kindergarten through third grade students – or over 86,200 students – received interventions under a personalized learning plan last school year, the DPI reported.

Nearly 6% of 5K through third graders – over 12,000 students – completed their plans or exited interventions, the data show.

But about 7,300 5K through third graders who tested in the bottom quarter didn’t receive the required interventions.

DPI spokesperson Chris Bucher said some schools and families may decide a personalized reading plan isn’t needed, based on other data. The school typically works with families to decide what level of support makes the most sense when screener results and other data differ, Bucher said.

In addition to screeners, the state’s literacy law requires public school districts to focus on using a phonics-based method that focuses on sounding out letters. It prohibits 'three-cueing,' which encourages students to focus on context clues such as the meaning, structure and letters in a sentence.

Now in the second year of the state’s literacy law, school districts have found a mix of successes and challenges implementing the changes. Some have seen improved student reading scores, but others told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that tight timelines and high costs have made it difficult to carry out the law.

Number of Wisconsin students below the 25th percentile on reading screeners

Grade

Number of students

% of total enrollment

4-year-old kindergarten

3,869

8.6%

5-year-old kindergarten

21,979

41.7%

1st

25,296

46.8%

2nd

22,477

40.3%

3rd

23,793

41.6%

Total

97,414

36.8%