Peter Huidekoper, Jr. February 2024

Part 1 - The case to extend the READ Act to the K-5 years

Part 2 - The bigger picture - Reading in grades 6-12 in Colorado

Introduction – Paying attention

The Colorado legislature initiated a major commitment to improve our students’ reading skills in 2012 by passing the READ Act. By 2019 deep concerns about a lack of progress compelled policy makers to pay attention. That year they created more specific measures to train and support teachers: Senate Bill 199 – Strengthening the READ Act.[i]

Five years on, we must, again, pay attention. This report aims to sound an alarm. The READ Act, some might have imagined, could benefit our whole K-12 system. Perhaps a few believed, naively, that if we fix the reading struggles our kids endure in their early years—we’re home free.

SB 199 called for a multiyear evaluation of the READ Act. In both 2022 and 2023 the Independent Evaluation of the READ Act recommended we pay closer attention to the reading skills of students after third grade. This report does just that. It will show that tens of thousands of Colorado students, throughout the K-12 system, struggle to read well.

We need to take off our blinders. We cannot look solely at the K-3 years.

Ann Schimke at Chalkbeat Colorado has been paying attention. For background on my report, two of her articles are invaluable. One quote below; more from her articles in Addendum A.

Policy makers and school leaders need to understand and face up to the scope of the problem. There is much more work to do.

From Chalkbeat Colorado

Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read. This Colorado public school aims to help. (May 11, 2022)[ii]

Experts say Colorado’s local control landscape means wide variation in the kinds of extra help provided to secondary struggling readers — if there’s any at all

Bold mine

… aside from a modest literacy grant program, state policymakers have given scant attention to the tens of thousands of secondary students who struggle with reading.

Students who can’t read proficiently face long-term consequences. They are at greater risk of dropping out, earning less as adults, and becoming involved in the criminal justice system.

Leaders at the state education department say their role in addressing older students who can’t read well is minimal because there’s no law equivalent to the 2012 READ Act, which mandates help for struggling young readers.

“Because there isn’t a statute similar to the READ Act, there is not a structure around literacy [in grades] four through 12,” said Floyd Cobb, executive director of teaching and learning at the Colorado Department of Education. “That responsibility is largely that of the districts.”

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After the READ Act – Beyond third grade, how well do our students read?

Table of Contents

Two reports – Look beyond third grade

Independent Evaluation of the READ Act (2022)

National Council on Teacher Quality (2024)

Part 1 – The case to extend the READ Act to the K-5 years

Over 20,000 students in grades 4-5 still on a READ plan.

CMAS shows over 30,000 4^th and 5^th graders well below grade level on literacy.

Why “reading at grade level by end of 3^rd grade” must be revised.

· From annual reports on the READ Act
· CMAS-English Language Arts scores – Grade 3

Over past eight years, we have never seen 42% of 3^rdgraders Meet or Exceed Expectations.

For 3^rd Grade - READ Act figures and CMAS-ELA scores

Grades 4 and 5 – CMAS-ELA – 2023 results - PROGRESS!

On the other hand. Consider the challenge for our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers.

What if we fail to make the READ Act a K-5 effort? A warning.

What do our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers need?

Part 2 – The bigger picture - Reading in grades 6-12 in Colorado

CDE reports over 34,000 students in grades 6-12 are still on a READ plan.

CDE data reveals 30 high schools with at least 100 students still on a READ plan.

CMAS & PSAT/SAT scores indicate over 60,000 secondary school students struggle to read well.

· Grades 6-8 – In 2023, over 20,000 students Did Not Yet Met Expectations.

· Grades 9-11 – In 2023, over 40,000 students Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.

Addenda A - L

_______________________________________________________________

… but can they read?

The vision of the Colorado Department of Education:

“all students in Colorado will become educated and productive citizens capable of succeeding in society, the workforce, and life.”^{^[iii]}

“The future of reading affects the future of our societies.”^{^[iv]}

"If there are no young readers and writers, there will soon be no old ones. The culture of the written word will be dead, and with it democracy." (Margaret Atwood)

2022 - Percentage of students at or above proficiency in reading

National Assessment of Educational Progress^{^[v]}

Colorado

Grade 4 - 38%

Grade 8 – 34%

U.S. Literacy Rate Statistics^{^[vi]}

1. 54% of adults [in the US] have a literacy below sixth-grade level.

2. 21% of Americans 18 and older are illiterate in 2022.

3. The state with the highest rate of child literacy is Massachusetts, with over 80% of kids there having good proficiency in reading.

4. New Mexico has the lowest literacy rate for children, with over 30% of the state's children being illiterate.

___________________________________________________________

Two reports – Look beyond third grade

A. From the Independent Evaluation of the Colorado READ ACT

Year 2 report (June 2022) Bold mine

From Executive Summary

Many students who do not achieve proficiency on the CMAS are not served under the current READ Act.

Analysis of third grade CMAS ELA proficiency shows that there are many students (48 percent in the 2020-21 school year) who are not classified as having SRDs, but who also do not achieve proficiency on the CMAS ELA exam.... This result may suggest a need for additional support, not just for students identified as having SRDs, but for other students as well.

… if students are not exited from their READ Plans by the end of third grade, educators reported that, since READ funding is no longer provided starting in fourth grade, schools are often not able to provide the added interventions and supports needed to help the student reach proficiency and exit their plan.

• LEPs [Local Education Providers] and schools report the need for additional resources to support continued interventions in grades 4-12 for students who do not exit their READ Plans by end of grade three since these students continue to require additional assistance and support in order to reach grade level proficiency.

We recommend that Year 3 of the evaluation include an analysis of READ Plans, interventions, and outcomes for students in grades four through 12 to determine where additional supports may be needed beyond the third grade.

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/year2evaluationsummaryreport

B. From the National Council on Teacher Quality

NOTE: The recent report from the National Council on Teacher Quality speaks of training for all elementary teachers,

not just K-3 teachers, in its recommendations.

STATE OF THE STATES 2024

Five Policy Actions to Strengthen Implementation of the Science of Reading

JANUARY 2024

Bold mine

State education leaders across the country are rightly prioritizing efforts to improve elementary student reading outcomes. However, too often these initiatives do not focus enough on the key component to strong implementation and long-term sustainability: effective teachers.… This report outlines five policy actions states can take to ensure a well-prepared teacher workforce that can implement and sustain the science of reading in classrooms across the country.

Policy Action 5: Provide professional learning for teachers and ongoing support to sustain the implementation of the science of reading

Indicators:

Require all current elementary teachers to receive high-quality professional learning in scientifically based reading instruction and to demonstrate their learning

Provide districts with resources to support implementation and sustainability such as literacy coaches or support networks

Support professional learning to promote skillful implementation of high-quality reading curricula

Evaluate results of investments in professional learning

https://www.nctq.org/publications/State-of-the-States-2024-Five-Policy-Actions-to-Strengthen-Implementation-of-the-Science-of-Reading

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Part 1 – The case to extend the READ Act to the K-5 years

Over 20,000 students in grades 4-5 are still on a READ plan.

CMAS shows over 30,000 4^th and 5^th graders well below grade level on literacy.

I take a close look at data from grades 4 and 5 to support my argument that we must add these grades to the READ Act’s purview. Our K-3 effort is not enough.

3^rd gr. – # of students Identified with Significant Reading Deficiency (SRD)*	4^th gr. - # of students on a Read plan
2021 -13,755	2022 - 14,033

2018 – 12,066**	2019 – 13,310
*Significant Reading Deficiency – from here on referred to as SRD. The Colorado Department’s definition equates SRD with students identified as significantly below grade level.”[vii]
**12,066 – my math based on state numbers. 18.2% out of 66,295 students assessed. Other numbers are from the annual READ Act reports of 2023, 2022, and 2020. For 4^th graders, the reports state: “Approximate Numbers of Students Who Remain on READ plans beyond Third Grade by Grade Level.”

The state’s figures suggest that 4^thand 5^th grade teachers together might find 24,000 students still on READ plan. Add this curious fact: in 2022 more students were on a READ plan in 4^th grade than were identified the previous year with Significant Reading Deficiency by 3^rd grade teachers. (See box. A similar rise from 2018 to 2019.) And yet the READ Act’s support stops at grade 3.

What is more, as I will show, CMAS data indicates over 30,000 4^thand 5^th graders perform well below grade level on literacy.

Teachers in these two grades must be overwhelmed trying to meet the individual needs of so many students. Especially—and this is critical—as many, perhaps most, 4/5 teachers have not had the training in the science of reading so central to the READ Act’s K-3 work.

Why “reading at grade level by end of 3^rd grade” must be revised.

To make a convincing case for this change, I must establish that the goal of seeing 3^rd graders reading at grade level (see five versions of this, Addendum B) was misplaced, is proving impossible, and has become meaningless – and hence the need for a credible goal.

A. From annual reports on the READ Act

Students still on a READ plan - #s from the annual READ Act reports to the legislature
	Grade 4	Grade 5	TOTAL
2022	14,033	x
2021	x	10,777
2019	13,310	10,770	24,080
2018**	11,000	7,000	19,000
X - State testing was affected by COVID, so numbers for this class (in 4^th grade in 2021, then in 5^th grade in 2022) are unavailable.

The Colorado READ Act passed in 2012. It was in place by 2013-14. In spite of a decade of data, we still spout the same line about all students achieving proficiency. Such rhetoric is out of touch with the facts.

READ Act reports show that even after the hard work by our K-3 teachers, well over 20,000 students are still on a READ plan in grades 4 and 5 - see box. (And, oh yes, that another 34,000 students are still on a READ plan in grades 6-12. See Part 2.)

“All 3^rd graders will read at grade level”? Nonsense.

B. CMAS-English Language Arts scores – Grade 3

READ Act reports only look at our youngest students having the toughest time trying to read. For grades 3-8, CMAS-English Language Arts data presents the bigger picture. We have results for roughly 60,000 students in each grade.

Are CMAS-ELA scores useful to measure our students’ reading skills? We know (I hope) that CMAS-ELA and the READ Act do not assess the same skills. CMAS ELA tests for both reading and writing, while the READ Act’s SRD diagnostic assessment is for reading alone. Nevertheless, CMAS results tell us something meaningful about how well our students read. (More below.[1]) They complement, and in some ways correct, what we might take from READ Act reports.

We have used the CMAS-English Language Arts for the past 8 years. Results?

Not once have we seen 42% of 3^rdgraders Meet or Exceed Expectations.

Percent of 3^rdgraders who Met or Exceeded Expectations on CMAS English Language Arts/Literacy

2023	2022	2021	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
39.9	40.7	39.1	41.3	40.4	40.1	37.4	38.2

During these same years, in grades 4 and 5, the average percentage of students achieving proficiency has also remained below 50%.

Percent of 4^th/5^th graders who Met or Exceeded Expectations on CMAS English Language Arts

	2023	2022	2021	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
Grade 4	43.8	44.1	x	48.0	46.1	44.1	43.9	41.7
Grade 5	47.8	45.4	47.2	48.4	47.4	46.3	41.2	40.5

X –In 2021, due to COVID, CMAS testing was reduced to every other grade.

In short, what is not happening for 3^rd grade is also not happening for grade 4 and 5. No one declares that all 4^thand 5^th graders will be reading at grade level, for good reason.

For 3^rd Grade - READ Act figures and CMAS-ELA scores

Let’s see where READ Act data and CMAS-ELA scores for 3^rd graders overlap. I am not alone in making this comparison. The Independent Evaluation of the READ Act (produced by West Ed; RTI International; and Augenblick, Palaich & Associates) has done this on numerous occasions. (See Addendum D.) Its Year 3 report goes further.[viii]

Recommendation: CDE and the external evaluation should focus attention on persistently low rates of proficiency on the CMAS ELA exam and explore the gap between students who are not designated with having an SRD (either through exiting SRD status or whose interim assessment scores are above the threshold for SRD status) but do not reach proficiency on the CMAS ELA exam.

CMAS results break down into five categories:

% Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

% Partially Met Expectations

% Approached Expectations

% Met Expectations

% Exceeded Expectations

Those scoring in the bottom performance level on CMAS-ELA represent that portion of the class performing well below (perhaps two or three years below) grade level.

CMAS – students scoring in lowest performance level - Did Not Yet Meet Expectations[2]

READ ACT – students identified with Significant Reading Deficiency

Striking similarities over 5 years - % and number of 3^rd grade students

	CMAS – Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (lowest performance level)	READ ACT Significant Reading Deficiency
2022	22.1% - 12,194	22.3% - 13,175
2021	21.5% - 9,735	23.3% - 13,756
2019	17.3% - 10,493	19.1% - 12,236
2018	17.8% - 11,198	18.2% - 12,066*

*This number does not appear in the READ Act annual report; instead, the report states the percentage and the total number of students assessed in grade 3. The math is mine.

In each case, in 2022, we see over 12,000 students and close to one-fifth of the 3^rd grade class. If READ Act numbers and CMAS results match up in the one year (third grade) when both assessments are in place, we have further reason to follow CMAS-ELA scores beyond third grade. And to ask what they say about the reading skills of our 4^th and 5^th graders.

Grades 4 and 5 – CMAS-ELA – 2023 results - PROGRESS!

First, good news. See (below) the drop in the number and the percentage of students who scored in the lowest performance level (Did Not Yet Meet Expectations) on CMAS-ELA last spring: 22.2% in 3^rd grade – down to 7.9% by 5^th grade. Real progress.

(Albeit rare. This is the only time we see the number and percentage decline for grades 3-11.)

We find equally good news at the other end of the scale: the percentage of students in grades 4 and 5 who Meet or Exceeded Expectations improves. Close to 50% at grade level in 5^th grade.

Something good is happening in grades 4 and 5!

	Declining % Did Not Yet Meet	Rising % Meet or Exceed
	*% of students who scored Did Not Yet Meet Expectations* (lowest level) declines to 7.9% (lowest % of all grades 3-8)**	*% of students who Meet or Exceeded Expectations* rises to nearly 48% (highest % of all grades 3-8)**
3	22.2%	39.9%
4	14.5%	43.8%
5	7.9%	47.8%

On the other hand. Consider the challenge for our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers.

From, “Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read,” Chalkbeat, by Ann Schimke, 5/12/22.[ix]

“The scope of reading problems is clearer for younger students because Colorado’s 2012 reading law requires schools to identify students with significant reading deficits in kindergarten through third grade and spell out plans to help them catch up. The state has a pot of money earmarked to help this group.

“There’s no such requirement — nor funding — for students in fourth grade through 12th grade, though some students stay on their so-called READ Plans far beyond third grade.”

Now a more sober point. We must appreciate how many students in grades 4 and 5 need extra help to even “approach” meeting our expectations in reading and writing. This requires a more complete look at CMAS results. A brief dive into the weeds; I hope you will see why.

On CMAS-ELA, roughly 10,000 students in each grade scored in the second lowest performance level: Partially Met Expectations. These students were unable to achieve a score of Approached Expectations, to say nothing of being able to Meet Expectations. (If you have any doubts that Partially Met Expectations means well below grade level, see CDE’s description - Addendum E.)

We combine these bottom two categories and find that in 2023 over 32,000 4^th and 5^th graders, close to 30% in each class, were well behind in their reading and writing skills.

Grade	% Did Not Yet Meet Expectations	% Partially Met Expectations	% Approached Expectations	% Met Expectations	% Exceeded Expectations
4	14.5 8,063 students	16.5 9,165 students	25.2	35.1	8.7
5	7.9 4,494 students	18.5 10,485 students	25.8	41.1	6.7
Total	12,557	19,650
	32,207 students

NOTE: The percentage of 4^th and 5^th graders who Did Not Yet Meet or Partially Met in 2023 is similar what we have seen over the past six years, 2016-2022: 26% to 30%. See Addendum F.

What if we fail to make the READ Act a K-5 effort? A warning.

We have seen the progress from grades 3-5.

Sadly, though, beginning in 6^th grade, the trend goes in the opposite direction. The number of students who Did Not Yet Meet Expectations doubles from grade 6 to 9. True, there are fewer students on a READ plan each year, but such data does not reflect what teachers actually see in their classes. State assessments on reading and writing reveal the grim news. This is from 2023:

So in 9^th grade last spring, 12,160 students performed at the lowest level on the PSAT. And that number keeps climbing through 11^th grade in high school. As Part 2 will show, on the SAT last spring, 15,663 juniors performed at the lowest level—Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.

These dire numbers compel us to do more to tackle students’ poor reading skills before they reach 6^th grade.

Grade 4 & 5 teachers – Prepared to teach students how to read?

Ask the Colorado Department of Education how many 4^th and 5^th grade teachers have the knowledge and skills to teach reading, equal to what all K-3 teachers now possess. CDE will say READ Act training has already reached some of them. And it will point to the state’s updated endorsement standards (2016), which ensure that newly licensed elementary teachers have many of the skills to teach reading. Grades 4 and 5 included.

Bold mine

The Year 3 Independent Evaluation of the READ Act heard schools and districts stress the value of including grades 4 and 5 in READ Act training. See Addendum G.

The Elementary Teacher Literacy Standards are part of the Elementary Education Endorsement (K-6) outlined in the Colorado State Board of Education Rules…. [it] ensure[s] alignment to both to the Colorado Academic Standards as well as the Reading to Ensure Academic Success Act (READ Act). The Elementary Teacher Literacy Standards outline and describe practices and competencies for all K-6 teachers to teach students to read proficiently. (CDE[x])

Good to know – for all new teachers prepared the past few years. Still, thousands of veteran teachers in grades 4 and 5 were not licensed with these standards.

What will they need? What do they want?

A teacher’s confession

I am a 4^th or 5^th grade teacher. I find eight of my 27 students on a READ plan. In the past I might have created a 504 for a few, explored special ed services for a couple, or sought a tutor’s help…

I know I need to do better. I am not doing enough to help these boys and girls who struggle. I borrow ideas and strategies from my 2^nd/ 3^rd grade colleagues, but so much is still a mystery. I am just guessing. It is frustrating.

To be honest, it has been this way for many years, each fall, when I discover the students who are well behind as readers…

I dislike mandates as much as the next teacher. And yet it seems different, in this case.

Because I am not able to meet the needs of these eight students.

I need help.

They have heard their 2^nd and 3^rd grade colleagues—maybe their classroom is next door, or just down the hall—describe their READ Act training. They see a new confidence in these colleagues; they know how to teach reading. It has left 4^th and 5^th grade teachers only more aware of what they do not know. How to diagnose students’ reading difficulties. How to identify if it is word recognition, decoding, or comprehension that remains the key stumbling block. One wonders how they must feel. (See box)

It is unconscionable to leave teachers ill-equipped for the job, to just say: good luck. Without the proper training, the task we have given our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers—again, to address the reading struggles of 30,000-plus students—is impossible.

Let’s take the next step and give these teachers the proper training and support. It will signal a newdetermination to tackle the huge problem identified in this report: tens of thousands students in grades 4-12 who do not read well.

A conversation with CDE’s Melissa Ahlstrand, Literacy Program Supervisor, Elementary Literacy and School Readiness, on how many 4^th and 5^th grade teachers need additional training. In her view, any conscientious teacher—aware of the skills they need but do not possess—will be glad to have the proper training. Notes from our talk, Addendum H.

An example of one school making sure its training was presented to the entire K-5 staff, Addendum I.

I believe a commitment to extend the READ Act to grades 4 and 5 would unite our elementary schools around a common goal.

I believe such a commitment would be welcome by most 4^th and 5^th grade teachers. They want the resources and professional development that will help them meet their students’ needs. (See box)

I believe that once we support our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers in this way, we can set a new, meaningful target: to see that a majority of our students, and maybe even a large majority, are reading well by the time they complete fifth grade.

Not ambitious enough, you say?

Let’s achieve that goal first – and then raise the bar.

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Part 2 – The bigger picture - Grades 6-12 in Colorado

Introduction

Bold mine

Wendy Birhanzel is the Superintendent of Harrison School District 2.

From an article in The Colorado Sun by Erica Breunlin. (Jan. 10, 2024.[i])

“Like many other Colorado school districts, Harrison School District 2 continues to see lower graduation rates of students with more challenging life circumstances, including students with disabilities, kids learning English and kids living in poverty.

“‘We have a very transient group that come in as juniors with maybe two credits or they come in as ninth graders and can’t read,’ Birhanzel said. ‘And so we have huge gaps to close, and we do everything in our power to close them.’”

A highly-honored teacher, after 15 years in middle schools, is now in her first year teaching high school English. She wrote me: “I am still shocked by how many of my high school students are not proficient readers. It is very concerning and often frustrating.”

On learning to read after 6^th grade

From “Science of Reading Myths and Misconceptions,” Colorado Department of Education

Myth #2: Children will learn to read if given enough time.

The idea of “late bloomers” is another pervasive myth. This was known among researchers as the developmental lag theory, which said that difficulties in learning to read would fade as the brain matured and that early intervention was not needed—that the student just needed more time. Developmental lag theory has been disproven with evidence, indicating that for most students waiting does not work and is harmful. Evidence from three longitudinal studies has supported the skill deficit theory and discredited the developmental lag theory

“Late bloomers are rare; skill deficits are almost always what prevent children from blooming as readers.” (Juel, 1988; Francis et al., 1996; Shaywitz et al., 1999; Torgesen, 1998) [ii]

“As legislators we are insisting that the schools prioritize the fact that our kids need to read.”[iii]

Sen. Janet Buckner, chair of the Senate Education Committee

Chalkbeat Colorado 2024 Legislative Preview (Jan. 8, 2024)

[Note to legislators: other states have begun to address reading beyond 3^rd grade.

Examples from Virginia and Indiana. Addendum J.]

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Part 2 – The bigger picture - Reading in grades 6-12 in Colorado

State data finds 34,000 6-12 students still on a READ plan.

State reading and writing assessments reveal over 60,000 well below grade level.

In 2022 Colorado saw over 34,000 students in grades 6-12 still on a READ Plan, still needing extra help with basic reading skills. Reason enough to appreciate the limits of our K-3 work, and to insist that we address the struggles of our secondary school students as well.

And yet even 34,000 is off the mark. We have more accurate data. It exposes a bigger problem.

a. CDE reports over 34,000 students in grades 6-12 are still on a READ Plan.[iv]

	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
2022	8,395	7,914	6,762	4,813	3,324	2,252	738	34,198
2021	9,584	7,904	5,821	4,396	2,932	1,758	0	32,402
2019	7,552	5,691	4,017	2,325				Almost 20,000 without gr. 10- 12
2018	6,000*	4,000	2,000					Roughly 12,000 without gr. 9-12

*Numbers in the report for 2017-18 were rounded like this; no exact figures.

Some might say: at least the numbers decline after 6^th grade. Isn’t that a good thing?

Not when the numbers are, at best, incomplete. CDE is quick to acknowledge that its figures are based on what districts report. As Anji Gallanos, Director of Elementary Literacy and School Readiness at CDE, explained to me: “I can collect what [districts] tell us.” Tracking all 6-12 activity is beyond the reach of her office.

“... many students with reading struggles are never flagged for the reading plans because their problems aren’t severe enough in the early grades or they mask weaknesses with advanced vocabulary, well-developed verbal skills, or other compensation strategies. Such students often manage to muddle through school with passing grades even if they’re missing a lot of what they read.”
“Life is hard for middle and high
schoolers who struggle to read.”[v]
(Schimke, Chalkbeat Colorado, May 11, 2022)

In addition, not all boys and girls in those grades were properly identified (see box). And we can well imagine that student records—stating who is on a READ plan—do not always transfer successfully from elementary to middle schools, as students age, or from there on to high schools.

Finally, only students identified in their K-3 years with an SRD were ever placed on a READ plan. But of course thousands of new students enter our schools after 3^rd grade, many from other countries, many with limited English-speaking skills.[vi]

Given those limitations, here is a look at the number of students on a READ plan in 30 high schools, based on the data CDE has gathered the past two years. Each school here had at least 100 students on a READ plan in 2022. Note how the number of students grew from 2021 to 2022, especially in high schools in APS and DPS. Note, too (surprised?), that this list even includes high schools earning a Performance Plan rating on the School Performance Framework: Douglas County High, Loveland High, and Pueblo West High.

30 high schools with 100 or more students on a READ plan[vii]

No one can look at these figures and claim that reading is just a K-3 issue. No one in DPS (15 schools) or APS (6 schools) can deny that reading in their high schools should be a top concern.

	2020-21	2021-22	2021-22
	Grades 9-11	Grades 9-12	9	10	11	12
Westminster High	335	327			61
Aurora Central H.S. (APS)*	203	290	121	99	70
Adams City High School	206	239	120
North High (DPS)	196	271	105	81	51	34
Hinkley (APS)	199	225	90	74
Abraham Lincoln (DPS)	182	224	96	83	27	18
Gateway High (APS)	137	190	72	75	43
Northglenn High (Adams 12)	154	181	83	23	75
Rangeview H.S. (APS)	116	177	77	66	34
East High (DPS)	124	153	65	44	25	19
South High (DPS)	120	151	45	48	31	27
John F Kennedy (DPS)	126	149	48	43	42	16
Thornton High (Adams 12)	177	147	52	44	51
West High (DPS)	66	141	57	29	24	31
Dr. MLK. Jr. Early College (DPS)	104	134	52	39	26	17
Montrose H.S.	88	131	60	50	21
Skyline H.S. (St. Vrain)	75	130	72	33	25
Douglas County H.S.	96	126	69	34
Montbello H.S. (DPS)	97	126	55	32	22	17
George Washington H.S. (DPS)	110	123	54	36
Thomas Jefferson H.S. (DPS)	90	118	54	31
STRIVE Prep – Smart Academy (DPS)	98	116	39	32	25	20
Northfield H.S. (DPS)	71	114	59	29
DSST – College View (DPS)	92	107	32	43
Aurora West College Prep (APS)	65	106	46	35	25
Loveland H.S. (Thompson R2-J)	87	104	34	35	22
Pueblo West (Pueblo County 70)	82	102	48	35	19
Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory (APS)	57	101	58
KIPP NE Denver Leadership (DPS)	86	100	29	29
STRIVE Prep – Rise (DPS)	70	100	39		26

*In blue - schools where the number of students on a READ plan grew by 40 or more, from 2020-21 to 2021-22.

	2020-21	2021-22
STATE TOTALS	9,086	11,127

To return to the overall trend: yes, the number of students on a READ plan in Colorado declines from grade 6 to 11. The more significant fact, though, is that the number performing significantly below grade level on reading and writing climbs higher and higher, as we see in the results on CMAS, PSAT, and SAT.

We seldom look at these numbers.[viii] We do not talk about them. But we must.

I know some will say this data is too focused on gaps or deficits. That they are overly dependent on biased tests. That many students, especially in high school, feel no reason to try their best on state assessments. I merely ask: please do not look away.

b. CMAS & PSAT/SAT scores - Over 60,000 secondary school students struggle to read well.

Grades 6-8 – Over 20,000 middle school students Did Not Yet Met Expectations.

Part 1 showed that in grades 3-5 we have not yet seen even 50% of student Meet or Exceed Expectations on CMAS-ELA. This has continued in grades 6-8.

% of 6-8 students who Met or Exceeded Expectations on CMAS English Language Arts/Literacy[ix]

	2023	2022	2019*	2018	2017	2016	2015
Grade 6	43.4	43.0	43.6	42.8	40.6	38.3	39.1
Grade 7	45.0	41.8	46.5	46.6	44.2	41.0	41.0
Grade 8	42.4	43.9	46.9	43.8	43.4	41.6	40.9

*Not all grades were tested in 2021 due to COVID.

We are inured to these low numbers. In the first year of CMAS many were stunned to see the percentage at grade level under 50%; CSAP/TCAP scores (1997-2014) had been more generous. By now most consider CMAS results reliable. One reason: we can see how closely aligned they are to what the national reading assessment (NAEP) has been telling us for decades (see next page).

But if we are accustomed to these sub-50% proficiency rates, we seldom focus on the CMAS-ELA scores at the other end. They reveal that tens of thousands of Colorado’s middle school students score in the lowest performance level: Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.

A reminder from Part 1: CMAS results break down into five categories:

% Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

% Partially Met Expectations

% Approached Expectations

% Met Expectations

% Exceeded Expectations

The percentage and number of students, grades 6-8, scoring in the lowest performance level.

CMAS – English Language Arts - % Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

Grade	2023 - % and number of students	2022	2019
6	10.3% - 5,734	11.5%	9.8%
7	13.2% - 7,126	15.1%	13,3%
8	16.5% - 8,561	16.7%	15.0%
TOTAL	21,421 students

(Part 1 looked at the rate of 4 & 5 students scoring in the two lowest performance levels on CMAS-ELA over several years. Addendum K provides that data for grades 6-8. Roughly 30% have scored well below Meeting Expectations.)

We can see that as students advance, the percentage who Did Not Yet Meet Expectations keeps rising. (A heads-up: This will get worse.)

And look at how our 8^th graders performed last spring: 16.5% of them demonstrated reading and writing skills that might be considered at the 6^th grade level—at best. A few months later, this past August, these young teenagers were high school freshmen. (See “30 high schools” above: 120 9^th graders on a READ plan at both Adams City High and Aurora Central High.)

To underline how worried we should be about the reading skills of our 8^th graders, consider this 10-year trend for Colorado. Here are National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results for reading. Our 8^th grade proficiency rate has not been this low since 2009.

As these 8^th graders become high school freshmen, do we think their new teachers know how to meet the needs of students with poor reading skills? To be sure, English, science, and history teachers find ways to help with reading comprehension skills. But decoding? Phonics? And do they have the time to provide much-needed one-on-one support for their weakest readers? (Especially unlikely when teachers have 35 students in a class, and 170 in all. See Another View #260 & #261 - “Why we must talk about class size.”)

The need for intense support is huge. Our Reading Interventionists can only do so much.

We now turn to the results on high school assessments. The state reports that roughly 10,000 high school students are still on a READ plan. To repeat, an unreliable figure.

Grades 9-11 – In 2023, over 40,000 high school students Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.

“The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section score combines the Reading Test Score with the Writing and Language Test Score.”[x] The College Board

Again, while we have no reading test, per se, for high school students, we have scores on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the PSAT/SAT tests. Colorado students in grades 9-11 took these tests last April. As with CMAS-ELA, the state’s PSAT/SAT scores provide solid data revealing how many students, based on these assessments, demonstrate literacy skills well below grade level.

While there are five performance levels for CMAS, PSAT/SAT uses only four.

% Did Not Yet Meet Expectations*

% Approached Expectations

% Met Expectations

% Exceeded Expectations

*What does it mean to score “Did Not Yet Meet Expectations” on PSAT/SAT? See Addendum L.

Again, note how the percentage of students scoring in the lowest performance level keeps climbing.

2023 - % Did Not Yet Meet Expectations[xi]

Test/ Grade	Overall - % and number	Asian	Black	Hispanic	2 or more races	White
PSAT 9	21.2% - 12,391 students	11.3%	35%	34.4%	16.1%	11.8%
PSAT 10	22.1% - 12,429 students	12.8%	34.3%	36.4%	16.5%	12.4%
SAT 11	28% - 15,663 students	17.1%	44.8%	46.4%	21.8%	16.1%
TOTAL	40,483 students

A three-year picture (2021-23) of the percentage of high school students scoring Did Not Yet Meet shows another disturbing trend.[xii]

Grim facts, don’t you agree? In 2023:

· 40,000 high school students in grades 9-11 scored at the lowest performance level on a Reading/Writing assessment.

· Nearly 30% of our juniors demonstrated literacy skills that are perhaps two or more years below grade level. Another 13.1% of 11^th graders, 7,335 students, scored Approached Expectations, perhaps one year below grade level.

· Close to 45% of Black and Hispanic high school juniors scored Did Not Yet Meet Expectations.

Are policy makers and school leaders willing to acknowledge and address this reality? Or will they continue their narrow focus on reading in grades K-3?

Total – 61,904 secondary school students perform at “lowest performance level”

We conclude with a full picture for grades 6-11: in 2023, a total of 61,904 students scored at the lowest performance level on Colorado’s reading and writing assessments.

Not too late to help our 17-year-olds – soon to be voting citizens

We must have an honest picture of the reading skills of our students throughout the K-12 system. Maybe what I present here is wrong. Let’s find out. We all need to see the problem for what it is.

If the evidence in this report is essentially on target, Colorado must see reading at grade level, reading with fluency, reading with strong comprehension – in short, reading well, as a K-12 issue. It is a challenge for the whole system.

Three cheers to Colorado for having made a major commitment to improve how we help students learn to read in the first four grades. Congratulations to all the K-3 teachers doing their best to help our youngest boys and girls make good progress.

But it is just a start. Tens of thousands of students beyond third grade cannot read well.

Most perilous for them and for our country – as they approach graduation, the data suggests that over one in five high school students cannot read well.

So it is not just 7-year-old students; 17-year-olds, too, are struggling. Soon to be voting citizens. And we say we want a literate citizenry?

Public education is probably the last chance many students will have to learn how to read. The K-12 system owes them our best effort.

After the READ Act, we have nine years, grades 4-12, nine opportunities to do the job.

Two recommendations:

For grades 4-5: We extend the READ Act to train and support teachers in these grades. We make sure all elementary teachers have the skills to meet the needs of their struggling readers.

For grades 6-12: We take off our blinders. We acknowledge the difficulty so many 6-12 students experience as readers. We make it a priority to help them become competent readers before they graduate.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Addendum A

From Chalkbeat Colorado

“What happens when older students struggle to read? We asked. You answered.”

by Ann Schimke, June 13, 2022

When students get to middle and high school without strong reading skills, the results can be devastating.

In response to a recent Chalkbeat survey, dozens of parents and educators described secondary students who refuse to read out loud for fear of being teased, who can’t understand math word problems or science vocabulary, and gradually give up on school altogether. They worried such students face poor job prospects and bleak futures.

One mother called the distress faced by older struggling readers “astronomical.”

But respondents also had lots of ideas for helping older struggling readers. It’s an area ripe for attention, since most states and districts have focused recent reading improvement on early elementary students.

Bold mine

“Funding is essential for the training teachers need to work with struggling students. I have been continually frustrated by the lack of money needed to train staff, simply because the students are past third grade.” — Shawna Hettich, teacher, Bear Creek K-8 School, Lakewood

“We need research-based reading curriculum. We need to use these curriculums in middle and high school to get kids moving, not just ignore it in the name of teaching grade-level standards that kids aren’t going to get anyway.” — Tessa McAleer, teacher, STRIVE Prep — Lake campus, Denver.

“I discovered that the 17-year-old freshman I worked with was reading at a second grade level. Though it took a while, I was able to arrange for testing which showed she had dyslexia. I was able to enlist help from BOCES [Board of Cooperative Educational Services], got her a tutor and other support, but she did not participate. I think she’d already given up on school after so many years without success.” — Carolyn Faselt, CASA Truancy Volunteer, Clear Creek County

“I have dyslexia and because of that, I felt dumb for a lot of my life. It really affected my mental state as I felt lesser than a lot of my peers because I couldn’t read as fast and spell as well as them. In middle school, I wanted to hide my dyslexia because I wanted to feel like I fit in and was as smart as all my friends.” — Audrey Drakos, high school student, Littleton Public Schools, Centennial

“I observe the effects of limited reading skills on a daily basis. Kids lack self-confidence, they can’t access the reading content assigned in their core classes, they turn to other avenues for affirmation, usually social media and behaviors that distract from their academic struggles.” — Shawna Hettich, teacher, Bear Creek K-8 School, Lakewood https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/6/13/23161498/struggling-readers-middle-high-school-chalkbeat-survey/

Addendum B

A central goal of the READ Act (that we have not met and cannot meet)

“reading at grade level by the end of 3^rd grade”

The goal of the READ Act has been stated in various ways. Whatever the version you look at, after 12 years, we must admit that each is far out of reach of what K-12 public education in Colorado can accomplish. The stated goal is more than ambitious; it is preposterous and it is naïve. Let’s stop pretending we can do this. It is time to revise.

1) From the 2012 legislation:

IT IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT EACH LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER THAT ENROLLS STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN OR FIRST, SECOND, OR THIRD GRADE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS OF THESE STUDENTS TO PROVIDE THE STUDENTS THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING, INTERVENTION INSTRUCTION, AND SUPPORT, AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL, NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS, BY THE COMPLETION OF THIRD GRADE, CAN DEMONSTRATE A LEVEL OF COMPETENCY IN READING SKILLS THAT IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THEM IN ACHIEVING THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FOURTH-GRADE CURRICULUM. https://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2012A/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/BE80872E0CC93D2987257981007DC105?Open&file=1238_enr.pdf

2) “About the Colorado READ Act” – Colorado Department of Education

The Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (Colorado READ Act) was passed by the Colorado legislature in 2012, giving the state the guiding philosophy, structure and resources to get children reading at grade level by the time they enter the fourth grade. https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy

3) The Colorado Department of Education’s Strategic Plan, 2017-2023, has five goals, including:

“By the end of third grade, all students can read at grade level.” https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdecomm/cdeperformanceplan

4) Legislative Council Staff Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature – Issue Brief - October 2019

Overview Enacted in 2012, the READ Act addresses literacy education for early elementary grade students to master the reading and literacy skills necessary to meet fourth-grade curriculum and beyond. https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/r19-861_issue_brief_on_updates_to_the_read_act.pdf

5) Sen. Janet Buckner – Chalkbeat Colorado’s 2024 Legislative Preview, Jan. 9, 2024

Responding to a question about the READ Act - “I am a big proponent of the READ Act… We understand the urgency of being able to read by third grade. We all know the statistics about what happens if you don’t learn by third grade – the school-to-prison pipeline is one example – so we know the urgency is there. As legislators we are insisting that the schools prioritize the fact that our kids need to read…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Ipq7Zp0EI

Addendum C

NAEP scores represent a higher bar than CMAS

NOTE: CMAS English Language Arts is both a reading and writing assessment, so CMAS scores do not capture reading skills, per se, accurately. NAEP (a national test) is strictly a reading test.

CMAS-ELA – % Meet or Exceed Expectations NAEP – Colorado score - % Proficient or Above

	GRADE 4		GRADE 8		NOTE decline since 2017. Only 34% of 8^th graders proficient: the lowest NAEP for Colorado since 2009.*
	CMAS - ELA	NAEP - Reading	CMAS-ELA	NAEP - Reading
2017	44.1	40	43.4	41
2019	48.0	40	46.9	38
2022	44.1	38	43.9	34

When compared to NAEP, the “gold standard” of national tests, CMAS scores are higher than NAEP results. If CMAS results appear discouraging or harsh to many in Colorado, it is worth knowing that they present students’ literacy skills in a more favorable light than NAEP scores do on their reading skills.

*https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile/overview/CO?cti=PgTab_OT&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=CO&fs=Grade&st=MN&year=2022R3&sg=Gender%3A%20Male%20vs.%20Female&sgv=Difference&ts=Single%20Year&sfj=NP

Addendum D

Using CMAS data to help us understand READ Act results

From the “Independent Evaluation of the Colorado READ Act: Per Pupil Funding - Year 3 Summary Report,” by WestEd, RTI International, and Augenblick, Palaich, & Associates

CMAS Proficiency and SRD Status

“Students first take the CMAS assessment in the 3rd grade, the final year in which interim READ Act assessments are given. Since the goal of the READ Act is to identify struggling readers and provide them with the support they need to read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, 3rd-grade CMAS scores provide one way to gauge the extent to which early literacy instruction and interventions have moved students towards 3rd-grade reading proficiency.”

Only a small number of students identified as SRD at any point in their K-3 years become proficient readers by the end of 3^rd grade:

“Since the 2014–2015 school year, fewer than 4.5% of students per year who had ever been identified as having an SRD achieved proficiency on the CMAS ELA exam in the 3rd grade (i.e., met or exceeded expectations) …

“That trend continued in the 2021–2022 school year, with only 4.1% of students who had ever been identified with an SRD reaching proficiency.”

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactperpupilsummaryreportyear3

Addendum E

On CMAS-ELA, what does a score of “Partially Met Expectations” mean?

Descriptors from CDE – grade 3 and grade 8

From CDE’s Interpretive Guide to Assessment Reports – A Guide for Parents and Educators. An explanation of the reading skills when scores are in the next to bottom quartile, Partially Met Expectations. https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas_coalt_interpretiveguide_2023

Scoring PARTIALLY MET EXPECTATIONS – reading skills

Bold mine

Grade 3 ELA and CSLA Performance Level Descriptors

A student who achieves at Level 2 partially meets expectations for the assessed standards.

In reading, the pattern exhibited by student responses indicates:

● With very complex text, students demonstrate the inability to ask or answer questions, showing limited understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text.

● With moderately complex text, students demonstrate the ability to be minimally accurate when asking and/or answering questions, showing minimal understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text.

● With readily accessible text, students demonstrate the ability to be partially accurate when asking and/or answering questions, showing partial understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text.

Grade 8 ELA Performance Level Descriptors

A student who achieves at Level 2 partially meets expectations for the assessed standards.

In reading, the pattern exhibited by student responses indicates:

●With very complex text, students demonstrate the inability to do an accurate analysis of the text, showing limited understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text and when supporting sound inferences drawn from the text.

●With moderately complex text, students demonstrate the ability to do minimally accurate analyses of the text, showing minimal understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text and when supporting sound inferences drawn from the text.

●With readily accessible text, students demonstrate the ability to do partially accurate analyses of the text, showing partial understanding of the text when referring to explicit details and examples in the text and when supporting sound inferences drawn from the text.

Addendum F

Grades 4 and 5 - Scoring in the lowest two performance levels, 2016-2022

CMAS-ELA - Percentage and number of students

GRADE 4	Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (lowest performance level)	Partially Met Expectations (second lowest level)	TOTAL
2022	15.1% - 8,424	15.6% - 8,689	26-30% 16,000 to 18,000 students each year
2019	11.8% - 7,492	14.7% - 9,282
2018	10.6% - 6,875	17.2% - 11,158
2017	12.07% - 7,685	17.7% - 11,350
2016	12.0% - 7,543	16.7% - 10,542

2021 – Grade 4 not tested. Covid year.

GRADE 5	Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (bottom performance level)	Partially Met Expectations (second lowest level)	TOTAL
2022	8.2% - 4,707	19.3% - 11,091	26-28% 12,000 to 19,000 students each year
2021	7.7% - 3,595	19.2% - 9,015
2019	9.0% - 5,927	17.0% - 11,201
2018	9.9% - 6,448	16.1% - 10,527
2017	10.5% - 6,675	17.0% - 10,779
2016	10.8% - 6,997	19.8% - 12,273

Conclusion: Most years 30,000 to 35,000 4^th and 5^th graders perform well below grade level.

Addendum G

Why include grades 4 and 5 in READ Act training

What the Independent Evaluation of the READ Act heard from schools and districts.

Year 3 report (June 2023)

Bold mine

From Challenges Related to Reading Approach

Challenges were cited with regard to instructional materials, the Advisory List, and supporting learning and adoption of new teaching practices….

Although some schools reported that the Advisory List was useful and impactful in the adoption of evidence-based materials, they also reported challenges in the lack of inclusion of 4th- and 5th-grade materials, which would foster alignment across elementary schools. (p.18)

From Challenges Associated with READ Act Per-Pupil Funding

“… Some participants [in the study] also cited difficulties in addressing the needs of 4^th and 5th-grade students with reading challenges. They advocated for additional guidance to help these groups and/or for the READ Act to be extended to higher grade levels.” (pp. 58-59)

From Professional Development; Evidence-Based Requirements

“One school noted it would have been helpful to require all teachers in 4th and 5th grades, administrators, and paraprofessionals to take the training too, preferably at the same time as the rest of the school staff, to promote more cohesive understanding of instructional expectations schoolwide. Other schools noted the benefit of teachers going through the training at the same time, as it gave them an opportunity to support each other and promoted collaboration within the school, especially if the administration provided dedicated time for a professional learning community or similar structure to support continued professional learning. The CDE training, in particular, provided a ‘common language’ around the science of reading that helped school teams achieve consistent understanding of instructional expectations. It also facilitated dialogue within the school about approaches to reading, encouraging a collaborative culture to flourish.” (p. 25)

Year 3 Independent Evaluation of READ Act (June 2023). https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactperpupilsummaryreportyear3

Addendum H

Conversation with CDE’s Literacy Program Supervisor

On the training taken and/or needed by teachers in grades 4 and higher

From a conversation on Feb. 1, 2024, with Melissa Ahlstrand, Literacy Program Supervisor, Elementary Literacy and School Readiness, Colorado Department of Education.

How many or what percentage of 4^th/ 5^th grade teachers have this (READ-Act like) training on the “science of reading”?

M. A. – “I cannot say how many do have this training.”

She reminds me that SB 199 includes READ Act training for:

- all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction and any new teachers who are hired and provide literacy instruction, and

-all who fulfill the function of “Reading Interventionist.” (See below for CDE’s summary.*)

M.A. – “Districts have to determine these definitions. It is up to each district to determine who would be required to take the training.”

“Many districts might say their 4^th and 5^th grade teachers are the ones” to fill this “function” as interventionists, and therefore they will take the READ Act teacher training. There is good reason to believe many 4^th and 5^th grade teachers have had this training. [But] it is not required. It is not written [down as a requirement] like it is for K-3 teachers.”

Ahlstrand reminds me that this is a local decision. The state does not know how many 4^th and 5^th grade teachers are tasked with being a Reading Interventionist [in addition to their regular job].

Are 4^th and 5^th grade teachers encouraged to take the training?

M.A. “I encourage all teachers to take the training.”

Is it possible we might find it necessary to require it of all 4^th and 5^th grade teachers, given the huge number students they are working with still on a READ plan?

M.A. - “If you’re working with students to help them learn how to read, my personal opinion is that you should take the training. If you don’t have that knowledge, if you don’t understand how the brain learns to read and why some students may struggle, it would be difficult to put together the right plan that would best support students with becoming proficient readers.

“You [as a teacher] have one shot at helping his/her student [be they in 2^nd grade, 4^th grade, or 6^thgrade]. My hope is that you have the knowledge to help that student.”

I ask her thoughts on what is needed beyond third grade.

M.A – “There are still many students beyond 3^rd grade who are not demonstrating grade level proficiency in reading. These students need to continue to receive intervention that will help them develop the skills needed to become proficient readers.”

* FROM CDE

The READ Act requires districts to ensure that all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction to students in grades K-3 and K-12 reading interventionists fulfill the READ Act teacher training requirements. Which roles must complete the training relates to the definitions of a “teacher” and "reading interventionist" in the State Board rules for the Colorado READ Act which are listed below:

1 CCR 301-92 (2.39) Teacher: The professional responsible for the literacy instruction of the student(s) and may include the main instructor for a class, an instructional coach, Reading Interventionist (in grades K-3), special education teacher, Title I teacher or other personnel who are identified as effective in the teaching of reading and who has been employed to teach kindergarten or any of grades one through three.

1 CCR 301-92 (2.30) Reading Interventionist: An individual employed to teach students and whose primary job duties include providing reading intervention to students on READ Act Plans during regular school hours to supplement core academic instruction and who is employed in any of grades K-12.

Addendum I

One school goes all in - K-5

From the Independent Evaluation of the READ Act (June 2023)

ABC Elementary’s Experience with the Evidence-Based Training Requirement

Bold mine

“Opting for a whole-school approach to the training, all licensed K–5 instructional and paraprofessional staff completed the CDE course and had the opportunity to participate in monthly meetings to discuss the coursework. Staff described observing multiple benefits to this approach… ABC Elementary’s experience demonstrates how a coordinated, whole-school approach to the training—reinforced by ongoing peer-to-peer support structures integrated throughout the school year—can result in meaningful changes in educators’ knowledge and instructional.”

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactperpupilsummaryreportyear3

Addendum J

Legislation in other states reaching beyond 3^rd grade

After 17 more states passed “laws or other policies related to evidence-based reading instruction” last year, 37 states and the District of Columbia, according to Education Week, now have such policies in place.* But in most cases, the work is focused on grades K-3.

Colorado policy makers who recognize the prevalence of students’ reading difficulties throughout the K12 system might look to legislation passed (Virginia) or currently up for debate (Indiana) in other states. These might be the first of many efforts to reach beyond third grade.

Virginia passed the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) in 2022.

“… Virginia is taking the lead nationwide to improve early literacy outcomes for Virginia’s young learners. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year:

“Every student in kindergarten to grade five will receive core literacy instruction based in scientifically based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as defined in the VLA. Students in kindergarten through grade eight will also receive evidence-based supplemental instruction and intervention, as outlined in an individualized student reading plan, if they do not meet literacy benchmarks.” [ii]

(Virginia Literacy Act, Virginia Department of Education, https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/k-12-standards-instruction/english-reading-literacy/literacy/virginia-literacy-act. More at Virginia Literacy Act, Virginia Literacy Partnerships, https://literacy.virginia.edu/vla-instructional-programs#:~:text)

The Indiana legislature is currently weighing Senate Bill 6.

“Reading proficiency. Requires the department of education (department) to develop a method to identify students in grade 4 through grade 8 who: (1) did not pass the determinant evaluation of reading skills approved by the state board of education; and (2) are at risk of not being proficient in reading as determined by Lexile scores on the statewide summative assessment. Requires the department to develop guidance for schools regarding how to support students who are at risk of not being proficient in reading.” [iii]

(Passed House Committee on Education 10-0, Feb. 14, 2024)

(Senate Bill 6 - Reading Proficiency, Indiana General Assembly, 2024 Session. https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/6/details)

* Sarah Schwartz, “The Science of Reading in 2024: 5 State initiatives to Watch,” (Education Week, Feb. 7, 2024). https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-science-of-reading-in-2024-5-state-initiatives-to-watch/2024/01

Addendum K

CMAS-English Language Arts scores – Grades 6-8

Percentage and number of students scoring in two lowest performance levels;

both levels are below Approaching Expectations

GRADE 6	Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (lowest performance level)	Partially Met Expectations (second lowest level)	TOTAL
2023	10.3% – 5,734	20.2% - 11,209	28-31% 16,000 to 19,000 students each year
2022	11.5% - 6,430	18.5% - 10,361
2019	9.8% - 6,330	18.3% - 11,777
2018	10.5% - 6,653	18.9% - 12,049
2017	10.1% - 6,135	20.3% - 12,352

GRADE 7	Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (lowest performance level)	Partially Met Expectations (second lowest level)	TOTAL
2023	13.2% - 7,126	17.5% - 9,440	30-34% 16,000 to 19,000 students each year
2022	15.1% - 8,342	18.9% - 10,464
2019	13.3% - 8,362	16.9% - 10,569
2018	14.4% - 8,793	15.7% - 9,563
2017	14.0% - 8,219	16.8% - 9,880

GRADE 8	Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (bottom performance level)	Partially Met Expectations (second lowest level)	TOTAL
2023	16.5% - 8,561	18% - 9,291	34.5% - 17,852
2022	16.7% - 8,779	17.1% - 9004	31-34% 18,000 students each year
2019	15.0% - 8,796	16.2% - 9,519
2018	14.7% - 8,624	17.1% - 10,064
2017	14.8% - 8,292	17.6% - 9,886

And when we combine the two columns in 2023, we see that roughly ONE-THIRD OF THE 8^TH GRADE CLASS entered high school nowhere close to performing at grade level on CMAS-ELA.

Addendum L

What does it mean to score “Did Not Yet Meet Expectations” on the PSAT/SAT?

From the website for Colorado Department of Education

SAT Performance Levels and Cut Scores –

https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat#satperfcutscore

Performance Level Descriptors

Policy level descriptors are general statements across grades and content areas indicating the expected level of achievement or rigor for each level. For PSAT/SAT, Colorado adopted four levels of achievement named consistently with the Colorado Measures of Academic Success but with text specific to high school.

Level 1 - Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

Students performing at this level may minimally approach the academic expectations for the knowledge, skills and practices known to be most relevant for success in college and careers contained in the assessed high school Colorado Academic Standards.

With significant additional coursework, students may engage successfully in entry-level, credit-bearing courses.

__________________________________________________________________

Footnotes

[1] CMA-ELA. A useful check on reading progress?

Ever since 2015 when CMAS became our state test, the Colorado Department of Education has chosen not to give the public results that break down reading skills versus writing skills. In Another View I have often voiced my frustration that CDE cannot be more transparent in communicating what the results tell us about reading vs. writing. AV#167, 168 (fall 2017); #192, 193 (spring 2019); #217, 218 (fall 2020).

Note one rationale CDE gives for its decision. Every writing portion of CMAS ELA is connected to reading passages; each writing prompt is connected to what students read on the test. Therefore (the explanation goes) it is difficult to break down the difference in reading skills versus writing skills. (This is why CMAS results, I suspect, most likely say more about how well students read than how well they write.)

Why else do we believe CMAS-ELA scores reveal “something meaningful” about our students’ reading skills? We see that CMAS-ELA results compare favorably to the “gold standard” of national reading tests, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). (In fact, CMAS data might overstate how well our students are reading. See Addendum C: 2022 results for 8^th grade: CMAS-ELA, 44% Met/Exceeded Expectations, but on NAEP-Reading, only 34% scored Proficient.)

[2] What does it mean to score “Did Not Yet Meet Expectations”? From the Colorado Department of Education: “CMAS - Performance levels and Policy Claims – Students who do not yet meet academic expectations for the concepts, skills, and practices embodied by the Colorado Academic Standards assessed at their grade level. They will need extensive academic support to engage successfully in further studies in this content area.” https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas_perflvl_plcclms

Endnotes

Part 1

[i] “After six years of implementation of the READ Act, schools and districts were not seeing the dramatic improvements in reading levels envisioned by state leaders.” READ Act - SB 19-199 Amendment Updates, Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/sb19199updates

[ii] Ann Schimke, “Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read,” Chalkbeat Colorado, May 11, 2022. https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/

[iii] https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeadult/grantees/handbook/vision-and-mission#:~:text=

[iv] https://www.telefonica.com/en/communication-room/blog/the-future-of-reading-affects-the-future-of-our-societies/

[v] State Achievement-Level Results, NAEP. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/states/achievement/?grade=4

[vi] https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/literacy-statistics#:~:text

[vii] Colorado READ Act FAQs - What is a Significant Reading Deficiency? Pursuant to the READ Act, teachers in grades kindergarten through three administer an interim assessment to all children in order to determine whether children are making sufficient progress to grade level reading proficiency. When students are identified as significantly below grade level (called a “significant reading deficiency” or SRD), teachers administer a diagnostic assessment to determine specific areas of need for reading improvement. https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/20171219readhighlights#whatissrdS

[viii] Year 3 Independent Evaluation of READ Act, (p. viii) https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactperpupilsummaryreportyear3

[ix] Schimke, Chalkbeat Colorado. https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/

[x] https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/resources

Part 2

[i] Erica Breunlin, “Fewer Colorado students dropped out in 2023 while more graduated high school,” The Colorado Sun (Jan. 10, 2024). https://coloradosun.com/2024/01/09/colorado-graduation-rates-dropout-rates/?mc_cid=88c526bd98

[ii] “Late bloomers are rare; skill deficits are almost always what prevent children from blooming as readers.” (Juel, 1988; Francis et al., 1996; Shaywitz et al., 1999; Torgesen, 1998)

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/sormythsmisconceptions

[iii] Chalkbeat Colorado 2024 Legislative Preview (Jan. 8, 2024). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Ipq7Zp0EI

[iv] Data from READ Act annual reports and from CDE upon my requests for additional information.

2022 data – from 2023 READ Act report – Number of Students Who Remain on READ Plans by Grade Level as Reported in 2021-2022.

2021 data – from 2022 READ Act report – (on 2020-21) Any student, identified with an SRD, who is not yet reading at grade level by the end of third grade will continue to receive support, regardless of their SRD status.

2019 data – from 2020 READ Act report (on 2018-19)- The READ Act requires continued support for students with READ plans past third grade. Approximately 43,000 students who were once identified with an SRD still have READ plans in place in fourth grade and beyond. …

2018 data - from 2019 READ Act report – (on 2017-18) Approximately 30,000 students who were once identified with an SRD still have READ plans in place beyond third grade.https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactannuallegislativereports

[v] Ann Schimke, “Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read,” Chalkbeat Colorado, (May 11, 2022). https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/.

[vi] Jenny Brundin, “Colorado educators strategize over how to best serve thousands of new immigrant students,” Colorado Public Radio (Feb. 6, 2024). https://www.cpr.org/2024/02/06/colorado-educators-plan-how-best-to-serve-thousands-of-new-immigrant-students

[vii] Read Plan Per Grade Data – provided to me by the Colorado Department of Education, Feb. 9, 2024.

[viii] Again, Ann Schimke presented some of this data in Chalkbeat Colorado (May 11, 2022), https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/.

[ix] All CMAS data from the Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-dataandresults

[x] https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/understanding-sat-scores.pdf

[xi] All PSAT/SAT data from the Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat-data

[xii] Percentage of students (grades 9-11) scoring far below Meets Expectation rises from 2021 to 2023.

% and Number of Students who Did Not Yet Meet Expectations (Level 1 - lowest level performance)

Test/Grade	2021	2022	2023
PSAT 9	17.0%	20.7% - over 12,000 students	21.2% - 12,391 students
PSAT 10	18.2%	19.6% - over 11,000 students	22.1% - 12,429 students
SAT 11	25.2%	28.2% - nearly 16,000 students	28.0% - 15,663 students
TOTAL	20%	23% - nearly 40,000	24% - 40,483 students

https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/sat-psat-data

Another View

Monday, February 26, 2024

REPORT - After the READ Act – Beyond third grade, how well do our students read?

Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read. This Colorado public school aims to help. (May 11, 2022)[ii]

[ii] Ann Schimke, “Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read,” Chalkbeat Colorado, May 11, 2022. https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/

[iii] https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeadult/grantees/handbook/vision-and-mission#:~:text=

[iv] https://www.telefonica.com/en/communication-room/blog/the-future-of-reading-affects-the-future-of-our-societies/

[v] State Achievement-Level Results, NAEP. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/states/achievement/?grade=4

[vi] https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/literacy-statistics#:~:text

[viii] Year 3 Independent Evaluation of READ Act, (p. viii) https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/readactperpupilsummaryreportyear3

[ix] Schimke, Chalkbeat Colorado. https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2022/5/11/23067136/jeffco-bright-minds-colorado-dyslexia-middle-high-school-students/

[x] https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/resources

[vi] Jenny Brundin, “Colorado educators strategize over how to best serve thousands of new immigrant students,” Colorado Public Radio (Feb. 6, 2024). https://www.cpr.org/2024/02/06/colorado-educators-plan-how-best-to-serve-thousands-of-new-immigrant-students

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