The purpose of this webpage is to ensure the general public has information related to how Westminster Public Schools is remaining in compliance with SB 21-151, the Literacy Transparency Website.  

Diagnostic and Summative Assessments

Westminster Public Schools use the Acadience Reading Summative Assessment and corresponding diagnostic assessment to determine overall reading level and skill deficits for all students in grades Kindergarten-3rd grade.  Acadience is an approved assessment per the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)’s approved list:

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

Core Curricular Resource

All elementary students in Westminster Public Schools (WPS) are taught using Colorado State Standards. The core curricular resource in literacy used to do this is Wonders (2020 Edition). This is an approved core instructional resource per the Colorado Department of Education’s list of approved core programs:

https://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/advisorylistofinstructionalprogramming2020

The expectation in all elementary classrooms is that the Wonders curriculum is used with fidelity for students in levels K-5.  Students in grades 6-12 are taught using the StudySync curriculum. 

Supplemental Literacy Resources

WPS ensures that students who require supplemental support in learning to read can receive intervention at the Tier 2 level to help fill learning gaps. Resources used to supplement Tier 1 instruction may include:

• WonderWorks - supplemental support from Wonders core curriculum
• Lexia Core 5 Reading
• CR Success - Prism Reading Program
• Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade for Phonics & Word Study and Text Reading Fluency
• CDE Structured Literacy approach: https://www.cde.state.co.us/node/45821

Read Act Professional Development

Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K - 3 teachers complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. WPS is meeting this requirement for not only K-3 teachers but also teachers in grades 4 and 5. Teachers have multiple options for meeting this requirement by August 2022 including:

• Completion of LETRS Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling 3rd Edition, Units 1-8 with 80% passing scores for both units.
• Completion of a CDE-approved literacy training
• Obtaining a reading endorsement on the teacher’s CDE license
• Obtaining a passing score (158 or greater) on the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary 5205 exam.