Colorado Department of Education

This independent evaluation summary report of the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act focuses on its implementation during the 2021-22 school year. It addresses the effectiveness of the assessment system, support for English learners and students with disabilities, and overall approaches to reading. The evaluation highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reading levels, the ongoing challenge of low proficiency for students with significant reading deficiencies, and the positive trend of increasing alignment in reading materials and instructional approaches. Recommendations include developing clear guidance for English learners and students with disabilities, and defining specific growth benchmarks for interim assessments.

This document outlines the strategic evolution and piloting of PALS 2.0, an enhanced early literacy screening program within Virginia's educational policy. It details the context of the PALS K-3 early intervention reading initiative, tracing its design principles from 1997. The plan focuses on developing PALS 2.0 through new leadership, stakeholder engagement, and a conceptual framework for pilot design. Key enhancements include a full continuum of phonological processing, empirically driven grade forms, emphasis on decodable word patterns, and integrated word-level decoding and encoding. The initiative aims to provide more comprehensive and instructionally transparent assessment tools to improve student outcomes in reading, with considerations for oral language development, vertical alignment, and adaptive assessment.

This strategic plan, titled 'Start Strong, Stay Engaged, Leave Ready,' outlines the Colorado Department of Education's commitment to creating an equitable educational environment where all students and staff in Colorado thrive. The plan focuses on four key priorities: increasing student engagement, accelerating student outcomes, strengthening the educator workforce, and providing operational excellence. It aims to improve student outcomes and ensure families have access to high-quality schools by addressing goals such as reducing chronic absenteeism, improving third-grade literacy, ensuring postsecondary readiness for graduates, and filling teacher positions with qualified educators.