Amplify ELAT Newsletter, April 7, 2021

April Newsletter

ELAT Program Contacts and Administrators

REMINDER: Summer Programs

If you will be using mCLASS: Acadience Reading (or other Amplify products) during summer programs, please remember to set your rollover date after your summer program is completed and prior to the 2021-22 school year. Default roller over will be July 16th. More information to come soon regarding changing the default date needed if needed.

Action Needed: Please Set Your 2021-22 Benchmark Windows

Please use this form to set your Benchmark Windows within the mCLASS System so that  teachers will be able to assess within your designated window at Back to School.  Please fill out this form by July 9, 2021 so that your windows are set correctly. If you need to change your window after you have filled out the form, please email Genna Faulkenberry at gfaulkenberry@amplify.com.

When selecting your benchmark windows in the fields below, please ensure that the assessment dates comply with the following guidelines:

• BOY - first 30 days; K first 60 days - Please pick a 2-week window

• MOY - Monday, November 29th -  Wednesday, December 22nd OR                                     Monday, January 3rd - Thursday, January 20th - Please pick a 2-week window

• EOY - Monday, April 25th - Friday, May 13th - Please pick a 2-week window

If you have questions regarding benchmark windows, please contact Genna Faulkenberry at gfaulkenberry@amplify.com.

Important mCLASS UPDATE - MetaMetrics has updated the Lexile scale to extend downward to help further differentiate the beginning readers. The update includes changes in reported Lexiles for Kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 BOY. 

In the past, the reported Lexile starts at BR400L. Now it extends down to BR1300L. By extending the beginning reader level down to BR1300L, an additional layer of information is provided to the educator about their student’s reading ability. The higher the BR number, the less skilled the reader is. The additional scores will help inform the change of progress being made within the beginner reader category.

End of Year Assessments

Please verify your End of Year (EOY) benchmark windows with your principal or district ELAT leader. Unless pre-approved by CDE, your window will be between      April 26 and May 14. If you require further assistance with remote assessment for EOY, please reach out to Dori Klar and she will work with you to plan a coaching session to assist. We also have resources available on the ELAT Microsite to help you feel more confident regarding your assessment practices. 

Spring ELAT Professional Development

Please register now for our project-wide sessions available in April/May!

• mCLASS:Acadience Reading Scoring Refresher - intended for those who might want extra scoring practice before completing the EOY Benchmark (3 dates available in April)

• EOY Data Analysis for Teachers - intended for those who want to evaluate classroom-level instructional growth and use data to plan for next year (6 dates available in May & June)

• EOY Data Analysis for Leaders - intended for those who want to evaluate school-level instructional growth and use data to plan for next year (6 dates available in May & June)

Coaching Sessions
We are pleased to offer 3-hour coaching sessions available to your teachers and/or coaches, complimentary as part of your participation in ELAT. These sessions are designed around your needs. Possible topics include:

• Where can we find resources to plan phonemic awareness instruction?

• How do we prioritize our resources?

• How do we plan for small group instruction?

• How do we use our Pathways of Progress data to know where to prioritize instruction?

• How do we use our progress monitoring data to determine instructional plans?

• Review school level processes (schedules, PD planning, curriculum, data analysis process, staffing and assessment practices)

• How does Acadience Reading tie into what we are learning about the science of reading?

• Prepare for remote assessment (progress monitoring and/or benchmarking)

Please request coaching support here; any questions about the sessions can be sent directly to Dori Klar.

ELAT Contact Information:

• Laura Stelling, CDE READ Act Grants Project Manager

• Karen Cushman,  ELAT Project Manager, Amplify

• Genna Faulkenberry, ELAT Benchmark windows, Amplify

• Dori Klar, ELAT Professional Development, Amplify

Please share the information below with your staff - THANK you for your assistance!

ELAT Updates for Coaches and Teachers

Important mCLASS UPDATE - MetaMetrics has updated the Lexile scale to extend downward to help further differentiate the beginning readers. The update includes changes in reported Lexiles for Kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 BOY. 

In the past, the reported Lexile starts at BR400L. Now it extends down to BR1300L. By extending the beginning reader level down to BR1300L, an additional layer of information is provided to the educator about their student’s reading ability. The higher the BR number, the less skilled the reader is. The additional scores will help inform the change of progress being made within the beginner reader category.

End of Year Assessments

Please verify your End of Year (EOY) benchmark windows with your principal or district ELAT leader. Unless pre-approved by CDE, your window will be between April 26 and May 14. If you require further assistance with remote assessment for EOY, please reach out to Dori Klar and she will work with you to plan a coaching session to assist. We also have resources available on the ELAT Microsite to help you feel more confident regarding your assessment practices. 

Spring ELAT Professional Development

Please register now for our project-wide sessions available in April/May!

• mCLASS:Acadience Reading Scoring Refresher - intended for those who might want extra scoring practice before completing the EOY Benchmark (3 dates available in April)

• EOY Data Analysis for Teachers - intended for those who want to evaluate classroom-level instructional growth and use data to plan for next year (6 dates available in May & June)

• EOY Data Analysis for Leaders - intended for those who want to evaluate school-level instructional growth and use data to plan for next year (6 dates available in May & June)