Amplify ELAT Newsletter--January 28, 2020

Amplify ELAT Newsletter--January 28, 2020

ELAT Program Contacts and Administrators

mCLASS can Help with Your Family Communications!

Check out our new 8 minute video that will walk you through 3 tools that mCLASS provides to assist you in helping families support their child with early literacy!  

• Home Connect Letter informs families on their child’s progress

• Home Connect Site provides families with activities to help support their child’s growth in early literacy skills

• Boost is an app for students to practice their early literacy skills based on their DIBELS Next data

REMINDER: Please make sure your ELAT application for 2020-21 is turned into CDE by January 31st.  Find application information here. Thank you!

2020-21 Benchmark Windows - CDE recommends that benchmark periods are contained within a 2-week window for each assessment period.

• BOY: ELAT students need to be assessed within the first 30 calendar days of the school year.  Kindergarten consideration: Through a provision in HB15-1323 you may choose to use up to 60 calendar days for initial benchmarking. However, we encourage districts to follow best practices by benchmarking and providing support early in the year, within the first 30 calendar days.

• MOY: November 30th - December 18th OR January 4th - 21st

• EOY: April 26th - May 14th

We will request planned benchmark window dates in April. 

LITERACY Skills for Coaches and Teachers 

• In the section below for Coaches and Teachers, we highlight an important resource, Skills Maps for grades K & 1.  Please make sure to share this section with your K-3 teachers and Coaches.  Thank you!

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

ELAT Updates for Coaches and Teachers

mCLASS can Help with Your Family Communications!

Check out our new 8 minute video that will walk you through 3 tools that mCLASS provides to assist you in helping families support their child with early literacy!  

• Home Connect Letter informs families on their child’s progress

• Home Connect Site provides families with activities to help support their child’s growth in early literacy skills

• Boost is an app for students to practice their early literacy skills based on their DIBELS Next data

Have you checked out all of the Resources on our ELAT Microsite?

• The Start Strong Skills Maps are GREAT resources to use when planning next steps in instruction for your students!  These maps break down the early foundation skills all kindergarten and 1st grade students should have mastered AND gives you suggested activities to support your students.  

• To see these skills maps, go to the ELAT Microsite > Resources > Colorado Start Strong Kindergarten (or 1st grade) Skills Map

We believe these can be very beneficial as you review your middle of the year and progress monitoring data.