Early Literacy Assessment Tool (ELAT)

Important Updates

The ELAT Project Request for Applications (RFA) is currently closed. All applications were due April 16th, 2025. If you missed this deadline, please email elat@cde.state.co.us.

History and Purpose

The 2012 School Finance Act required the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to select a contractor to supply an early literacy assessment tool that teachers may use to obtain real-time assessments of the reading skill levels of students in kindergarten through third grade. The intent of the program was to support the state purchase of software that would provide individualized assessments with immediate results, store and analyze those results, and recommend activities based on those results.

In 2023, Amplify was awarded for approved interim assessments on its platform. The contract duration is for five years, through June 2028. This award replaced the previous award from 2018 the award was made to both Amplify and Istation. For historical data requests from Istation, please contact CDE. This is a non-competitive project.

The Early Literacy Assessment Tool is designed to assist teachers in meeting the assessment requirements of the READ Act. The online tool will allow teachers to obtain real-time assessment of the reading skill levels of students enrolled in kindergarten, first, second, and/or third grades. Based on the assessment results, the online tool will generate intervention plans and materials to support students.

teacher supervises young students taking an assessment

Benefits of ELAT

By participating in the Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project, applicants are supplied with the online tools to support the assessment:

Amplify DIBELS 8th Edition and Lectura, approved interim assessments for the READ Act.

The online platform will:

Provide individualized assessments with immediate results;
Store and analyze assessment results, recommend activities that are aligned with the assessment results, and assist in tracking student performance and identifying strategies to improve student performance;
Provide student grouping recommendations based on the assessment scores and provide proposed lesson plans on a short-term cycle; and
Assist in generating and populating individualized plans to improve students’ reading skills.

All approved applicants will receive software licenses to use the assessment. The tool will store and analyze the results and recommend school and home activities based on those results. Hardware is not included. Applicants will be responsible for providing their own hardware.

A list of hardware devices that support the software is available on Amplify's website.

Eligible Applicants

All local education providers (LEPs) are eligible to apply. For purposes of the ELAT application, "local education provider" means:

a school district;
a charter school authorized through a district or the Charter School Institute (CSI);
a public school within a district applying as a standalone applicant;
or a public school operated by a Board of Cooperative Services (BOCES).

The applicant must enroll students in kindergarten, first, second, and/or third grades. Applications may be submitted for a single school or multiple schools within a district or CSI. CDE accepts applications from both new and renewal applicants.

LEPs Receive the Following Items Upon Application Approval

Each school will receive licenses for:

Amplify, Inc., mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition, 2018 (READ approved interim assessment)
Amplify, Inc., mCLASS Lectura, 2022 (READ approved interim assessment)

The district contacts listed will receive a welcome email from Amplify and step-by-step instructions on getting started.

Each school will receive one kit per grade level, kindergarten-3rd grade, for:

DIBELS 8 Kits
Lectura Kits (if requested by the district)

Vendor Resources and Information

View Amplify Resources

Learn more about Amplify

ELAT News

2025-2026 ELAT Application Information Webinar

The ELAT Application Information Webinar was held on February 20th, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.

2025-2026 Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project Application

The 2025-2026 ELAT Project Request for Applications is currently closed.
Applications were due April 16th, 2025.
If you missed this deadline, please email elat@cde.state.co.us.
For materials and resources, visit the ELAT Application Process Webpage.

CDE Selects Amplify DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura for ELAT Project

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has concluded its review of proposals for an experienced organization to provide an early literacy assessment tool (ELAT) for the ELAT Project. The selection committee for this solicitation included educators and assessment professionals from several districts in Colorado as well as representatives from the Dyslexia Working Group.

As a reminder, all local education providers that join the ELAT Project are able to use the assessment tool at no cost for five years. The assessment tools, available in Spanish and English, enable teachers to conduct real-time assessments of the reading skill levels of students enrolled in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades and, based on the assessment results, generate intervention plans and materials. ELAT Project participants receive assessment training and support in addition to access to the assessment tools.

CDE recently published a public Intent to Award stating the committee has completed the evaluation of all the proposals and based on the evaluation factors posted in the solicitation, it intends to award the contract to Amplify Inc. for the DIBELS 8 assessment and the corresponding Spanish-language assessment, mCLASS Lectura. Please note that the Acadience assessment will not be offered on the Amplify mCLASS platform as of June 30.

Frequently Asked Questions

2025-2026 ELAT Project

ELAT Project Applications for the 2025-2026 school year were due April 16th, 2025.
Visit the ELAT Application Process webpage for application materials and resources.

ELAT Contact Information

Amplify Support Staff

Carolyn Mulloy
Associate Director, Customer Success
cmulloy@amplify.com

Kim Ballantyne
PD Partnerships and Design
kballantyne@amplify.com

CDE Support Staff

Colorado Department of Education Project Manager

Megan Prior Rogers
For questions please email ELAT@cde.state.co.us.

ELAT Questions

Please email ELAT@cde.state.co.us with any ELAT questions. For updates related to ELAT, sign up for the READ Act Communication listserv here and The Scoop here.