For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB446,1 Section 1 . 115.38 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB446,5,6 115.38 (1) (a) Indicators of academic achievement, including the performance of pupils on the tests administered under s. 121.02 (1) (r), the performance of pupils on screening assessments required under s. 118.016 (3), and the performance of pupils, by subject area, on the statewide assessment examinations administered under s. 118.30.

AB446,2 Section 2 . 118.016 of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB446,6,2 118.016 Reading readiness screening assessments; characteristics of dyslexia. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB446,6,5 (a) “At-risk” means a pupil scored below the 25th percentile on a universal screening assessment, a level 1 screening assessment, or a level 2 screening assessment, as indicated by the publisher of the screening assessment.

AB446,6,6 (b) “Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is all of the following:

AB446,6,7 1. Neurobiological in origin.

AB446,6,12 2. Characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language. Consequences of these difficulties may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that may impede vocabulary growth and background knowledge.

AB446,6,13 3. Often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities.

AB446,6,17 (c) “Family history survey” means a questionnaire that includes questions about previous recommendations for summer reading support or outside tutoring, general interest in reading and books, family history of characteristics of dyslexia, and any known family struggles in reading or spelling.

AB446,6,19 (d) “Fidelity” means to perform in the manner that the author or publisher of a program or screening assessment intends.

AB446,6,22 (e) “Fundamental skills screening assessment” means an assessment that evaluates whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.

AB446,6,25 (f) “Inadequate rate of progress” means a rate of improvement that is minimal and that with continued intervention the pupil is unlikely to demonstrate grade-level skills by the end of the school year.

AB446,7,2 (g) “Independent charter school” means a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

AB446,7,4 (h) “Intensive intervention” means an intervention that satisfies all of the criteria in par. (i) 1. to 3.

AB446,7,5 (i) “Intervention” means an intervention that is any of the following:

AB446,7,8 1. Explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the area of deficit that targets the specific needs of the pupil without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the pupil.

AB446,7,11 2. Individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of a pupil in a setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize pupil engagement.

AB446,7,13 3. Instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of 2 or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and pupil practice.

AB446,7,16 4. Any other instructional approach that is appropriate to target the needs of the pupil, as determined by the applicable school board or operator of an independent charter school.

AB446,7,18 (j) “Level 1 screening assessment” means a screening tool that includes all of the following:

AB446,7,20 1. An assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in the areas listed in par. (n) 1. to 5., phonological awareness, and encoding.

AB446,7,22 2. An opportunity for a pupil's parent to complete a family history survey to provide additional information about learning difficulties in the pupil's family.

AB446,7,24 (k) “Level 2 screening assessment” means a screening tool that includes all of the following:

AB446,8,3 1. A standardized, norm-referenced assessment that evaluates a pupil's skill in the areas listed in par. (n) 1. to 5., phonological awareness, word recognition, fluency, spelling, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension.

AB446,8,5 2. An opportunity for a pupil's parent to complete a family history survey to provide additional information about learning difficulties in the pupil's family.