Elementary and Secondary Education Act Information
WISEdash: Wisconsin Information System for Education Data Dashboard
Qualifications of Teachers
Districts receiving federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) are required to notify parents and guardians of their right to request and receive information on the professional qualifications of their child’s teacher(s). Specifically, you have the right to request the following:
- Whether your child’s teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which he or she teaches.
- Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
- Whether your child’s teacher is teaching in the field of the discipline of the certification of the teacher.
- Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
All teachers in the School District of Janesville have a bachelor’s degree and a large percentage have advanced degrees. In addition, all paraprofessionals meet ESEA qualifications. You can check on the state certification of your child’s teacher by accessing the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website (user name “view” password “1234567”) at https://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/license-lookup/public-search or by contacting Human Resources at 608-743-5024.
Required Assessments
Wisconsin Student Assessment System
The Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) is a comprehensive statewide program designed to provide information about what students know in core academic areas and whether they can apply what they know. The WSAS includes:
- The Wisconsin Forward Exam at grades 3-8 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, at grades 4 and 8 in Science, and 4, 8, and 10 in Social Studies
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) at grades 3-11 in ELA and Mathematics, at grades 4 and 8 - 11 in Science, and at grades 4, 8, and 10 in Social Studies,
- PreACT Secure at grades 9 & 10 in English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science,
- The ACT with Writing at grade 11 for Reading, English, Mathematics, Science, and Writing.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires all states to test all students in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics in grades 3-8 and once in high school. ESSA also requires students be assessed in Science once each grade span (3-6, 7-9, and 10-12 grades). Student performance on these assessments is reported in proficiency categories and used for accountability determination at the school, district and state levels. Wisconsin State statute also requires students to take grade 9 and 10 assessments as well as the social studies test. These tests together create the Wisconsin Student Assessment System.
Other Wisconsin Assessments
Assessment for ELs
Federal and state laws require that students identified as English Learners (ELs) be assessed annually to determine their level of English language proficiency (ELP) and ensure that they are progressing in achieving full English proficiency. This includes students who receive special education services. Most ELs will take the ACCESS for ELLs assessment annually. ELs recognized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 2004) as having a significant cognitive disability and who are expected to participate in the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment are eligible to take the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs in place of the ACCESS for ELLs®.
Assessment for Reading Readiness
Wis. Stats. 118.016 requires each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten to 2nd grade in a school district or in a charter school to be annually assessed for reading readiness. Each school board and the operator of each charter school shall select the appropriate, valid, and reliable assessment of literacy fundamentals to be used. The school board or operator shall ensure that the assessment evaluates whether a pupil possesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
NAEP is a survey assessment; each year a sample of schools are selected to participate. It provides results at the state and national level and produces the Nation's Report Card. Districts that receive Title 1 funds agree to have schools participate, if selected, in Main/State NAEP in grades 4 and 8 reading and mathematics.
Assessment Policy Notification
Additional details, including information about parent rights and opt-out policies by test can be found at https://dpi.wi.gov/assessment/faq.