THANK YOU! Together, we successfully administered
over 158,000 tests. Thank you for your attention to detail, patience, and dedication
to ensuring accurate test data for all students.
Parental Exclusion- One copy stays with the teacher, one
copy goes into the student’s file and one copy must be sent to the Assessment Department
– ATTN: Terrilyn Lee for K-8 assessments,
ATTN: Dan Del Porto for 9-12 assessments.
Illuminate/Renaissance- Performance Matters will replace Illuminate
at the end of the year. Please see below for more information.
The district Acadience window closes on May 16th. We are
required by the state to test any student enrolled in the district during the window,
even if they registered after the testing team was at a school. Please be
aware of these students to ensure we are testing 95%+ of our K-3 students.
Acadience Math Computation and Concepts & Applications scores should be recorded
by classroom teachers in ALO within three days of testing. Please remember
to administer these indicators to absent students upon their return to class. All math scores must be recorded in ALO by Wednesday, May 14th.
Score entry directions can be found within the TAM packet or linked
HERE.
USBE is offering the following Acadience trainings this summer:
Acadience School Leader Data Analysis (June 2nd) 9:00
AM-12:00 PM. Participants will focus on analyzing the EOY Acadience Reading/Math
data at the district, school or grade level. Intended for school administrators/academic
coaches. This will be a virtual meeting, here is the link: https://schools-utah-gov.zoom.us/j/81397339038?pwd=r5TkBb3XfXMfmlWS6g1mZgpbSpaq4g.1
Acadience Reading Essentials (June 26th) grade level
specific times. Course held online. Registration through MIDAS Course
#62609. Intended for those new to Acadience Reading, or those who would like
to update their skills. Training required prior to administration of indicators
for benchmark and progress monitoring. There will be a second session offered
on July 25th. MIDAS registration will be available soon.
1&2 EOL—Make sure all offline items are administered before 5/16. Renaissance
has a tile to help monitor completion. Make sure students click submit as they finish
the online portion of the test. Please return the materials, as a school, according
to the instructions on the Packing list.
Kindergarten- If you enter the Math Kinder scores directly into Renaissance, you
do not need to fill out the bubble answer sheets. Please return the materials,
as a school, according to the instructions on the Packing List. Kindergarten
Fall testing window starts on July 28. Materials should arrive in June.
Because of the tight timeline, it is unlikely that SLCSD EOL testing will receive
reports this school year.
Please make sure to complete all DLM Testlets by May 23. If you have questions,
please contact Terrilyn
K-3. ELAA and MAAA Alternate Assessments (for Acadience) results due May 23.
Please sent them to Terrilyn via
email or district mail (Terrilyn – Assessment@Beardsley)
WIDA Results are in. You can find them in Illuminate, Ellevations
and AMS.
Individual Student Reports in multiple languages are in the AMS. Paper copies
are on their way and should arrive next week.
Please Note: WIDA Screener grades K-12—Remember, eligible students
must be screened within 10 days of enrollment throughout the rest of the school
year.
Students who have previously tested in the state of Utah, either with WIDA ACCESS
or WIDA Screener, do not need to be re-screened. Please contact Terrilyn
Lee or Mischelle Colby,
to assist in locating student test histories.
Due to the changes in both tests, cut scores will need to
be re-set. Results will be delayed until Fall 2025
Writing Field Test Window February 18- May 31. Please participate.
If there aren’t enough responses to train the scoring engine, Writing Benchmarks
will not be available next year.
While this does not indicate any endorsement by the District, we wanted to pass this opportunity on to any interested school.
FranklinCovey has partnered with multiple foundations hoping to see the Leader In Me become affordable and accessible to more Utah schools. The total school investment, because of these funding partners, is around $10-11 dollars per student.
They understand how important it is to bring meaningful change to your school without overwhelming your team. They also understand what time of year you are hearing about this opportunity. That’s why they want to emphasize one of the most valuable aspects of the Leader in Me process: it's fully adaptable to your school’s unique pace and priorities.
Whether you're looking to take small, strategic steps or you're ready to build momentum quickly, Leader in Me is designed to meet you where you are. You can begin with what feels manageable and build from there. Many schools appreciate that they can focus on creating impact while maintaining a sustainable rhythm for their staff.
Schools that implement Leader in Me report up to a 50% reduction in discipline referrals and consistent gains in academic proficiency. Teachers and parents describe a noticeable shift in school culture—where students take ownership, staff feel more united, and leadership becomes part of everyday learning. One principal shared, “For the first time, we have a common language and vision for student success that’s truly moving us forward together.”
This document is included in response to the three focuses you shared with us yesterday: College and Career Readiness, Literacy, and Attendance. This attachment showcases the evidence & impact of how we address all three of your priorities. I am particularly excited about what we are doing with student leadership credentials, which would complement your strategic plan Goal 3: Access to expanded learning opportunities Objective 3
In 2020-21, the district provided Newsela, a K-12 online instructional content platform offering articles at five different reading levels with quizzes and writing prompts, to all schools to support online learning while we were remote. We continued to provide Newsela using ESSER funds through the end of the 2024-25 school year. Newsela is a supplement to core materials.
Our district-wide contract expires at the end of this year. If you would like to continue using Newsela at your school, the cost is:
If you have questions about usage at your school, please click hereto see your school’s use and which teachers are using the program so you can speak with them about it.
If you would like to continue with the program at your school, there is an order form on Tab 3. The district will place one order to get the legacy partner discount. If you do not want to continue with Newsela, please indicate “decline” to stop any further follow-up.
Expectations for Implementation:
Communication:
If you are going to purchase Newsela, please fill out the order form by MAY 16, 2025.
This project equips participants—such as administrators, instructional coaches, teachers, and librarians—with the skills to effectively engage families and communities in early literacy efforts. After attending an Information Session and registering, participants will champion school-wide family engagement initiatives.
Schools can register to attend a live 30-minute Information Sessions with the QR code below. Once you register the team will be in touch within one week to schedule your Orientation.
A gap in our assessment capability has existed in our ability to prepare for WIDA testing: both the students’ ability to practice the assessment in a meaningful way and in teachers’ ability to progress monitor students to adjust instruction to maximize effectiveness.
There are now a few companies providing this capability. The two programs receiving the highest reviews are Flashlight 360 and Summit K12. Of the two existing programs, we believe Summit K12’s Connect to Literacy program to be the better choice. The big reason for me is the ability to progress monitor all 4 WIDA domains and Flashlight 360 only monitors speaking and writing. We also believe the lesson supplements in Summit K12 are higher quality. However, for an official adoption, we will need to go through a formal Request for Proposal document, which will take more time than we have before the school year ends. Another new factor for consideration: I recently learned from Ellevation that they are currently in program creation and plan to release a program next spring, which is of interest due to our current use and satisfaction of their existing programs. While I am excited to see what they release, I also want to be responsive to the request I have received from several of you for a progress monitoring tool. For this reason, we have come up with a plan.
If you would like to purchase Summit K12, understanding it might only be for one year, we want to support you in that purchase. I will cover the cost of teacher licenses and training, and you will cover the cost of student licenses at $29.95 per student. If I am able to cover more of the costs once I know how many we anticipate participating this year, I will let you know the reduced cost. If you are an elementary or middle school and have not yet spent your Title 3 funds, this would be a great way to use it!
My recommendation: if you and your staff have been discussing the need for this type of product, especially if you have already reached out to our department asking about such a thing, I recommend you try it for the 2025-2026 school year. If this is a new consideration for you and your staff, I might encourage you to wait until we do an adoption in case something better comes along.
Regardless of your decision, please take a moment to answer this short survey by Friday, May 9. This will help me know that all schools have had an opportunity to consider it. https://forms.office.com/r/urB65XEru2
Below you will find information on the Summit K12 Connect to Literacy program. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Monty Eyink or me.
About Summit K12
From English learners, multilingual students, bilingual students and dual language learners who are struggling to read or write, Summit K12’s online, standards-based supplemental curriculum will close gaps and ensure growth for all students.
About Summit K12’s Connect to Literacy
Connect to Literacy (C2L) is a cutting-edge solution designed to enhance English language proficiency by leveraging the strengths of an online curriculum. A supportive online environment designed to fast-track English language learning, aid in quicker reclassification and vocabulary growth, and accelerate speaking, listening, reading, and writing development.
Designed Outcomes of the Connect to Literacy program:
Empower all multilingual learners (MLLs) to grow at least one proficiency level per year or your money back
Accelerate the reclassification of MLLs, including long-term ELs
Support every newcomer student with Language Foundation Skills and support of over 30 home languages
AI Auto-Scoring for Speaking and Writing
Years of intensive research and development and the analysis of thousands of actual teacher-rated English learner recordings and constructed response writing items
Dynamically evaluates 112 linguistic speaking dimensions
Rates student recordings by using artificial intelligence (AI)
Streamlines scoring of speaking and writing item types
3 Progress Monitoring ELD BENCHMARKS
Success with C2L is centered around the 3 ELD Progress Monitoring Benchmarks students take throughout the year which generate 3 corresponding Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) and class grouping reports.
Personalized Learning Plans
The PLPs are divided into four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Each PLP is designed to focus on the specific concepts and skills that each student needs the most. Students can progress through their PLP assignments at their own pace.
Each PLP contains:
Video lesson models, guided practice, assessments and model exemplars
Scaffolded and linguistically accommodated instruction
AI auto-scoring for Speaking and Writing item types
Comprehensive progress-monitoring and reports for teachers
Year-Round STATE ELD Assessment Readiness
C2L’s content is based on ELD Standards Framework, consisting of four components: ELD Standards, Key Language Uses, Language Expectations, and Proficiency Level Descriptors. Through accounting for all of these components and the three difficulty tiers, C2L’s program contains more than 1,400 unique items leveled to all grade-level clusters: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
May 7th is National School Nurse Day: Please join us in recognizing SLCSD nurses for National School Nurse Day. Nurses play a critical role in supporting the health, wellness, and academic success of our students. Please show our nurses how much they are appreciated!
Ask a Therapist Live on May 7th: Parents with questions about parenting, relationships, or their child's well-being can anonymously submit questions to receive thoughtful, personalized answers from family therapist, Dr. Kevin Skinner via our ParentGuidance.org Mental Health Series Webinars
Ask counselors about their Transition Report Form:One counselor from each school enters transition activities conducted to support students needing extra support as they transition from elementary to middle or middle to high school.
Please be sure all SafeUT tips for your school were assigned prior to the end of the year. Close every tip. SafeUT Administrator Portal Training
Please adhere to the following guidelines when requesting data from the Assessment & Evaluation Team:
Log in with your credentials if prompted
If you receive an error message, please contact Brenda Wiebe or Jeffrey Lutz
Read each question carefully before responding
Note that the following fields are mandatory and must be completed:
Contact information
Data question
The due date field
You will receive a confirmation message once your submission is successful
You may receive follow up emails from the data team for further clarification
Important Reminders
Please allow a minimum of a week for data requests and reports and 48 hours for ad hoc requests. Depending on the nature of the requests, some projects may take longer. The data team will reach out and inform you if this is the case.
Principals and assistant principals can only request aggregate level data from their schools
Teachers and counselors can only request aggregate level data from their classrooms
If more information is needed, email Jeffrey Lutz or Brenda Wiebe, and we will determine whether requests can be fulfilled on a case by case basis
For technical assistance, please contact the data team
We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to provide guidance regarding HB 77 – Flag Display Amendments, which was recently passed by the Utah Legislature and will take effect May 7, 2025. This legislation outlines specific regulations regarding which flags may be displayed on or within government property, including public school campuses.
For years, Salt Lake City School District has been known for our commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and staff, and we remain committed to this goal and the values underlying that commitment. We also appreciate the pride and passion many of our students and staff feel in their beliefs and causes. While this law imposes certain limitations, we will continue to foster school environments where all students feel seen, supported, and valued. In order to understand and implement this legislation, we are providing the following protocols for our schools.
Key Provisions of HB 77
HB 77 defines “display” as placing a flag in a prominent location where the flag is easily visible. A “flag” is defined as a usually rectangular piece of fabric with a specific design that symbolizes a location, government entity, or cause.
To ensure district-wide compliance, please note the following flags are permitted for display:
The official United States Flag
The official Utah State Flag
The current and official flag of another country, state, or political subdivision (e.g., another school district or city)
A flag that represents a city, municipality, county, or other political subdivision within Utah
A flag representing a branch, unit, or division of the U.S. military
The National League of Families POW/MIA flag
A flag that represents a recognized Indian tribe
An officially licensed college or university flag
A historic version of the U.S., Utah, or other state/national flags
An official public school flag
An official flag of the U.S. Olympic/Paralympic Committee, International Olympic/Paralympic Committee, or a specific Olympiad/Paralympiad that occurred or will occur
A flag of an organization authorized to use space within a public school, during the time they are using the space
We understand that some of you may feel inclined to demonstrate your support for various causes, groups, and beliefs by displaying items that do not meet the definition of flag and thus do not violate the new law. While we support you in your goal of signaling a welcome environment, there is additional information that you should consider in displaying items. In addition to HB 77, the Utah State Board of Education (“USBE”) issued a letter on April 10,2025, reminding educators of Utah Admin. Code R277-217(25), Educator Standards, that states that an educator may not “through instruction, materials, or symbols . . . endorse promote, or disparage” a particular viewpoint. The letter also indicated how the public may report violations of this section. We are providing you with this information not as a threat of district action, but as an awareness that USBE, as the licensing authority for Utah educators, has indicated that compliance with these rules and laws is not only expected but vital.
Action Steps for Schools
Review all flags currently displayed in your school or on your school property, including in classrooms, hallways, and offices.
Remove any flags that do not fall within the categories listed above by the end of school onMay 6, 2025, to ensure full compliance with the law upon its effective date.
When in doubt, please consult with the General Counsel before displaying a new flag to confirm it meets the legal criteria.
Ensure that flags displayed during temporary use by authorized organizations are removed promptly after their use of the space ends.
The Office of the State Auditor is tasked with overseeing compliance with this legislation and may impose fines for violations. As such, we must be diligent and proactive to ensure our flag displays align with this new legislation.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued leadership in ensuring our schools remain compliant, welcoming, and student-centered.
As we continue to prioritize student safety and manage risk responsibly across our district, we want to clarify our position regarding the use of inflatables and requests for field trips to trampoline parks.
Due to risk management and liability concerns, Salt Lake City School District does not permit the use of inflatable structures (such as bounce houses, inflatable slides, etc.) for school-sponsored events. Similarly, field trips to trampoline parks will not be approved and will be denied upon submission.
While we understand the desire to provide engaging and enjoyable experiences for students, we must ensure all activities align with district safety protocols and minimize unnecessary risk.
Thank you for your understanding and for your ongoing commitment to providing safe, enriching opportunities for our students. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance identifying alternative options for student activities.
