Mark your calendar and sign up today! 

The Office of Early Learning (OEL) invites all NC Charter Schools to join the OEL Charter Support Team virtually as we provide information on the Early Literacy Supports offered through the Office of Early Learning.   

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 from 3:30 pm-4:30 pm  -  Click here to register: Charter Literacy Webinar.

The purpose of this form is to capture each PSU's Read to Achieve benchmark window dates for BOY, MOY and EOY.   PSUs with more than one schedule for its elementary schools will submit separate benchmark window dates for each schedule. 

How to calculate benchmark windows:

• For BOY: 15 consecutive instructional school days (not including holidays) within days 6 – 21 of the school year. No testing during the first 5 days to establish relationships and routines. 
• For MOY: 15 consecutive instructional school days (not including holidays) within days 80 – 100 of the school year. 
• For EOY: 15 consecutive instructional school days (not including holidays) within days 155-170 of the school year. Complete testing prior to EOGs during the last 10 days.

Please complete this form no later than June 30, 2023.

Applicable for the 2022-2023 school year, G.S.115C-83.10. (b2) states each local board of education shall report annually in writing to the State Board of Education by November 15 of each year the number and percentage of retained third grade students placed in an accelerated reading class or transitional third and fourth class combination under G.S. 115C-83.8(b) in the prior school year who were:

(i) promoted mid-year as provided in G.S. 115C-83.8(c) or

(ii) promoted directly to fifth grade for the school year following the retention.

This updated legislation requires the following data be collected:

1. The number of students that started the school year with a reading retained label in PowerSchool and had the label removed by November 1st (mid-year promotion).
2. The number of reading retained students that had a reading retained label in PowerSchool after November 1st and demonstrated third grade reading proficiency by the end of school year and were promoted to fifth grade. 

To assist with gathering the required data, DPI has added two new codes in PowerSchool for PSUs to document the progress of third grade reading retained students beginning this school year.

Mid-Year Removal - RtA (By Nov 1)

For any student who begins the school year with a Reading Retained label in PowerSchool and demonstrates third grade reading proficiency by November 1, remove the Reading Retained label and add the new Mid-Year Removal - RtA (By Nov 1) label in PowerSchool.

2023-2024 Twice Retained Funding

Twice Retained allotments will be determined using PowerSchool data. It is important that PSUs code students correctly to ensure accurate Twice Retained funding.

In the 2023-2024 school year, PSUs will receive Twice Retained funding to provide supplemental tutoring for any students who:

1. have been retained once in first grade, second grade or third grade AND
2. retained again in the third grade either by placement in a third-grade class or given the reading retained label and placed in a transitional 3/4 class combination or accelerated reading class.

Charter Schools maintain flexibility and may choose to conduct Read to Achieve reading camp. If a charter chooses to provide Read to Achieve reading camp, funds are allotted in PRC 016 and are to be used to fulfill the legislative requirement of offering at least 72 hours of reading instruction to yield positive reading outcomes for participants.

If a charter chooses not to conduct RtA reading camp, the funds provided in PRC 016 will revert back to the state. 

Reading Camp (PRC 016) funds have been disbursed. 

As previously shared, we are aware the funding amount is significantly less than previous years. We will notify PSUs if additional reading camp funds become available.

As defined by the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021, "Reading camp" means an additional educational program outside of the instructional calendar provided by the local school administrative unit as a literacy intervention that shall be offered to:

         (i) any third grade student who does not demonstrate reading proficiency and 

        (ii) any second grade student who demonstrates difficulty with reading development. 

Local school administrative units may offer a reading camp as a literacy intervention to any first grade student who demonstrates difficulty with reading development.

Please note that all PRC 016 (RtA Reading Camp funds) must be used to provide reading instruction and support during reading camp as outlined in legislation. 

We recognize the importance of beginning the planning process for your PSUs reading camp  opportunities. The following information pertains to Read to Achieve (RtA) Reading Camps for the 2022-2023 school year. 

PSUs will use student mCLASS EOY Composite Score data as the pre-assessment data for reading camp. Students attending reading camp will be assessed using DIBELS 8 at the end of camp. We will share more information about the reading camp end of camp assessment soon!  2023 Reading Camp Guidebook

Charter schools maintain their current assessment flexibility and may use the state approved diagnostic assessment, DIBELS 8 or one of their own choosing. If a charter school chooses to use the state-approved assessment, the assessment tool and training will be provided by the state. More information regarding Charter School’s training will be forthcoming. If a charter chooses not to use the state-approved assessment system, the charter is responsible for the tool and any required training.  

All K-3 students will be assessed three times a year using the state-approved formative/diagnostic assessment, DIBELS 8. Furthermore, charter schools interested in participating in the EVAAS process must follow the state-required benchmark windows. More benchmark windows information for the 2023-2024 school year will be forthcoming.

In order to provide continuing support for North Carolina’s youngest readers, The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Office of Early Learning has developed and released “Literacy at Home.” This digital resource provides literacy activities at each grade level, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Families and communities may access this resource for activities that specifically target the literacy skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and oral language. When children grow in each of these foundational areas they are well on their way to becoming proficient readers.

Sustainability sessions are for charter school teachers who are currently participating in Lexia LETRS training.

April/May/June Calendar Link (registration link is embedded in the calendar. Please note: there are a limited number of half day sessions offered for select units.) These free sessions are offered by the Office of Early Learning NC Facilitators. 

April/May/June Sessions: Registration Link