Questions? The district wants to hear from you!

Click here to submit general questions for the district literacy team
Check out this webpage and resources linked below for more support. We will be updating this resource page regularly as we learn more about the AK Reads Act and how it works for homeschool families. Thank you for working through these new mandates with us! 

FAQs for AK Reads Act

What is the AK Reads Act?
As June of 2022, Governor Dunleavy passed the AK Reads Act into law. This law created four components to help all students learn to read by the end of third grade. This is a statewide law that all districts and schools must follow. We have new accountability measures through assessment and progress monitoring, extra layers of intervention for those students identified as below or well below average, and specific guidelines for grade advancement or retainment. Alaska Reads Act HB114 Regulations - Final
​Do I have to test?
Students are required to participate in assessment for AK Reads Act. This assessment can be the school-provided option (Aimsweb Plus) or you can participate in a portfolio assessment.
When can my child test?
This year, Twindly Bridge's fall benchmark testing window opens September 5th and closes September 30th. If you do not test within this range, then you will complete the portfolio assessment.
Which assessments does my child need to take?
Kindergarten: Letter names, Letter Sounds, Phonemic Awareness, Nonsense Word Fluency
1st Grade: Letter Sounds, Nonsense Word Fluency, Oral Reading Fluency
2nd Grade: Oral Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary
3rd Grade: Oral Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary
IF My child does not complete an assessment, are they considered 'not proficient?
Yes. We will have to create an Individual Reading Improvement Plan for them.
Is this a law just for our districT?
No, this is a state law. That means every school and school district in Alaska is required to meet the requirements of the AK Reads Act.
How Often does my child need to participate in the benchmark?
The benchmark is offered three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring). If your child is determined 'proficient' during the Fall benchmark window, then they do not need to participate in the benchmark screening in the winter or spring. If the child falls in the Tier 2 or Tier 3 window, then they will be required to participate in the benchmark screening in the winter and spring.

Resources & Activities

Instructional Routines- Training Videos for parents
Learn effective reading routines to teach phonological awareness, phonics, high frequency words and how to give corrective feedback. This video library is an instructional tool for parents to develop better reading routines at home with the curriculum you're already using.
Oral language refers to the knowledge and skills that we use to produce and understand spoken language. ​"
Check out this helpful handout for more information on the 5 components of oral language.
Check out our tutoring page for links to phonemic awareness, phonics, alphabetic knowledge activities. This same link has access to digital decodable readers!