Hello, Missouri teachers and leaders!
We’re excited to support Missouri schools as you implement literacy assessment tools that will both screen students for risk of reading difficulties (including dyslexia), while also gaining critical information about how to support learning.
Amplify’s mCLASS® early literacy program has been approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and fulfills the requirements of RSMo Section 167.645. This legislation states that all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) will screen students in kindergarten through grade 3 and any newly enrolled students in grades one through five screened for their level of reading or reading readiness on a state-approved reading assessment at the beginning and end of each school year. Furthermore, the legislation requires a reading success plan to be developed for any student who shows a significant reading deficiency that hinders their progress in learning to read or is identified as being at risk for dyslexia.
Log in to access your mCLASS program at learning.amplify.com.
Need help logging in? Visit our Teacher Central site for help and instructions on navigating the platform.
Want advice and answers from the Amplify team?
Introduction to mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition is an all-in-one system of evidence-based literacy and reading difficulties screening, progress monitoring, and instruction for grades K–8. Amplify’s Spanish language assessment, mCLASS Lectura, works in tandem with DIBELS 8th Edition’s English assessments to help teachers understand where their Spanish-speaking students are on their English and Spanish literacy paths.
Please visit our technical onboarding website for information regarding enrollment and licensing.
Access information here regarding what types of permissions teachers, principals, and district administrators need to assess students and access data in mCLASS.
Missouri DESE requires mCLASS benchmark window dates to fall within the following windows:
BOY: August 24-October 16
BOY K: by November 13
MOY: December 1-January 31
EOY: April 5-May 14
For instructions on setting mCLASS Benchmark Windows within the platform, refer to this help article.
Amplify’s recommendations for selecting mCLASS benchmark window dates is as follows:
Schedule three benchmark assessments per year:
- Beginning of year (BOY, Benchmark 1): Months 1–3
- Middle of year (MOY, Benchmark 2): Months 4–6
- End of year (EOY, Benchmark 3): Months 7–9
The following are suggested dates using as an example a Sept.–June school calendar:
- September (BOY)
- January (MOY)
- May (EOY)
For instructions on setting mCLASS Benchmark Windows within the platform, refer to this help article.
Students enrolled after screening occurs:
When you have a late-enrolling student who needs to be screened for reading difficulties within 45 days of enrollment due to legislative requirements, you will likely follow one of the following example approaches:
If your next scheduled benchmark window falls within the required 45-day window, you can wait and screen the student during that regular assessment period along with all other students.
If your benchmark window recently closed and you don’t have strict benchmarks enabled in your mCLASS platform, you can still assess the student using that same benchmark assessment.
- This gives you the most comprehensive picture of where the student stands. The assessment will be administered in the same manner it was during the window. NOTE: This could create an incongruent aggregate data set that does not reflect the same instructional time period for all students being screened.
Conduct progress monitoring using the same measures that would have been required at your most recent benchmark assessment for the student’s grade level and time of year.
- This approach helps you quickly identify the student’s current skill set and plan appropriate next steps for instruction while screening for reading difficulties as required by law. NOTE: Home Connect Letters will not be available for a student who only has progress-monitoring data.
We know that every situation is unique. If you’re unsure which option works best for your specific circumstances, reach out to Emily Lutrick.
Access the mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition materials here.
Access both mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura materials by navigating to learning.amplify.com/pdlibrary. NOTE: Login is required.
- Select Explore Programs, then mCLASS.
- Choose Assessment materials: mCLASS Lectura or mCLASS DIBELS 8.
Reading Success Plans (RSP)
Per RSMo Section 167.645, all public districts and charters are tasked with establishing a reading success plan for any student who demonstrates a significant reading deficit impeding their literacy development.
For the most current guidance on using mCLASS to address Missouri’s K–3 Foundational Reading Assessment requirements, see the Missouri K–3 Foundational Reading Assessment page.
Students are initially assessed using all mCLASS DIBELS 8th measures and follow all applicable gating rules. Students who score “Well Below” on their composite score are at risk for reading difficulties and are required to have an RSP. After identifying students scoring “Well Below,” administrators must conduct mCLASS Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) or mCLASS Spelling.
Students at risk on these measures are considered at risk for reading difficulties, including risk related to dyslexia, and require an RSP. Educators should use the mCLASS Instruction Report and Zones of Growth Goal Setting Tool to analyze data and establish instructional goals for the RSP.
The following resources can be utilized to support the creation of RSPs:
Reporting
mCLASS gives you detailed insight into your students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills, empowering educators with instructional recommendations specific to each student’s unique needs.
Access the mCLASS Reporting Guide to find a wealth of valuable reporting information that mCLASS provides for everyone—from classroom teachers and literacy specialists to principals and district leaders, as well as parents and guardians at home.
Resources
To learn more about MO’s K-3 screening requirements, please click here for more information. Check out Amplify for the most up-to-date information and to access further resources related to our programs, such as:
Assessment Checklists
Use the assessment checklists below to support assessors and implementation leads, and district staff.
- BOY Checklist
- MOY Checklist – coming soon!
- EOY Checklist – coming soon!
Meet the team
Rachel Scott
Vice President, PD Service Delivery
rscott@amplify.com
Local representatives
Missouri account executives
hellomissouri@amplify.com
Emily Lutrick
Director, Assessment & Intervention Adoption Strategy
elutrick@amplify.com
Need more help?
Log in at learning.amplify.com, and select the gray chat button in the bottom-right corner to chat live with our Support team.
Our Help Center contains searchable articles and resources to answer many of your questions.
If you have other questions or need additional assistance, please contact our Support team.