Wisconsin § 118.015 - Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials.
Full text of Wisconsin Wisconsin Statutes § 118.015 — Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 118.015. Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials.
118.015(1) (1) Purpose and intent. It is the purpose and intent of this section to provide for a developmental reading program for pupils at all grade levels. 118.015(1c) (1c) Definitions. In this section: 118.015(1c)(a) (a) “Phonics” means the study of the relationships between sounds and words; this includes alphabetic principle, decoding, orthographic knowledge, encoding, and fluency. 118.015(1c)(b) (b) “Science-based early reading instruction” means instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of at least all of the following: 118.015(1c)(b)1. 1. Phonological awareness, including word awareness, rhyme recognition, repetition and creation of alliteration, syllable counting or identification, onset, and rime manipulation. 118.015(1c)(b)2. 2. Phonemic awareness, including phoneme identification, isolation, blending, segmentation, addition, substitution, and deletion. 118.015(1c)(b)3. 3. Phonics. 118.015(1c)(b)4. 4. Building background knowledge. 118.015(1c)(b)5. 5. Oral language development. 118.015(1c)(b)6. 6. Vocabulary building to develop lexical and morphological knowledge. 118.015(1c)(b)7. 7. Instruction in writing. 118.015(1c)(b)8. 8. Instruction in comprehension. 118.015(1c)(b)9. 9. Reading fluency. 118.015(1c)(c) (c) “Three-cueing” means any model, including the model referred to as meaning, structure, and visual cues, or MSV, of teaching a pupil to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues or memory. 118.015(1m) (1m) Early literacy curricula and instructional materials. 118.015(1m)(a) (a) Beginning in the 2023-24 school year and annually thereafter, the council on early literacy curricula shall recommend to the department early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the following school year in grades kindergarten to 3. The council on early literacy curricula may recommend only early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the following criteria: 118.015(1m)(a)1. 1. The curricula and instructional materials include all of the components of science-based early reading instruction. 118.015(1m)(a)2. 2. The curricula and instructional materials do not include 3-cueing. 118.015(1m)(b) (b) 118.015(1m)(b)1. 1. By no later than 30 days after the department receives recommendations under par. (a) , the department shall submit to the joint committee on finance proposed recommendations on early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the criteria under par. (a) 1. and 2. for use in the following school year. If the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the department within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the proposed recommendations that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the proposed recommendations, the department shall adopt the proposed recommendations for use in the following school year. If, within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the proposed recommendations, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the proposed recommendations, the department may not adopt the proposed recommendations unless the committee approves or modifies the proposed recommendations. If the committee modifies the plan, the department may adopt the recommendations only as modified by the committee. 118.015(1m)(b)2. 2. The department shall maintain on its website a current list of the early literacy curricula and instructional materials recommendations adopted under this paragraph. 118.015(1m)(c) (c) The department shall award grants to reimburse school boards, operators of charter schools, and governing bodies of private schools participating in a program under s.
Source: official Wisconsin text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About Wisconsin § 118.015
What does Wisconsin Statutes § 118.015 cover?
Section 118.015 ("Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials.") is part of the Wisconsin Statutes, the codified statutory law of Wisconsin. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Wisconsin § 118.015?
A common citation format is "Wisconsin Statutes § 118.015" (Wisconsin). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Wisconsin law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Wisconsin official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Wisconsin attorney.
How does Wisconsin § 118.015 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Wisconsin can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Wisconsin.