Virginia Literacy Act

Overview

The Virginia Literacy Act legislation, passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2022 to improve literacy outcomes for Virginia’s learners, goes into effect for the 2024-2025 school year in coordination with subsection G of § 22.1-253.13:2 of the Code of Virginia. ACPS has been working to continuously improve its literacy instruction to align with the requirements of this legislation and the latest reading research. Here are some key requirements of the Virginia Literacy Act:

Programs/Resources: “a program of literacy instruction that is aligned with science-based reading research and provides evidence-based literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade eight.”
Reading Specialists Ratio: One reading specialist per every 550 students division-wide in Grades K-5
Student Reading Plan (SRP): “Students will receive evidence-based instruction and intervention, as outlined in an individualized student reading plan, if they do not meet literacy benchmarks.”
Division Literacy Plan (DLP): “The division-wide comprehensive plan shall also include a division-wide literacy plan for pre-K through grade 8.”
VDOE Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Webpage

ACPS' Literacy Strategic Focus Journey: K-2 literacy task force formed 2019; reading&writing core instruction K-5 in 2023-24 — SY 2019–21: formation of K-2 literacy task force
SY 2021-22: implementation of Really Great Reading Phonics Grades K-2
2023: Virginia Literacy Act K-3 becomes VDOE policy
SY 2022-23 Collaboration with University of Delaware Reading & Writing Core Instructional Resource Grades 3-5
2024: Virginia Literacy Act Grades 4-8 becomes VDOE policy
SY 2023-24: Implementation of Bookworms Reading & Writing Core Instructional Resource Grades K-5

The Science of Reading

From the VDOE:

What is the Science of Reading?

There is over 50 years of research from a variety of career fields that support how the brain learns to read and speak and how we should be taught. More recently the connection between these fields of research has become more apparent and talked about in educational settings.

Science of reading. A term that refers to a corpus of objective investigation and accumulation of reliable evidence about how humans learn to read and how reading should be taught.

As reported in the National Reading Panel and later recognized in CCSSO’s A Nation of Readers report, additional research has shown the significant impact of instruction that explicitly addresses all five pillars of reading.

Phonemic Awareness
Phonological Awareness
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension

Diagram shows how language comprehension and word recognition combine to form skilled reading

Division Literacy Plan

ACPS is thrilled to announce that our Division Literacy Plan (DLP) is approved by the VDOE. A committee of over 40 stakeholders from across the division provided feedback on the 5 components of the plan and included teachers, administrators, coaches, Central Office staff (EL, Sped, Technology, AAS, leadership, etc.), and community members.

ACPS Division Literacy Plan

Evidence-based Literacy Resources

Teachers utilize core, supplemental, and intervention literacy instructional resources that have been approved by the VDOE in alignment with science-based reading research and are identified as High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM).

At the elementary level, core and intervention resources include Bookworms Reading & Writing (K-5) and Really Great Reading (K-2). At the secondary level, intervention resources include Read 180.

Student Reading Plans

Divisions will develop, implement, and monitor Student Reading Plans for students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. Students who are identified as high-risk on VALLSS (Virginia Assessment of Language & Literacy Skills Screener) will require a Student Reading Plan. Their intervention services “shall consist of evidence-based literacy instruction, align with science-based reading research, and be documented for each student in a written student reading plan.” (§ 22.1-253.13:1 G)

Reading Specialists

ACPS staffs at least one reading specialist for every 550 students in Kindergarten–Grade 3 throughout the division.

Last Name	First Name	Job Class Description	Location	Type Description	Area Description
Britt	Kisha	Reading Specialist	Chance for Change Academy	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Lebuhn	Kelsey	Student Improvement Teacher	Charles Barrett Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
McGuire	Meghan	Student Improvement Teacher	Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Angelo	Jessica	Student Improvement Teacher	Douglas MacArthur Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Kuehn-Follum	Kristin	Student Improvement Teacher	Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
			Francis C. Hammond Middle School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Hudson-Lansdell	Kristin	Student Improvement Teacher	George Mason Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Martini	Christina		George Washington Middle School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Harrington	Kathryn	Student Improvement Teacher	James K. Polk Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Means*	Michelle	Student Improvement Teacher	Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School	In Progress	VDOE Reading Specialist Micro-credential
Ross*	Matthew	Literacy Coach	Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School	In Progress	VDOE Reading Specialist Micro-credential
Nettleton	Michelle	Student Improvement Teacher	John Adams Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Kay	Karrie	Student Improvement Teacher	Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Bryson	Lisa	Student Improvement Teacher	Mount Vernon Community School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Calhoun	Sarah	Student Improvement Teacher	Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Kelley-Tuggle	Carla	Student Improvement Teacher	Patrick Henry K-8 School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Loomis	Brandy	Student Improvement Teacher	Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Altieri	Kristi	Student Improvement Teacher	William Ramsay Elementary School	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Robash	Emma	Dyslexia Advisor	Central Office	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Wooster	Carolyn	Dyslexia Advisor	Central Office	Endorsement	Reading Specialist
Schell	Kimberly	Dyslexia Advisor	Central Office	Endorsement	Reading Specialist

Required Professional Development

As part of the VLA, K-8 educators are required to receive training in evidence-based literacy instruction aligned to science-based reading research.

In 2023, the VLA was expanded from the original requirements of training for elementary school teachers, elementary school principals, reading specialists, and special education teachers to include training for EL teachers, middle school teachers, and middle school principals.

VDOE contracted with the University of Virginia (UVA) to design, develop, and facilitate a statewide, knowledge-based professional development training at no cost for Virginia educators. As part of this training, Canvas courses designed for different audiences are being offered beginning June 2024. The courses will focus on building a strong literacy knowledge base on key topics but also will focus on the application of instructional practice in the classroom.

2024-25 Virginia Literacy Act Canvas Courses

Teachers, Principals & Reading Specialists
Other Educator Groups

Teachers, Principals & Reading Specialists

Educator Group	VLA Requirements	Anticipated Canvas Modules Release	Number of Canvas Modules	Approximate Completion Time
K-5 Reading Specialists	Required to attend Reading Institutes (Summer/Fall 2023 or Fall 2024) and complete Canvas modules*	September 2024	9	3-4 hours per module
K-5 Teachers with no LETRS or Orton-Gillingham courses that meet the specified criteria (Classroom, Special Educators, EL Teachers)	Required to complete K-5 Teachers Canvas Course	July 2024	9	2-3 hours per module
K-5 Teachers who have completed LETRS Volumes 1 & 2 OR Orton-Gillingham courses that meet the specified criteria (Classroom, Special Educators, EL Teachers)	Required to complete K-5 Teachers Capstone Canvas Course	July 2024	3	1-1.5 hours per module
K-5 Teachers who have completed ONLY LETRS Volume 1 (Classroom, Special Educators, EL Teachers)	Required to complete K-5 Teachers Language & Comprehension Canvas Course	July 2024	7	2-3 hours per module
K-8 Principals	Required to attend Reading Institutes (Summer/Fall 2024)	N/A	No Canvas modules are planned for K-8 principals at this time.	N/A
6-8 Reading Specialists	Required to attend Reading Institutes (Fall 2024) and complete 6-8 Reading Specialists Canvas Course	September 2024	9	3-4 hours per module
6-8 ELA Teachers with no LETRS or Orton-Gillingham courses that meet the specified criteria	Required to complete 6-8 ELA Teachers Canvas Course	September 2024	9	2-3 hours per module
6-8 ELA Teachers who have completed LETRS Volumes 1 & 2 OR Orton-Gillingham courses that meet the specified criteria (ELA Classroom, Special Educators, EL Teachers)	Required to complete 6-8 Teachers Capstone Canvas Course	September 2024	3	1-1.5 hours per module
6-8 ELA Teachers who have completed ONLY LETRS Volume 1 (ELA Classroom, Special Educators, EL Teachers)	Required to complete 6-8 Teachers Language & Comprehension Canvas Course	September 2024	TBD	TBD
6-8 Content Area Teachers (Content Classroom, Special Educators)	Required to complete 6-8 Content Teachers Canvas Course	September 2024	3	1-2 hours per module
K-8 Specialty and Resource Teachers  (e.g., art, music, PE, CTE, resource)	Optional non-Canvas module and will be available on the public UVA website	September 2024	N/A	1-2 hours

*K-3 Reading Specialists who attended Reading Institute in 2023 should be finishing Canvas courses by summer 2024. Reading Specialists for grades 4-8 and new K-3 Reading Specialists will be trained at Reading Institutes in fall 2024 and enrolled in Canvas courses specific to the age they serve (K-5 or 6-8). 

Other Educator Groups

Other Educator Groups		Professional Development
9-12 Reading Specialists	All reading specialists should be trained, 9-12 Reading Specialists should enroll in the 6-8 Reading Specialists Canvas Course.
9-12 SPED & EL Teachers	VLP has not developed content specifically for 9-12 SPED and EL teachers, but districts can opt to enroll them in the 6-8 ELA course.
Blind and Hearing-Impaired	Blind and hearing-impaired teachers should enroll in whichever course is best aligned with their role: K-5 Teachers (depending on their level of OG or LETRS training) or 6-8 ELA (depending on their level of OG or LETRS training).
ELA coordinators	VLP offered ELA coordinators training in the 2023-2024 school year.
Other educators 9-12 ELA & Content Area Teachers Central Office Administration Instructional Specialists ITRTs K-12 Resource Teachers Long-term Substitutes Pre-School Teachers Speech & Language Pathologists	Current licensing limits the number of participants who can take the courses, as prioritized by the law. Other educator groups may participate in the optional non-Canvas module that will be released on the VLP public website in September. If divisions would like to recommend these educator groups receive further information on VLA/EBLI/SBRR, VLP recommends that they take the VALUE Series professional learning module which can be found on the Educator Resource Center on the VLP public website.

Contact Us

Elementary Literacy - Dr. Carolyn Wooster, carolyn.wooster@acps.k12.va.us

K-12 Literacy Coordinator & Secondary Literacy Instructional Specialist- Ms. Kimberly Schell, kimberly.schell@acps.k12.va.us

Important Links

VDOE Virginia Literacy Act Website—check for monthly updates from VDOE
VDOE Student Reading Plan Example
VDOE VLA May Update
VDOE Literacy at Home

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