NNPS PK-12 Literacy
Virginia Literacy Act
With the passage of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) in the 2022 General Assembly, Virginia is taking the lead nationwide to improve early literacy outcomes for Virginia’s young learners. Through the VLA, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will support school divisions through a multi-year effort with tools, resources, technical assistance and funding.
When the VLA goes into effect in the 2024-2025 school year, it will ensure that:
Every student in kindergarten to grade 5:
- Receives core literacy instruction from an evidence-based literacy curriculum for the entire literacy block
- Receives additional evidence-based instruction and intervention, as outlined in a student reading plan, if they do not meet literacy benchmarks
Every family:
- Has access to free online evidence-based literacy instruction resources to support their child’s literacy development at home
- Can participate in the development of their child’s student reading plan, if they do not meet literacy benchmarks
Every teacher of students in kindergarten to grade 5:
- Uses evidence-based literacy curriculum for the entire literacy block
- Assesses student learning using approved literacy screeners routinely throughout the year
- Uses student-level data to inform both whole group instruction and individualized instruction and intervention
- Provided with pre-service preparation and/or in-service training in evidence-based literacy instruction
Every reading specialist working with students kindergarten to grade 5:
- Coordinates and oversee intervention services for students not meeting literacy benchmarks
- Develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on student reading plans, in collaboration with teachers and families
Every division:
- Develops a division-wide literacy plan
- Ensures all teachers have and use evidence-based literacy curriculum
- Staffs enough reading specialists to support intervention needs
- Provides professional development in evidence-based literacy instruction to teachers, reading specialists and principals
- Receives coaching and support from regional literacy coaches
Every educator preparation program:
- Requires aspiring teachers and reading specialists to complete coursework in and demonstrate a mastery of evidence-based literacy instruction
NNPS Vision
Literacy unlocks new pathways, exposes passions, and unearths curiosities. Our commitment is to use high-quality instructional materials grounded in the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instructional practice to develop all students as skilled readers, writers, communicators, and researchers. As a result, students will broaden their background knowledge of the world and fuel their discovery of who they want to be and what they want to do.
