Bill > HB319

Introduced Session

Virginia Literacy Act; early student literacy; evidence-based literacy instruction; science-based reading research. Makes several changes relating to early student literacy, including requiring (i) each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any individual seeking initial licensure with an endorsement in a certain area, including as a reading specialist, to demonstrate mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as such terms are defined in the bill; (ii) the literacy assessment required of individuals seeking initial teacher licensure with endorsements in certain areas to include a rigorous test of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction; (iii) each local school board to establish a divisionwide literacy plan; (iv) each local school board to employ one reading specialist for each 550 students in kindergarten through grade three; and (v) each local school board to provide a program of literacy instruction whereby, among other things, (a) the program provides reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or an early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department of Education; (b) a reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives such reading intervention services, develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on a student reading plan; and (c) each student who receives such reading intervention services is assessed utilizing either the early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the 2024–2025 school year. Virginia Literacy Act; early student literacy; evidence-based literacy instruction; science-based reading research. Makes several changes relating to early student literacy, including requiring (i) each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any individual seeking initial licensure with an endorsement in a certain area, including as a reading specialist, to demonstrate mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as such terms are defined in the bill; (ii) the literacy assessment required of individuals seeking initial teacher licensure with endorsements in certain areas to include a rigorous test of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction; (iii) each local school board to establish a divisionwide literacy plan; (iv) each local school board to employ one reading specialist for each 550 students in kindergarten through grade three; and (v) each local school board to provide a program of literacy instruction whereby, among other things, (a) the program provides reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or an early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department of Education; (b) a reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives such reading intervention services, develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on a student reading plan; and (c) each student who receives such reading intervention services is assessed utilizing either the early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the 2024–2025 school year.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

David Bulova (D)*,  Carrie Coyner (R)*,  Glenn Davis (R)*,  Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)*,  William Wampler (R)*,  Dawn Adams (D),  Terry Austin (R),  G. John Avoli (R),  Jason Ballard (R),  Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D),  Kathy Byron (R),  Jeffrey Campbell (R),  Mike Cherry (R),  Aijalon Cordoza (R),  Karrie Delaney (D),  Tara Durant (R),  James Edmunds (R),  Anne Ferrell Tata (R),  Hyland Fowler (R),  Jackie Glass (D),  Karen Greenhalgh (R),  M. Keith Hodges (R),  Patrick Hope (D),  Clinton Jenkins (D),  Emily Jordan (R),  Mark Keam (D),  Terry Kilgore (R),  Kaye Kory (D),  David LaRock (R),  James Leftwich (R),  Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),  Marie March (R),  John McGuire (R),  Joseph McNamara (R),  James Morefield (R),  Michael Mullin (D),  Kathleen Murphy (D),  Israel O'Quinn (R),  Robert Orrock (R),  Marcia Price (D),  Margaret Ransone (R),  Sam Rasoul (D),  David Reid (D),  Danica Roem (D),  Phillip Scott (R),  Irene Shin (D),  Marcus Simon (D),  Shelly Simonds (D),  Suhas Subramanyam (D),  Kim Taylor (R),  Howard Wachsmann (R),  Jeion Ward (D),  William Wiley (R),  Rodney Willett (D),  Wren Williams (R),  Thomas Wright (R),  Scott Wyatt (R), 

Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0550) (on 04/11/2022)

Official Document