Bill > HB4892

This bill expands the existing Literacy-Based Promotion Act to include students in grades four through eight, building on the success already seen in kindergarten through third grade. It defines key terms such as "science of reading," which is the evidence-based understanding of how reading and writing develop and how to best teach them, and "structured literacy," an explicit and systematic approach to teaching reading and writing aligned with the science of reading. The bill mandates that the State Board of Education provide support for educators in these grades, including professional learning grounded in the science of reading, job-embedded coaching, and ensuring educator preparation programs equip future teachers with the necessary skills. Furthermore, it requires the State Board to establish an evidence-based literacy intervention program for students in grades four through eight, which will include approved universal screeners to identify students at risk, diagnostic tools, specific interventions for those with significant reading deficiencies, and a structured literacy course for sixth through eighth graders, explicitly prohibiting the use of "three-cueing systems" (methods relying on meaning, structure, and visual cues) in intervention materials. Finally, the State Board of Education will be required to report annually to the Legislature on the program's implementation and its impact on student literacy outcomes.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4892&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill