For school districts throughout the state, this push for literacy will necessitate the professional development of teachers who may not yet be familiar with evidence-based literacy education. The passage of the VLA comes at a critical time: The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed Virginia’s fourth grade students performed below the national average for the first time in 30 years and exhibited the greatest drop in performance in the country.
In Virginia, one in three K to second grade students are reading below benchmark. This finding signaled a need beyond a mere increase in funding and compelled the state to adopt a new scientifically based approach to reading instruction. Accordingly, Virginia educators turned to an instructional approach founded in the science of reading called Structured Literacy.
The Science of Reading Improves Literacy Rates
Lexia® has been committed to bringing evidence-based, rigorously researched reading solutions to students for almost 40 years. As the literacy expert, our solutions are built upon the science of reading and Structured Literacy, delivering the systematic and explicit instruction learners need to become strong and successful readers. When it’s taught the right way, literacy becomes accessible to all.
Access to high-quality instructional materials can assist teachers. During the 2022–2023 school year, hundreds of thousands of Virginia students showed impressive progress toward literacy using Lexia® Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy®. The percentage of pre-K to fifth grade students working on material in or above grade level doubled from 43 percent to 87 percent when they used Core5 with fidelity. In just one year, 61 percent of grade six to 12 students using PowerUp with fidelity covered three grade-level skills!
The professional development of teachers, reading specialists, and principals will be a key component of each division’s literacy plan. The literacy plan will guarantee the use of an evidence-based literacy curriculum and an adequate support staff to provide additional instruction for students who require assistance. Learn how Lexia supports teachers and students in Virginia.
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