NOMINATION FORM
2009-2010
Cover Sheet
Name of state/province: West Virginia Reading Association
Name of person submitting these materials: Viki Caldwell and Terry Reale
Your title or position: Viki Caldwell, Principal
Terry Reale, Coordinator, English Language Arts Grades 3-12, WVDE
Mailing Address: Viki Caldwell
6219 East Gate Road
Huntington, WV 25705
Phone number: 304-736-4924
Fax number: 304-733-3049
Email address:
International Reading Association
Five Star Areas of Children’s Rights
Students’ Reading Right #1
Ø Students have the right to be taught reading by certified teachers who have taken two or more courses in the teaching of reading and/or who have demonstrated their proficiency in the teaching of reading.
Documentation:
West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5100, pages 8-9
APPROVAL OF EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMS (5100)
§126-114-6. Professional Educator Preparation Program Requirements: Teacher.
6.3.4. Reading Content in Teacher Preparation.
a. Each elementary education (K-6) teacher preparation program must contain a minimum of 9 hours of reading which include a focus on the five essential components of reading (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) as well as how to assess students’ reading ability and how to identify and correct reading difficulties.
b. Each middle (5-9) and secondary (PreK-Adult, 5-Adult, 9-Adult) preparation program must contain a minimum of three hours of reading in the content area which include a focus on vocabulary, comprehension and writing.
*Note: This is the minimum number of hours of coursework under Policy 5100 of the WV Board of Education. Each state university or college determines the number of hours of coursework for reading content in teacher preparation.
Ø These certified teachers keep their skills up to date through effective professional development. The state requires ongoing professional development for teachers.
Documentation:
1. West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5202, pages 23-25
§126-136-10. Licenses for Professional Educators.
10.1.4. Renewal of any Professional Teaching Certificate issued after January 1, 2008. - The application for renewal must be submitted after January 1 of the year in which the license expires. The applicant for licensure must submit evidence of satisfying the following:
a. College/University Coursework. - Six semester hours of appropriate college/university coursework related to the public school program as defined in §126-136-9.6.6. The coursework must reflect a 3.0 GPA and must have been completed subsequent to the issuance of the certificate being renewed and within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application. The coursework must meet the following criteria:
A. Three of the six semester hours must meet one of the following options: 1) courses relevant to a master’s degree in a curriculum related to the public school program, 2) courses related to improvement of instruction and the applicant’s current endorsement area(s), 3) courses needed to qualify for an additional endorsement, or 4) credit prescribed by the county as a result of an applicant’s evaluation; AND
B. Three of the six semester hours must be a course related to the improvement of instruction through the use of instructional technologies. This coursework should address instructional technology operations and concepts, the plan and design of effective instruction supported by technology, the implementation of curriculum plans that include instructional technologies, and application of technology to assess and evaluate student learning;
2. West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5500,
County Professional Staff Development Councils (5500)
§126-149-1.General.
1.1.Scope--This legislative rule establishes the general implementation process for staff development activities in the 55 county school systems. This staff development program provides for job-related training for school personnel on three noninstructional days (eighteen clock hours) in the school calendar.
§126-149-2.Purpose.
2.1.Schools exist to facilitate student learning. Ongoing professional staff development for all personnel is essential to enhancing improved teaching and student learning. Professional staff development should be a continuous, developmental process ultimately based on staff needs. High standards for the design and delivery of high quality professional/staff development shall include but not be limited to the following issues: county responsibility, principles of operation, general implementation process, and monitoring.
§126-149-3.County Responsibility.
3.1.Each county board of education shall schedule annually at least three noninstructional days of staff development for professional staff. At least two of the three days or their equivalent, must be scheduled prior to January 1. Exceptions to the schedule and/or staff development content may be granted for innovative programs and/or delivery upon the written request of the county superintendent to the state superintendent.
3.2.County boards of education shall establish a professional staff development council and shall implement a comprehensive system of staff development.
3.3.The county board of education shall make available an amount at least equal to one tenth of one percent of the amount provided in accordance with section four, article nine Chapter eighteen of this code and credit such funds to an account to be used by the professional staff development council to fulfill its objectives. The council shall prepare for review and approval by the county board of education an annual budget that details all expenses and revenues including staff support. Any funds remaining in this account at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in this account and be used solely for staff development. The county board of education will have final approval for all disbursements. This does not preclude the use of other funding sources for additional staff development.
Ø The state requires reading courses for all teachers K-12 or requires that all K-12 teachers show proficiency in the teaching of reading.
Documentation:
West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5100, pages 8-9
APPROVAL OF EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMS (5100)
§126-114-6. Professional Educator Preparation Program Requirements: Teacher.
6.3.4. Reading Content in Teacher Preparation.
a. Each elementary education (K-6) teacher preparation program must contain a minimum of 9 hours of reading which include a focus on the five essential components of reading (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) as well as how to assess students’ reading ability and how to identify and correct reading difficulties.
b. Each middle (5-9) and secondary (PreK-Adult, 5-Adult, 9-Adult) preparation program must contain a minimum of three hours of reading in the content area which include a focus on vocabulary, comprehension and writing.
Students’ Reading Right #2
Ø The state supports reading professionals/specialists/coaches.
Documentation:
1. West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5202, p 119
Approved standards for program development and required tests for completion of West Virginia approved programs leading to West Virginia licensure (5202)
READING SPECIALIST / Required ScoreStandards Required / Required Test1 / Current
Score / July 1, 2003 / Sept 1, 1999 / Sept 1, 1998 / Prior to Sept 1, 1998
GRADUATE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
National Standards:
International Reading Association* (IRA)
WV Content Standards / PPST2
0710 Reading / 174 / 174 / 172
0720 Writing / 172 / 172 / 171
0730 Math / 172 / 172
Praxis II Content Test
0300 Reading Specialist / 520 / 520
Praxis Test3
0522 Principles of Learning & Teaching (K-6) OR / 165 / 165 / 152
0523 Principles of Learning & Teaching (5-9) OR / 159 / 159 / 154
0524 Principles of Learning & Teaching (7-12) / 156 / 156 / 144
2. West Virginia Department of Education, Policy 5100
§126-114-10. Additional Program Requirements
10.4.3. Reading Education - Reading education must be taken in combination with a general education specialization leading to an endorsement on a Professional Teaching Certificate. The reading education endorsement shall reflect those grade levels that appear on an individual’s Professional Teaching Certificate as they relate to the general education endorsement(s).
Ø The state provides or supports intervention programs for struggling readers at all grade levels.
Documentation:
1. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) devotes a website to Response to Intervention (RTI). This screen shot provided shows the enormous undertaking by the WVDE in the RTI initiative that has been ongoing for the last three years. The website can be located at http://wvde.state.wv.us/ose/RtI.html . All the WVDE brochures, professional development, resources, parent support, assessments, etc. are included for easy access on this site.
2. WVDE has an adolescent literacy site http://wvde.state.wv.us/instruction/aim_literacy.html . This site includes the tiered instruction model, Adolescent Instruction Model for Literacy (AIM for Literacy). The middle and secondary schools use this model of intervention for all students.
Ø The state has state level staff positions specifically dedicated to the promotion of reading.
Documentation:
Ø The state’s commitment is evident in attention to student reading achievement, for example, through support for second language learners, support for the development of home/school partnerships, state initiatives, analyses of multiple measures of reading performance, development of state standards, and the provision of support of local districts.
Documentation:
1. West Virginia’s High School That Work (SREB network) provides information on student reading achievement at all levels for the purpose of providing direction to schools to prepare their students for 21st century work and post secondary education.
Ø In WV, 63 percent of the 4th graders scored at or above the NAEP Basic level in reading in 2007, down since 2003.
Ø In 2007, 28 percent of 4th graders in WV scored at or above the NAEP Proficient level-a 1 percentage-point decrease from 2003.
Ø In WV, 83 percent of 4th graders met state standards in reading in 2007-higher than the percent scoring at or above the NAEP Basic (63%) and the Proficient levels (28%). This means that WV’s state standards for 4th grade reading appear low when compared with the NAEP Basic and Proficient levels.
With the preceding information, the WVDE answered the challenges from above and revised the Reading and English language arts standards and objectives. The following screen shot provides you with the information showing an “old” objective and a “revised” objective.
This slide shows the level of rigor and relevance of the revised objectives for the reading standard of the 21st Century Reading Content Standards and Objectives.
2. The WVDE is in the second year of a reading initiative with Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) I. This reading initiative is for the middle schools of southern WV included in RESA I.
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
2007-2008 Proposal Cover Sheet
Proposing Institution(s):
Bluefield State College, Concord University and RESA-I.
Project Title:
Reading and English Language Arts Middle School Tiered Instruction Project
Brief Description of Project:
Thirty middle school teachers will participate in the RESA-I Reading and English Language Arts Middle School Tiered Instruction Project. The project will include sustained, intensive, classroom focused professional development experiences aligned with the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives for 21st Century Learning. Teachers will participate in an organizational one-day workshop, a five-day summer institute and eight professional learning community meetings held during the school year. Direct instruction will be provided by the English language arts and reading and English language arts education professors from the higher education partners in concert with the West Virginia Department of Education and county-level secondary reading supervisors.
Students’ Reading Right #3
ü The state provides ample support for building and maintaining good collections in classroom and school library media centers.
Documentation:
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WEST VIRGINIA CODE
WEST VIRGINIA CODE
§18-2A-1. Definition; adoption groups; adoption schedule.
"Textbooks" includes books, instructional materials and learning technologies. "Instructional materials" means and includes systems of instructional materials, or combinations of books and supplementary materials which convey information to the pupil. "Learning technologies" include, but are not limited to, applications using computer software, computer assisted instruction, interactive videodisc; other computer courseware and magnetic media.
Textbooks adopted on the state multiple list must substantially cover the required content and skills for the subject as approved by the state board of education. Adopted materials must be current and information presented accurately.
On or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, the state board of education shall classify the elementary and secondary school subjects required to be taught in the schools of our state into adoption groups by related subject fields as nearly as possible. A schedule for the periods of adoption shall be determined by the state board of education: Provided, That magazines, newspapers and other periodicals may be purchased by a county board of education for classroom use to supplement those items adopted on the state multiple list without having to comply with the adoption procedures provided in this article: Provided, however, That magazines, newspapers and periodicals are considered to be textbooks for purposes of special excess levies subject to the provisions of section sixteen, article eight, chapter eleven of this code when the described purpose under that section is for textbooks. The state adoption cycle as to science and health textbooks shall not exceed six years and the adoption cycle as to all other textbooks shall not exceed eight years: Provided further, That the county textbook adoption committees may request a waiver of the maximum adoption cycles from the state board of education: And provided further, That during the school year beginning on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, the state board of education shall make additional adoptions only in the subject of science, and if the county boards of education make additional adoptions and purchases, then those county boards may make purchases only in the subjects of science and health.
ü The state provides access to technology to all students including those in schools in low-income communities.