COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 267

October 24, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Patricia I. Wright Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Lexile Framework for Reading Initiative

 

The Virginia Board of Education and the Department of Education are pleased to announce a new resource as a part of Virginia's focus on literacy, the Lexile Framework for Reading. Governor Kaine and the Department of Education worked with MetaMetrics, Inc., to include Lexile measures in the Standards of Learning program. A Lexile measure provides information about a student's reading level. This measure can be used to determine the level of difficulty of any text for students. Using a Lexile measure students and parents can locate books, newspapers, and magazines that match the student's reading ability. Students are more likely to read if they are able to choose books that match their current reading level. In order to communicate with parents and educators about the use of the Lexile Framework for Reading, the Department is providing the following resources:

 

Lexile Measure Relationship to Standards of Learning Scores: Currently in Virginia, a student's Lexile measure can be found by using the 2008 English Standards of Learning (SOL) student score in grades 3 through 8. A lookup chart referencing a student's Lexile measure based on the 2008 English SOL score may be found at http://www.doe.virginia.govsol/lexile/resources/
measure_relationship_to_sol/. Beginning with the 2009 English SOL assessments, a student's Lexile measure will be included directly on the student's score report.

 

Lexile Framework for Reading Map: The Lexile map provides a sampling of book titles matched to appropriate levels of reading ability. The maps will be delivered to each school in Virginia that houses students in grades 3 through 9. Schools are asked to distribute the Lexile maps to parents of students in these grades. Please see Attachment A for additional information regarding the shipment of the maps. Additional copies of the Lexile map may be downloaded at http://www.doe.virginia.govsol/lexile/resources/
lexile_framework_map.pdf.

 

Lexile Training Sessions: Division-level leaders, school administrators, librarians, and reading specialists are invited to attend a Lexile training session. Training sessions will introduce educators to the basic concepts and theory behind the Lexile Framework for Reading. Additionally, this training will explain practical ways to increase students' reading comprehension skills.

 

Eight different training sessions, two each day, will be provided in four different locations throughout the state. Participants may select one training session offered either from 9 a.m. 12 noon or from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., at the following locations:

 

November 17 Holiday Inn Select Koger Conference

Center, Richmond

November 18 Wytheville Meeting Center, Wytheville

November 19 Omni Newport News Hotel, Newport News

December 2 Fredericksburg Hospitality House,

Fredericksburg

 

Registration The Office of Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech will manage registration. The deadline for registration is November 6, 2008, and the process can be completed online at http://www.cpe.vt.edu/reg/lexile. Registration is conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

 

School divisions are encouraged to cover travel expenses for division participants for the half-day training session, as this cost is not assumed by the Virginia Department of Education.

 

Web-based Lexile Training Modules: Two Web-based Lexile training modules are available for parents and educators to gain an understanding of the basic concepts of the Lexile Framework for Reading and how it can be used to increase students' reading comprehension skills. The Lexile Framework for Reading: A Web Session for Parents may be located at http://www.doe.virginia.govsol/lexile/at_home/
parent_session_skin.swf and The Lexile Framework for Reading: A Web Session for Educators may be located at http://www.doe.virginia.govsol/lexile/educators/
educator_session_skin.swf.

For additional information regarding Virginia's implementation of the Lexile Framework for Reading, please visit http://www.doe.virginia.govsol/lexile/. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact, Ginna Glover, elementary specialist for reading and English, via e-mail at Ginna.Glover@doe.virginia.gov or telephone at (804) 786-1997.

 

PIW/MRA/rt

 

Attachment

 

a. Information Regarding the Shipment of Lexile Maps (PDF)