Virginia Board of Education Resolution 2003-19
Adopting ABTEL’s Recommendations to Enhance the Teaching of Reading
Resolution Number 2003-19
April 29, 2003
Resolution of the Board of Education Adopting the Recommendations of the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure to Enhance the Teaching of Reading in Virginia
Whereas, the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL), in cooperation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, responded on behalf of the Board of Education to the request of House Joint Resolution Number 794 (HJR 794) agreed to by the 2001 session of the Virginia General Assembly; and
Whereas, HJR 794 reuested a study of the proficiency of Virginia teachers in teaching systematic explicit phonics including: (1) the extent to which teacher preparation programs provide instruction to aspiring teachers in the use of systematic explicit phonics; (2) the usefulness of reuiring that all persons seeking initial licensure or licensure renewal demonstrate proficiency in the teaching of systematic explicit phonics; and (3) the creation of a state professional development program to develop and assess the skills of those teachers required to demonstrate phonics proficiency for licensure and provide additional training in systemic explicit phonics to those who do not demonstrate such proficiency; and
Whereas, the ABTEL conducted its study through a series of initiatives that included the examination of matrices developed by the 37 approved teacher preparation programs to identify reading competencies for all teaching areas, received clarification from the 37 institutions on information regarding instruction of systematic explicit phonics, and established a panel to review reading assessment instruments to determine their appropriateness for use in initial licensure of elementary and special education teachers and reading specialists; and
Whereas, the ABTEL recommended to the Board of Education on March 26, 2003, that a reading assessment shall be aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning and the National Reading Panel’s five key components of effective reading instruction: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency;
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Board of Education adopts the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure’s recommendation to require a reading instructional assessment for teachers of special education and elementary prek-3 and prek-6 and reading specialists no later than July 1, 2004.
Adopted by the Board of Education, this 29th day of April in the Year 2003.
Mark C. Christie, President
Board of Education
Adopted in the Minutes of the Virginia Board of Education
April 29, 2003