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Elementary Teacher Preparation in Reading
Instruction : Virginia

Delivering Well Prepared Teachers Policy

Look at National Findings
Goal

The state should ensure that new elementary teachers know the science of reading instruction.

Best Practice
Suggested Citation:
National Council on Teacher Quality. (2011). Elementary Teacher Preparation in Reading Instruction : Virginia results. State Teacher Policy Database. [Data set].
Retrieved from: https://www.nctq.org/yearbook/state/VA-Elementary-Teacher-Preparation-in-Reading-Instruction--6

Analysis of Virginia's policies

In its standards for elementary teacher preparation, Virginia requires teacher preparation programs to address the science of reading. Programs must provide training in the five instructional components of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Virginia also requires pre-kindergarten, elementary and special education teachers to pass the Virginia Reading Assessment. This test is aligned with the English Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools and the National Reading Panel's five essential components of effective reading instruction. Reviews have rated this test as one of only a small number in the country that actually verifies a teacher candidate's knowledge in scientifically based reading instruction.

Citation

Recommendations for Virginia

State response to our analysis

Virginia recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.

    • Best practice
    • Meets goal
    • Nearly Meets goal
    • Meets goal in part
    • Meets a small part of goal
    • Does not meet goal

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Elementary Teacher Preparation in Mathematics
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Delivering Well Prepared Teachers
Expanding the Pool of Teachers
Identifying Effective Teachers
Retaining Effective Teachers
Exiting Ineffective Teachers
Research rationale

For evidence on what new teachers are not learning about reading instruction, see NCTQ, "What Education Schools Aren't Teaching About Reading and What Elementary Teachers Aren't Learning" (2006) at:
http://www.nctq.org/nctq/images/nctq_reading_study_app.pdf

For problems with existing reading tests, see S. Stotsky, "Why American Students Do Not Learn to Read Very Well: The Unintended Consequences of Title II and Teacher Testing," Third Education Group Review 2 No. 2 (2006); and D. W. Rigden, Report on Licensure Alignment with the Essential Components of Effective Reading Instruction (Washington, D.C.: Reading First Teacher Education Network, 2006) at: 
http://www.tegr.org/Review/Articles/vol2/v2n2.pdf.

For information on where states set passing scores on elementary level content tests for teacher licensing across the U.S., see chart on p. 13 of NCTQ "Recommendations for the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Removing the Roadblocks: How Federal Policy Can Cultivate Effective Teachers," (2011).

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