Reading First: Making Every Minute Count

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Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts
Virginia
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What Is Reading First?

• Authorized under Title I, Part B, Subpart 1 of
  the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
  2000 (No Child Left Behind).
• Academic cornerstone of No
  Child Left Behind.
• Six-year entitlement grants
  to State Educational
  Agencies (SEA)

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What Is Reading First?

• SEA awards competitive subgrants to Local
  Educational Agencies (LEA) for eligible Title I
  schools for K-3 Reading.
• Funding for SEA to provide technical assistance
  to the LEA and schools receiving Reading First
  subgrants.

Virginia
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What Is Reading First?

• Funding for SEA to provide professional
  development for all K-3 teachers, all K-12
  special education teachers and all
  administrators.

Virginia
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Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts

• Application approved January 2003
• Virginia total first year award 16,900,000
• 13,520,000 for subgrants to LEAs for eligible
  schools
• 3,380,000 for SEA use (20)
• 2,197,000 (65) for professional development
• 845,000 (25) for technical assistance to LEAs
  and schools
• 339,000 (10) for planning, evaluation, and
  administration

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Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts

• Overall grant period is 6 years mid-point
  at 3 years
• States and districts receiving grants will need
  to show improved K-3 reading achievement to
  continue receiving Reading First funds
• States Annual reports, Progress reports
• Division Executive agreement with VDOE
• Lack of improvement will be sanctioned, success
  rewarded (continuation funding, targeted
  assistance grants)

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Components of Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts

• Reading First Schools
• Subgrants awarded to LEAs for 60-75 eligible
  schools
• Subgrants range 180,000 to 225,000 per year for
  six years
• SEA Reading Specialist for technical assistance

Virginia
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Components of Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts

• Professional Development
• Teacher Reading Academies throughout the six
  years.
• Reading Leadership Training for building and
  central office administrators
• Dissemination of materials to the 35
  colleges/universities with teacher preparation
  programs

Virginia
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Components of Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts

• VDOE will partner with the University of
  Virginia Curry School of Education, to develop
  and deliver multi-day Teacher Reading Academies
  for all K-3 teachers, all K-12 special education
  teachers, all Title I teachers, all reading
  teachers, and all K-3 building level
  administrators.

Virginia
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School Eligibility Criteria

• Title I School
• Poverty Index 40 or higher
• Pass rate of less than 60 on the Spring 2002
  third-grade English Standards of Learning test.
• 66 Divisions and 222 Schools

Virginia
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LEA Application Requirements

• Use four types of assessment
• Screening - PALS
• Outcome Stanford Achievement Series, 9th
  edition
• Progress monitoring - Select
• Diagnostic PALS or select

Virginia
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LEA Application Requirements

• Select a comprehensive reading program (core,
  supplemental and intervention materials) that
  meet requirements for SBRR.
• A protected, dedicated block of time (at least 90
  minutes) for reading instruction.

Virginia
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LEA Application Requirements

• Reading First Coordinator (LEA)
• Reading Coach (School)
• 1,000 minimum for professional development for
  each teacher that works with K-3 students

Virginia
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LEA Application Requirements

• All teachers of K-3 students and the building
  administrators must attend the Teacher Reading
  Academies within the first three years of the
  grant.
• Participate in the federal and state evaluation
  of Reading First.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• To be awarded a subgrant for Reading First, a
  school division must submit a consolidated
  application for selected eligible schools.
• All eligible schools may be selected for
  inclusion in the application, however, including
  all schools does not mean all will be funded.

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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Divisions may not submit a consolidated
  application containing the same information for
  all selected schools. Applications must include
  plans for individual schools as subparts of the
  division application.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Eleven Sections
• Preferred format Answer each question in the
  order stated in the application and to label each
  section and question as it is labeled in the
  application.
• Answers must reflect a plan for at least the
  first two years of funding.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section I. Schools To Be Served The LEA must
describe the criteria and process used to select
and deselect eligible schools to be included in
the LEAs application. Section II. Instructional
Assessments The LEA must choose a diagnostic and
progress monitoring assessment.
Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section III. Core Reading Programs Each school
awarded Reading First funds must implement a
recommended core, scientifically-based reading
program. Section IV. Supplemental Intervention
Instructional Materials Instructional materials
must also be scientifically-based and be
coordinated with the core reading program.
Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Clarification of Terms
• Comprehensive Reading Program
• a. Core Reading Program
• b. Supplemental Materials
• c. Intervention Materials

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Recommended Lists
• Assessments
• Reading First Assessment Committee
• Comprehensive Reading Programs
• Virginias Reading First list is being
  
• finalized.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Recommended Lists
• Virginias Reading First List
• It will included programs from other states
  recommended lists, and programs from the Virginia
  Board of Educations revised list, which meet
  scientifically-based reading research criteria.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section V. Instructional Leadership The LEA
must designate a Reading First coordinated and
each Reading First school must hire a Reading
Coach. This must be a new position for the
school.
Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section VI. District-Based Technical
Assistance The Virginia Department of Educations
Reading First Management Team will provide
technical assistance to the LEA and Reading First
schools. The LEA must provide additional
technical assistance to funded schools.
Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section VII. District and School-Based
Professional Development In addition to the
Teacher Reading Academies, the LEA must provided
additional professional development. Section
VIII. Evaluation LEA must agree to participate
in the federal and state evaluation of Reading
First.
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section VIII. Evaluation LEA evaluation
strategies must include the use of valid and
reliable measures to assess the effectiveness of
the LEAs Reading First activities. Section IX.
Access to Print Materials LEA must assess need
for print materials and justify expenditures in
this category.
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance

• Section X. Competitive Priorities
• Schools with REA or CSR grants who can
  demonstrate improved student achievement and are
  already using SBRR programs.
• Schools that leverage existing resources with
  Reading First funds to implement or continue to
  implement SBRR programs.

Virginia
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LEA Application-at-a-Glance
Section XI. Budget All Reading First funds
must be used for activities based on
scientifically-based reading instruction and
materials. Budget must reflect the first two
years of the grant.
Virginia
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For Additional Information
Reading First Web site www.pen.k12.va.us Under
Featured Sites Click on Reading First Linda
Poorbaugh Virginia Department of
Education 804-786-3925 lpoorbau_at_mail.vak12ed.edu
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For Additional Information
Gail Barnes Virginia Department of
Education 804-371-5378 gbarnes_at_mail.vak12ed.edu B
arbara Jones Virginia Department of
Education 804-786-1997 bjones_at_mail.vak12ed.edu
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Virginia Reads Every Minute Counts
Virginia