The Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2022, and expanded in 2023, focuses on improving literacy outcomes for all students in the Commonwealth. The VLA requires that “each local school board shall provide a program of literacy instruction that is aligned with science-based reading research and provides evidenced-based literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade eight.” To support school divisions to comply with this requirement, the VLA requires the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to recommend instructional programs - including core, supplemental, and intervention materials - for approval by the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE). 

Ultimately, the VBOE will publish an Approved Core Instructional Program Guide, Approved Supplemental Program Guide, and Approved Intervention Program Guide. 

VDOE has partnered with the Virginia Literacy Partnerships (VLP) in the School of Education and Human Development at University of Virginia to conduct a review of instructional materials.

Approved Program Guides

The main purpose of the Recommended Core Instructional Program Guide, Recommended Supplemental Program Guide, and Recommended Intervention Guide is to support local decision-makers by providing them with the review results that help identify high-quality instructional materials grounded in evidence-based literacy instruction (EBLI) and science-based reading research (SBRR) submitted by participating providers, as outlined by the Virginia Literacy Act.

Instructional Program Review  

VLP aims to develop a comprehensive and transparent process to review instructional programs resulting in a Recommended Core Instructional Program Guide, Recommended Supplemental Program Guide, and Recommended Intervention Guide to submit to the VDOE for VBOE approval, as required by the VLA. VLP has developed a two-phase process for this review, modeled on similar processes in other states.

• Phase I Initial Program Review
• Phase II In-Depth Program Review

Supplemental and Intervention Curricula will be reviewed in a single phase.

• Supplemental Program Review
• Intervention Program Review

Review Teams

VLP will establish Review Teams to review instructional programs for inclusion on the Recommended Core Instructional Program Guide, Recommended Supplemental Program Guide, or Recommended Intervention Program Guide.   

• Each Review Team will include four people, including one VLP team facilitator.   
• The Review Teams will be composed of educators from various geographical regions of Virginia and represent the diversity of Virginia’s schools.   
• Each person who wishes to serve on a Review Team will complete a Program Review Team Application and seek permission from their school division. 
• VLP will screen applicants to ensure that they have no affiliation with any provider products and will review applicants’ knowledge of evidence-based literacy instruction.