A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

West Virginia

Team Report

The West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 4306 that created West Virginia Reading Excellence Accelerates Deserving Students, (WV READS), in spring 1998. WV READS establishes a competitive grant program to provide incentives for summer reading programs and creates an advisory board to develop and administer this competitive grant program. In October 1998, a Reading Summit is scheduled to provide staff development on the key issues contained in the NRC Report and to serve as a springboard for local county school system literacy leadership and WV READS grant development options.

A West Virginia Success Story

Wharton Elementary School in rural, southern West Virginia is a literacy success story. In 1995, the school?s student achievement fell below the 50^th percentile on standardized testing. With a concentrated and sustained effort, the school saw student achievement rise to a school wide average of 68.5% in 1998.

This gain was possible due to a focus by the entire staff and community. Goals were set, avenues to achieve those goals were identified, and monitoring instruments were established. Specific strategies in language arts that attributed to the success were leadership, schoolwide reading curriculum development, establishment of a Family Resource Center, organized parental involvement, and inclusion of school business partner. The school and community have jointly shared in the success.

The school is now participating in the Americorps VISTA America Reads component. This program is twofold. Students experiencing difficulty in reading will be given individual tutoring and schoolwide literacy programs will be developed.

For further information, contact:

Beverly Kingery
West Virginia Department of Education
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Building 6 - Room 330
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-7805
(304) 558-0459 Fax
E-mail: bkingery@access.k12.wv.us

State Commitment Form

State: West Virginia
Team Leader: Beverly Kingery
Phone Number: 304-558-7805 x 313

As a result of attending this Summit, what two things does your state team commit to doing in the next six months toward enhanced literacy for children and their families?

1. Prepare West Virginia Learn to Read; Read to Learn Plan.
2. Develop a timetable to implement West Virginia Learn to Read; Read to Learn Plan.
3. Implement West Virginia legislative competitive grants for extended year reading programs.

1. Provide technical assistance in developing and implementing West Virginia Learn to Read; Read to Learn Plan.
2. Provide federal legislation and funding to support West Virginia Learn to Read; Read to Learn Plan.
3. Review Head Start position and role as related/correlated to public school systems, provide for positive linkage.

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