Students must be able to decode and comprehend complex texts - with sufficient fluency - to become proficient readers.

• Decoding is understanding the sounds that letters make and blending those sounds together to make words
• Comprehending includes skills, such as vocabulary, background knowledge, and understanding of language to make sense of the words decoded

The ability to read with proficiency by the end of third grade serves as a valuable predictor of future academic success.

Every child will receive core literacy instruction from an evidence-based literacy curriculum daily. If a child does not meet literacy benchmarks, the child will also receive additional targeted instruction and intervention, as outlined in a student reading plan. Every child learns differently, so each Reading Plan will be tailored to the child’s specific literacy needs.

ACPS is excited to announce the adoption of the Open Court Reading Program, which VDOE has approved as High Quality Instructional Material. Open Court provides instruction in decoding, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension through the use of grade level content. This content also aligns to our 2024 VDOE English Standards of Learning.  Each week, your student will have access to a variety of materials to develop reading proficiency. Open Court also has assessments that will help your child's teacher identify and target reading skills that may benefit from additional instruction.

As outlined in ACPS Board Policy IKC-R, students will receive at least two grades in reading per week - Mastery of Content and Measure of Progress.  Your student's grades will give you insight on how your child is performing on grade level content. It is important to communicate with your student’s teacher to better understand grade level academic expectations, where your child is performing, and how you might support at home. Your child’s teacher will also be able to discuss additional available supports, should your child need them. Regular communication with your child’s teacher is important to support the academic success of your child.

Your child's school has created a daily schedule that includes a W.I.N. block.  The W.I.N. (What I Need) block has been added in each grade (K-5) for both reading and math. During this time, students are provided with opportunities to receive intervention, remediation, or extension for identified skills.  With the unique schedule in each school, this time of support also allows for additional supports for students, such as:

• Flexible small group instruction,
• Targeted skill work, and
• Additional instructional resources.

The VALLS assessment will be available K-8 to determine needs of all students.  Students in grades K-3 will use the VALLS assessment data as a primary tool in determining if a student needs a reading plan. Additionally, students in Grades 4-8 will use VALLS and/or the VA Standards of Learning English/Reading SOL assessment to determine reading plan needs.

Student reading plans will be developed as a team which will include the family, educators, and specialists. A Student Reading Plan outlines the steps that will be taken to ensure your student receives targeted interventions to address any areas of weakness. The team will look at:

• information about specific area(s) of reading difficulty,
• a description of the interventions to be used, and
• details for how the team will track progress throughout the intervention.

Reading Specialists are teachers specifically licensed with a reading specialist endorsement based on the criteria outlined by the Virginia Department of Education.  Job Description/Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates expertise in the use of formal and informal screening, diagnostic, and progress monitoring assessments for reading and uses diagnostic data to inform instruction for acceleration, intervention, remediation, and differentiation;
• Demonstrates expertise in the knowledge, skills, and processes necessary for teaching communication, including developing students' phonological awareness skills;
• Demonstrates expertise in explicit and systematic phonics instruction, including an understanding of sound and symbol relationships, syllables, phonemes, morphemes, decoding skills, word analysis, and word attack skills;
• Demonstrates expertise in the morphology of English including inflections, prefixes, suffixes, roots, and word relationships;
• Demonstrates expertise in the structure of the English language, including and understanding of syntax, semantics, and vocabulary development;
• Demonstrates expertise in reading comprehension strategies, including a repertoire of questioning strategies, understanding the dimensions of word meanings, teaching predicting, inferencing, summarizing, clarifying, evaluating, and making connections;
• Demonstrates the ability to develop comprehension skills in all content areas;
• Demonstrates expertise in systematic spelling instruction, including awareness of the purpose and limitations of "invented spelling," orthographic patterns, and strategies for promoting generalization of spelling study to writing;
• Demonstrates expertise in the knowledge, skills, and processes necessary for teaching writing, including the domains of composing and written expression and usage and mechanics and the writing process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and sharing;
• Demonstrates the ability to instruct and advise teachers in the skills necessary to differentiate reading instruction for both low and high achieving readers;
• Demonstrates the ability to coach and support teachers through classroom observations, demonstrations, co-teaching, and other forms of job-embedded professional development;
• Demonstrates the ability to organize and supervise the reading program within the classroom, school, or division;
• Demonstrates effective communication skills in working with a variety of groups, including parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders;
• Demonstrates knowledge of current research and exemplary practices in English and reading

Current Reading Specialists:

• Amelon Elementary:
  • Brooke Glass
  • Victoria Grieser
  • Nicole Jordan
• Amherst Elementary:
  • Mark Sampson
  • Jessica Witt
• Central Elementary:
  • Olivia Linn
  • Kristie Munn
  • Melanie Tinsley
• Elon Elementary:
  • Joy Kurko
• Madison Heights Elementary:
  • Suzanne Bondurant
  • Renee Farmer
  • Jennifer Johnson
  • Haley Munson
• Temperance Elementary:
  • Mark Sampson
• Amherst Middle:
  • Kristen Atkins
• Monelison Middle School:
  • Kiston McPhatter
  • Christine Spicer

Dyslexia Advisors are reading specialists that have training in the identification of and the appropriate interventions, accommodations, and teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related disorder and shall serve as an advisor on dyslexia and related disorders.

ACPS Dyslexia Advisors:

• Robin Wheeler
• Ashley Hutchinson