Dear Advocates:
This week is Crossover at the General Assembly which means the House sends their Bills over to the Senate and the Senate sends their Bills over to the House. It will be critically important that members of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance & Appropriation Committees hear from YOU! Please ask for their full support and funding for our two priorities:
The Virginia Literacy Act
Literacy matters. Too many of our children are at high risk of reading failure. This Act will provide teachers and parents with the tools they need to help our children. Research tells us that third graders not reading on grade level are more likely to drop out of school. When children fall behind, it is hard for them to catch up. The frustration builds year after year in the classroom.
- Delegate Coyner’s House Bill (HB319)
- Senator Lucas’ Senate Bill (SB616)
- House Budget Amendment – Delegate Coyner (Item 129#9h)
- Senate Budget Amendment – Senator Lucas (Item129#4s)
- The fiscal impact is $10.4m to support implementation of the Act and provide curricula materials, staffing and specialists, aligned professional development for teachers, coaches to help in the classroom and resources for parents.
The Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP+) Expansion Pilot
The VKRP is used in all 132 school divisions at the beginning and end of kindergarten. Last fall it was expanded to all publicly funded early learning programs. It is a tool for our teachers, families, programs, schools and policymakers that gives a picture of children’s readiness in literacy (PALS), math, social skills and self-regulation. It provides actionable data and strategies that help teachers and parents support children’s growth and learning. E3: Elevate Early Education (E3) initiated the creation and matched the state appropriation 2:1 for the voluntary pilot. The VKRP was created in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education, University of Virginia and E3.
- Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata (Item 129#5h) and Senator Louise Lucas (Item 129#2s) are carrying Budget Amendments that will expand the VKRP to grades one, two and three to help teachers, parents, school divisions and policymakers identify student’s strengths, deficiencies and support student growth. The expansion will give teachers and parents tools, strategies and individualize instruction.
- Virginia will have longitudinal data from preschool to third grade.
- The fiscal impact is $1.5m
All children deserve a high-quality education from start to finish. There is an urgent need to transform the quality in classrooms. The early learning to third grade approach will build a strong continuum of learning for our children, help teachers, and arm parents with tools to build a strong foundation for learning.
ACT NOW & SEND your letter to tell policymakers that our children and their education matter to you! Click here to send your letter now.
Thank you for taking the time to ask legislators for their full support and funding.
My Best,
Lisa
President & CEO
E3: Elevate Early Education & The New E3 School