ELA

Our ELA professional development supports the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) by equipping teachers with the tools and training needed to close literacy gaps and help every student grow. We’re using early literacy screeners to identify student needs and respond with instruction that’s grounded in the Science of Reading. To make your instruction even more effective and intentional, we encourage all teachers to explore the Teacher’s Corner on the HQIM website—packed with resources, planning tools, and guidance aligned to our literacy goals.

Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) Canvas Modules:

As part of the VLA, K-8 educators are required to receive training in evidence-based literacy instruction aligned to science-based reading research.

In 2023, the VLA was expanded from the original requirements of training for elementary school teachers, elementary school principals, reading specialists, and special education teachers to include training for EL teachers, middle school teachers, and middle school principals.

VDOE contracted with the University of Virginia (UVA) to design, develop, and facilitate a statewide, knowledge-based professional development training at no cost for Virginia educators. As part of this training, Canvas courses designed for different audiences are being offered beginning June 2024. The courses will focus on building a strong literacy knowledge base on key topics but also will focus on the application of instructional practice in the classroom.

Teachers, Principals & Reading Specialists

Other Educator Groups

Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) PreK - K:

Learn about the history as well as the assessments, reports, and resources that comprise the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program. Complete the training modules at your own pace, in any order you choose. Your start date and completion date will appear on each module.

Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) K-8:

The Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) is the state-provided screening tool for Virginia’s Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI). The purpose of the EIRI is to reduce the number of children with reading problems through early diagnosis and immediate intervention. By screening K-8 students, we will determine students' level of risk (high, moderate, or low) developing reading difficulties and provide intervention. All students identified as high-risk must receive intervention services in addition to their regular classroom instruction.

Tutorials are available for the following:

VALLSS: Grades K-3
VALLSS: Grades 4-8
VALLSS: Español: Grades K-3
VLA for Elementary School Administrators
VLA for Middle School Administrators

If you have not accessed the website before, you will need to register.

Developing Skilled Readers and Building Reading Stamina:

Explore how the DSR standards are met through content-rich texts read by students. Participants will learn grade-level expectations for students to fluently read complex texts, purposefully gather textual evidence from a variety of texts and genres to support claims, conclusions, and inferences, and understand how intentionally selected texts provide opportunities for students to read widely about a topic to gain knowledge and expand their vocabulary.

VDOE Foundational Skills K-5:

This is a targeted professional development for K-5 classroom teachers, division leaders, building administrators, reading specialists and literacy coaches. This three-part series will offer interactive opportunities for educators to address the progression and rigor outlined in Kindergarten- Grade 5, will offer support reviewing and analyzing student data to determine areas of strength and opportunities for growth, and highlight the importance of student practice in foundational skills instruction. These sessions will be offered in grade bands; please select the grade bands you would like to be registered to attend.

Part 1: Grade Level Expectations for the Foundations for Reading and Foundations for Writing Standards

Part 2: Using Data to support FFR + FFW Instruction

Part 3: Effective Student Practices for Foundational Skills FFR and FFW

Registration Link

Kindergarten-Grade 1 | Part 1: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)

Kindergarten-Grade 1 | Part 2: Thursday, August 21, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)

Kindergarten-Grade 1 | Part 3: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)

Grade 2-Grade 3 | Part 1: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)

Grade 2-Grade 3 | Part 2: Thursday, August 21, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)

Grade 2-Grade 3 | Part 3: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)

Grade 4-Grade 5 | Part 1: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

Grade 4-Grade 5 | Part 2: Thursday, August 21, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

Grade 4-Grade 5 | Part 3: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

VDOE Text Dependent Questions K-12:

This session is targeted towards division leadership, building leaders, reading specialists, and K-12 teachers. The session will focus on integrating the Communication strand with other strands to ensure deep student engagement with the text and make student learning visible in the classroom.

Registration Link

Elementary: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
Secondary: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

VDOE Writing Instruction K-12:

This session is targeted for division leadership, building leaders, reading specialists, and K-12 teachers and will focus on teaching writing as a recursive process and purposefully integrating writing throughout instruction to support comprehension.

Registration Link

Elementary: Thursday, November 13, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
Secondary: Thursday, November 13, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

VDOE Planning for Integration K-12:

These sessions are targeted for division leadership, building leaders, reading specialists, and K-12 teachers and will highlight concrete examples of how to meaningfully integrate the strands of the 2024 English Standards of Learning including grade-band specific models. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on a lesson from their HQIM and apply strategies for integration that can inform planning and instruction.

Registration Link

Kindergarten-Grade 1: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
Grade 2-Grade 3: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)
Grade 4-Grade 5: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)
Grade 6-Grade 8: Thursday, August 7, 2025(9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
Grade 9-Grade 12: Thursday, August 7, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)

VDOE Foundations For Writing: A Focus on Encoding K-5:

This session is targeted for Division Leaders, Building Leaders, Reading Specialists, Literacy Coaches, Classroom Teachers (K-5). This session will allow educators to examine effective student practices that support students encoding and the reciprocal nature of encoding and decoding.

Registration Link

Kindergarten-Grade 1 | Wednesday, November 19, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
Grade 2 -Grade 3 | Wednesday, November 19, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)
Grade 4- Grade 5 | Wednesday, November 19, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)

HMH Into Reading K-5 Teacher's Corner:

Imagine a new kind of professional learning in a community of support built just for you. See how HMH is "in your corner" with Teacher's Corner. Whether you want to quickly prep for a lesson or invest time in your professional growth, Teacher's Corner is a trusted resources to enhance your instruction and classroom.

Learn from consultants, thought leaders, and fellow teachers in live online sessions with active participation and feedback.
Build teacher confidence with resources focused on setting up the learning environment, pacing and prioritizing instruction, and more.
In-depth teaching support and professional learning tools include model lesson videos, teacher tips, interactive support, and more.
Stay inspired with ideas from other teachers, new lesson resources, and reflections updated weekly.

HMH Into Literature 6-12 Teacher's Corner:

Teacher’s Corner provides a digital-first learning experience that gives you the support needed to successfully implement and sustain high quality literature instruction.

Learn from consultants, thought leaders, and fellow teachers in live online sessions with active participation and feedback.
Build teacher confidence with resources focused on setting up the learning environment, pacing and prioritizing instruction, and more.
In-depth teaching support and professional learning tools include model lesson videos, teacher tips, interactive support, and more.
Stay inspired with ideas from other teachers, new lesson resources, and reflections updated weekly.

Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP):

The CIP is a consortium of public school divisions in Virginia working collaboratively to improve student achievement as measured by Virginia's Standards of Learning assessments. The CIP is designed to help instructors by providing pacing guides, activities, and assessments that are highly aligned to Virginia's Curriculum Frameworks in content and rigor. These resources have been submitted by teachers who have demonstrated superior performance as evidenced by their students' scores on Virginia's SOL assessments.

Other Programs in Use:

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