WJCC unveils updated literacy plan, aims for 85% proficiency by 2028

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Williamsburg-James City County Schools presented a revised division literacy plan to the school board on June 4 that expands Virginia Literacy Act requirements through eighth grade and sets a divisionwide target that at least 85% of students meet state literacy standards by June 2028.

The update, introduced by Courtney Montpoint and explained by division staff, lays out the curriculum, training and assessment changes the division will use to reach the goal and explains how the division will monitor progress across K–8.

Montpoint said Virginia legislation now requires literacy plans for kindergarten through eighth grade and that WJCC’s revised plan addresses six components the Virginia Department of Education identifies: communication and planning; selection of high‑quality instructional materials; required evidence‑based reading training; student assessment and progress monitoring; division‑level progress measures; and family and community engagement. “The foundation of the WJCC literacy plan continues to be our vision that every student in our school division is continuously growing as an engaged learner who reads, writes, and communicates across multiple disciplines,” Montpoint said.

Superintendent Dr. Keever and Montpoint described how the division is aligning to the Virginia Literacy Act. The plan keeps Benchmark Advanced for K–5, adopts HMH Into Literature for grades 6–12 next year, and uses supplemental programs (Lexia, IXL, Spire) for intervention. The division has a multi‑tiered approach that includes classroom instruction, targeted supplements and small‑group intervention for students who need more intensive support.

Montpoint and staff described training and implementation steps already under way: teachers and reading specialists complete state professional‑learning modules; principals and coaches are using a literacy walk‑through tool to collect evidence of consistent implementation; and administrators have led cross‑school visits to build consistent feedback. Montpoint said 79% of K–2 students are on track to meet grade‑level literacy expectations according to the spring screening results (VALS). She emphasized that this is year 1 on the new VALS screening tool and that scores are not directly comparable to past screeners.

Board members asked for additional disaggregated data and for school‑by‑school breakdowns, particularly for high‑needs student groups. Dr. Keever said final SOL results and future VALS screening cycles will provide more reliable trend data and that the division intends to continue revising the plan if the data suggest adjustments are needed. “We are providing to you what we intend to submit in terms of our revised literacy plan, but that does not mean that if the results come back and we’re able to look at it carefully, that we may not come back and say we need to revise based on what the data is telling us,” Keever said.

Implementation steps outlined for summer and fall include finalizing weights and expectations, professional learning modules for teachers and administrators in July and August, distributing implementation guides and launching a divisionwide rollout in the 2025–26 school year. Schools will report on KPIs and the district will monitor classroom implementation and student outcomes. The board will be asked to vote on the plan at its June 17 meeting.

Montpoint and staff said the plan also increases family engagement expectations: each elementary and middle school will host at least one annual event focused on tools families can use to support literacy at home. Board members asked for future presentations to include more school‑level detail, examples of materials and exemplars of student work, and updates on teacher training completion rates.