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CCPS updates literacy plan, expands reading specialists and monitors Open Court rollout
Summary
Dr. Emily Stains presented a refreshed CCPS literacy plan for 2025–28 that keeps five core priorities, expands reading specialists (18 elementary, 17 middle), shifts early‑grade assessment from PALS to 'vows' and continues Open Court instruction in elementary schools; district leaders said quantitative results will be available as cohorts reach third grade.
Dr. Emily Stains, director of secondary curriculum development and support, presented the Chesterfield County Public Schools literacy plan refresh for 2025–28 and updates on implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act.
Stains said the revised plan retains five main points—curriculum and instruction, data analysis, literacy across content areas, professional learning, and stakeholder engagement—but includes updated measures, a glossary and new action steps developed with input from more than 150 teachers and staff. The division adopted Open Court reading materials in elementary grades two years ago; Stains said the first cohort that started with Open Court in kindergarten will reach third grade in two years, which will provide an early summative measure of impact.
In K–3, the division is transitioning assessment tools from PALS to "vows" delivered via Canvas modules from Virginia Literacy Partnerships, and Stains said teachers were trained in the new assessments. Reading specialists were added through the Virginia Literacy Act: 18 elementary reading specialists and 17 middle‑school reading specialists supporting supplemental and intervention systems and teacher planning.
Stains highlighted plans to continue vertical alignment, refine supplemental and intervention strategies for K–8, and partner with the Chesterfield Education Foundation and CCPS libraries for community engagement and media spotlights. She said teacher surveys and literacy walks are providing qualitative feedback and that the division will report quantitative results in future literacy updates.
Board members asked about the Chesterfield Education Foundation partnership and the timeline for observing Open Court effects; Stains said the foundation relationship is new to the plan and that more detailed data will be available after surveys and the next reporting cycle.
