Bill Text: WV HB2143 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Require elementary school teachers to be certified in the science of reading

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-03-04 - To House Education [HB2143 Detail]

Download: West_Virginia-2025-HB2143-Introduced.html

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2143

By Delegates Statler, Ellington, and Toney

[Introduced ; referred
to the Committee on]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18A-3-13, relating to requiring elementary school teachers to be certified in the science of reading.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

 

ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

§18A-3-13. Certification in the science of reading for elementary school teachers.

(a) Definitions. –

"Science of reading" means an interdisciplinary body of scientific evidence that:

(A) Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently;

(B) Explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing;

(C) Indicates that all students benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing to become effective readers;

(D) Does not rely on any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues, including a three-cueing approach.

As used in this section, "three-cueing approach" means any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues.

(b) Establishment of section. – The West Virginia Department of Education shall establish a list of high-quality core curriculum and instructional materials in English language arts, and a list of evidence-based reading intervention programs, that are aligned with the science of reading and strategies for effective literacy instruction, and elementary school teachers in this state shall be certified to teach students in the science of reading.

(c) Enactment. –

(1) Beginning not later than the 2026-2027 school year, each public school teacher and public charter school teacher shall be trained to use core curriculum and instructional materials in English language arts and evidence-based reading intervention programs as approved by the West Virginia Department of Education that directly relate to the science of reading.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no district or school shall use any core curriculum, instructional materials, or intervention program in grades pre-kindergarten to five that use the three-cueing approach to teach students to read.

(3) A district or school may apply to the department for a waiver on an individual student basis to use curriculum, instructional materials, or an intervention program in grades pre-kindergarten through five that uses the three-cueing approach to teach students to read, except as follows:

(A) No student for whom a reading improvement and monitoring plan has been developed under this code shall be eligible for a waiver.

(B) If a student has an individualized education program that explicitly indicates the three-cueing approach is appropriate for the student's learning needs, the student shall not be required to have a waiver.

(4) In determining whether to approve a waiver requested under this section, the department shall consider the performance of the student's district or school on the state report card issued under this code, including on the early literacy component prescribed under this code.

(d) Vendors. – The department shall identify vendors that provide professional development in the science of reading to educators, including pre-service teachers and faculty employed by educator preparation programs, on the use of high-quality core curriculum and instructional materials and reading intervention programs on the lists established under this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require elementary school teachers in this state to be certified in the science of reading.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.