Program Overview

The Virginia Department of Education has contracted with the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson to create and administer the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment® (VCLA™), which measures the communication and literacy skills necessary for Virginia educators, and the Virginia Reading Assessment® (VRA®), which measures preparation in the components of effective reading instruction.

About the VCLA

On March 23, 2005, the Virginia Board of Education approved the establishment of a Special Committee of the Board of Education to Study and Make Recommendations Relative to Teacher Licensure Assessment. The committee was charged with the responsibility of examining the use of teacher licensure assessments in Virginia and other states and of making recommendations to the Board of Education. On June 22, 2005, the Board of Education, based on the committee’s recommendation, approved the implementation of the VCLA as a requirement for individuals seeking initial licensure in Virginia.

The VCLA measures the communication and literacy skills necessary to teach and communicate effectively with parents and others in the education community. The VCLA consists of two subtests—a reading subtest and a writing subtest.

About the VRA

The 2001 session of the Virginia General Assembly, through Virginia House Joint Resolution Number 794 (HJR 794), requested that the Virginia Department of Education, in cooperation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, study the proficiency of Virginia teachers in teaching systematic, explicit phonics.

On April 29, 2003, the Board of Education adopted the Resolution to Enhance the Teaching of Reading in Virginia. One goal of the plan was to develop a reading assessment aligned with the English Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools (SOL) and the National Reading Panel’s five key components of effective reading instruction—phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. The VRA will satisfy for elementary teachers the reading component of the teaching skills requirement mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The test will help identify those teaching candidates who have the knowledge and skills that are important for performing the job of an elementary (preK–3 or preK–6) teacher, a special education teacher, or a reading specialist in Virginia public schools.

The content of the VRA is organized into objectives, which are aligned with the SOL and reading competencies contained in the Regulations Governing the Review and Approval of Education Programs in Virginia and the Virginia Licensure Regulations for School Personnel and consistent with the recommendations of the Committee to Enhance the K–12 Teaching Experience in Virginia, the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL), and the Panel for Reviewing Reading Assessment for Initial Licensure.

Test Design

The following tables describe each test:

VCLA Subtest	Subtest Description
VCLA reading subtest	Designed to measure comprehension and analysis of readings, outlining and summarizing skills, and ability to interpret tables and graphs Consists of approximately 40 multiple-choice items
VCLA writing subtest	Designed to measure the development of ideas in essay form on specific topics and the mastery of grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary Consists of approximately 40 multiple-choice items, 3 short-answer items, a written summary assignment, and a written composition assignment

VRA Test	Test Description
VRA for Elementary and Special Education Teachers	Designed to measure preparation in the five key components of effective reading instruction: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency Consists of approximately 90 multiple-choice items and 4 constructed-response items
VRA for Reading Specialists	Designed to measure preparation in the five key components of effective reading instruction: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency Consists of approximately 90 multiple-choice items and 2 constructed-response items, including a case study

The VCLA and VRA are criterion referenced and objective based and are designed to measure a candidate’s knowledge and skills in relation to an established standard rather than in relation to the performance of other candidates.

Tests may include test items that are being evaluated for future administrations and that do not affect a candidate’s test results.

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