In 2023, the West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 3035, better known as the Third-Grade Success Act, to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for students statewide. Since then, schools have been implementing evidence-based practices, including those rooted in the Science of Reading, to support students in kindergarten through third grade.

A key part of this effort has been the work of West Virginia’s regional literacy and numeracy specialists. These specialists spend time in districts and, more recently, in schools, working alongside educators to provide coaching, support, and professional learning.

One of those literacy specialists, Vanessa Hayes, began noticing a common trend in the schools she served. Teachers felt confident teaching reading and content, and they were deeply committed to their students. But many said they needed more support teaching writing effectively.

Rather than seeing that need as a challenge, Vanessa saw it as an opportunity. She launched a Writing pilot to help educators strengthen writing instruction through practical strategies, supportive structures, and collaborative learning. The impact was significant.

One of the educators who participated in the pilot, Dylan Persinger, joins us today to share his experience firsthand. When the school year began, none of Dylan's students were proficient in writing. By the end of the year, that number had climbed to 42 percent, a remarkable level of growth that Dylan attributes largely to the support, learning, and collaboration he experienced through the Writing pilot. The success of the pilot was so evident that the decision was made to expand the initiative into middle schools this year.

Today, we'll hear from both Vanessa and Dylan about what they learned through this work, what made the pilot successful, and what advice they have for educators looking to strengthen writing instruction in their own classrooms.

Hosts:

• Dr. Kelly Massinople, Office of Academic Support, Coordinator
• Matt Kelly, Office of Academic Support, Coordinator

Today’s Guests:

• Vanessa Hayes, Literacy Specialist with a focus on writing.
• Dylan Persinger, Assistant Principal, Duval Pk-8

The Instructional Spark Podcast is produced by the Office of Academic Support at the West Virginia Department of Education. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and follow the for more stories and strategies from West Virginia educators. Thank you for joining us as we explore ideas, strategies, and stories that spark meaningful learning for all students. We hope today's conversation leaves you inspired and equipped to bring new energy to your classroom, school, or district. For questions, feedback, topic suggestions, or to learn more about the podcast, please contact us at instructionalspark@k12.wv.us. Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and keep sparking success.