Student representative to the Newport News School Board gives presentation to Virginia Board of Education
Published June 29, 2026
Kyla Leggette, the 2025-2026 student representative to the Newport News School Board, gave a presentation at the Virginia Board of Education's monthly business meeting on June 25 at Reynolds Community College in Richmond.
Leggette, a 2026 graduate of Menchville High School who will attend Harvard University in the fall, gave one of three presentations from the Student Advisory Committee. She outlined a proposal to strengthen and modify reading interventionist policies.
Leggette prepared the presentation with a partner, 2026 Fort Defiance High School graduate Olivia Tarbell, who was unable to attend the meeting.
“We both care deeply about reading interventionist policies because of our first-hand experiences witnessing the positive impact they can have on our students and their academic performance,” Leggette said. “Today, we are proposing improvements to reading interventionist policies that will help insure all Virginia students receive the literacy support they need to succeed.”
Leggette gave statistics on current reading levels among Virginia students, described how the Virginia Department of Education’s raising of testing standards may increase the need for additional literacy support, listed the benefits of reading proficiency, and provided localized evidence including teacher time spent on remediation and distances between rural schools that reading interventionists often must travel.
She suggested three measures: Incentive teachers to obtain reading interventionist certifications, reimburse reading interventionists for their travel between schools, and establish an after-school program that includes literacy-centered instruction.
“These proposals aren’t revolutionary,” Leggette said. “They’re not flashy; they’re not groundbreaking. But they are necessary. Because the further students slip through the cracks, the greater the educational and economic consequences become for our communities, our great Commonwealth and our beautiful nation.
“I urge you to strongly consider these proposals and continue building upon our great progress of the Virginia Literacy Act. The future of Virginia’s students depends on the decisions we make today and it’s your responsibility to make them.”
