Officials from Kanawha County Schools and West Virginia University, including WVU President Dr. Gordon Gee, today recognized 50 Kanawha County Schools teachers who applied and were selected to receive a master’s degree in Literacy Education with a Reading Specialist certification. This online degree, including books, will be paid for by Kanawha County Schools. This is part of Kanawha County Schools’ dedication to furthering literacy education and addressing student learning loss post-COVID. The cohort of 50 Kanawha County teachers will begin their degrees in August, with an anticipated program completion in May 2026.
“I am pleased to celebrate the first cohort of the Literacy Education Fellows,” West Virginia University President Gordon Gee said. “This program is a wonderful reminder that we, not just in Kanawha County but across West Virginia, have a high level of interest from teachers who want to be here and want to serve. As the state’s flagship, land-grant University, we will continue to nurture, support and provide more opportunities for teachers.”
Kanawha County teachers were selected based on an application process that included receiving letters of recommendation from principals or supervisors, along with writing an essay describing why they wanted to participate in the cohort. Teachers from all grade levels were selected, with the majority of applicants being from the K-5 grade levels. Special education teachers are also included in the cohort.
“We are grateful to our partners at West Virginia University for applying the power of its land grant mission and working with us to deliver this powerful degree to our teachers,” said Tom Williams, superintendent of Kanawha County Schools. “The average teacher will touch thousands of students’ lives in their career and we see this as an investment not only in our teachers but in our students’ literacy achievement levels. Kanawha County already has the most incredible staff, and this opportunity will simply add to the quality of education provided.”