Virginia Supplemental Early Language and Literacy Resources for Deafness/Hard of Hearing (VA SELLR-DHH) Project Advisory Committee
About the Committee
Pursuant to § 22.1-217.04, the Virginia Department of Education, in coordination with the Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, established an advisory committee for the purpose of soliciting input from members on the selection of language developmental milestones for inclusion in a resource for use by parents of a child from birth to age five who is identified as deaf or hard of hearing to monitor and track the child's expressive and receptive language acquisition and developmental stages toward English literacy. The advisory committee’s function will terminate effective June 30, 2023.
For questions or more information regarding the committee, please contact the Virginia Department of Education via email at spedinstruction@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 225-3911, or via email at Wanda.Council@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 371-4059.
Committee Meetings
- June 5, 2023
- May 4, 2023
- April 12, 2023
Committee Members
Asterisk (*) designates voting member.
- Emilie Mulholland*, Advisory Committee Chairperson; Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Fairfax County Public Schools
- Valerie Abbott, Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Advisory Committee
- Briana Bates*, Parent, Richmond City
- Robin Bliven, Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
- Lori Bobsin, Ph.D.*, Speech-Language Pathologist, University of Virginia Medical Center
- Michele Bronnenberg*, Service Coordinator, Infant and Toddler Connection of Chesterfield County
- Wanda Council, Virginia Department of Education
- Ashley M. Esteva*, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Chesterfield County Public Schools
- Janet Knust*, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Norfolk City Public Schools
- Carrie Martin*, Speech-Language Pathologist, Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
- Terri Nelligan, Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
- Eric Raff, Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Irene Schmalz, Ph.D., Center for Family Involvement at the Partnership for People with Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Jessica Sheffield*, Parent, Hampton City
- Hunta Williams, Virginia Association of the Deaf
- Laura Yellin*, Parent, Arlington County
Comparison Report on Language and Literacy Development of Children with Disabilities, Birth to Age Five
The Comparison Report on Language and Literacy Development of Children with Disabilities, Birth to Age Five has been prepared and submitted to fulfill the requirements of Chapters 238 and 240 (Senate Bill 265 and House Bill 649) from the 2022 Virginia General Assembly session. This legislation required the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in coordination with the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH), and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), to produce a report that compares the language and literacy development of children from birth to age five who are deaf or hard of hearing with the language and literacy development of their peers who are not deaf or hard of hearing. This report was prepared using existing data reported in compliance with the federally required State Performance Plan for students with disabilities.