The Virtual Academy is based on the materials and activities developed for the Reading First Academy. It is a blended design (combining face-to-face and online activities) structured around a cycle of team meetings, independent readings, and classroom practice/reflections.

The goal is the same as with the face-to-face academy: to develop an understanding of the vocabulary of early literacy addressed in the six early literacy components supported by Nevada Reading First: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary & spelling, comprehension, and writing.

The Virtual Academy is designed for teams in multiple schools. Each team is responsible for scheduling team meetings as long as each session is within a 7-day window. The quality of the online experience depends on all participants addressing the same questions, concepts, and issues within the time frame.

A face-to-face training is provided for participants to familiarize them with the resources, activities, and technology used during the Virtual Academy.