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Virginia officials say school mental health pilot ‘successfully launched’ new services
Virginia’s behavioral health agency is recommending policymakers continue developing a plan for mental health care for youth after a pilot program ended last spring. Under the school-based mental health pilot program, six Virginia school divisions — Bristol, Hanover, Hopewell, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and Richmond city — increased mental health services for students using a combined $2.5 […]
Va. Department of Education begins developing new accountability system
Following criticism by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, Virginia’s Department of Education will begin to develop a new system for tracking public schools’ and students’ performance. A June report from Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera and Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons to the General Assembly noted that most states have both an accreditation system, […]
Report: State test, ‘unclear’ requirements, and costs may be barriers in teacher pipeline
As Virginia school divisions continue to face teacher shortages, a state oversight agency found a state-required licensure test, potentially “unclear” licensure requirements and teacher preparation costs may be significant barriers for applicants. According to a Sept. 12 report from Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which conducts analysis and provides oversight of state agencies […]
Despite post-pandemic efforts, Virginia student test scores remain mostly flat
Virginia students’ 2022-23 pass rates on the state’s Standards of Learning tests were relatively unchanged compared to the past school year’s rates and remain below pre-pandemic levels, data released by the Department of Education Thursday show. The results show “significant and persistent learning loss in reading and math for Virginia students in grades 3-8,” the […]
Virginia sales tax holiday on track to return Oct. 20-22
Virginia’s sales and use tax holiday for school supplies, clothing and energy-efficient goods is on track to be reinstated Oct. 20 through Oct. 22 after the General Assembly approved amendments to the state’s two-year budget during a special session Wednesday. What’s in Virginia’s long-delayed 2023 budget deal The amended budget will now go for review […]
Report on Virginia public education standards and policies overdue
Over a four-month period in 2022, Virginia leaders in education and workforce development held a series of meetings to provide recommendations to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration on improving state K-12 education. However, a report on recommendations from those meetings, which were convened to fulfill the requirements of a 2022 law known as House Bill 938, […]
To curb crashes, Virginia installs more pedestrian beacons
In Central Virginia, multiple pedestrian fatalities – including the death of a Virginia Commonwealth University student killed after a vehicle drove onto a sidewalk where he was walking a few weeks ago – have renewed efforts to reduce traffic crashes. City of Richmond leaders recently announced they are planning to install pedestrian hybrid beacons to […]
Director of Virginia higher education council to step down after 12 years
One of Virginia’s top higher education policy officials is stepping down from his post. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the coordinating body for colleges and universities in the commonwealth, announced Thursday that it will begin its search for a new leader after long-time director Peter Blake said he would be leaving the […]
Tidewater, Southwest, Western regions biggest winners on school construction grants
Tidewater and Eastern Shore school divisions, including those in Norfolk and Newport News, are receiving about a quarter of $365 million in grants Virginia is handing out to modernize and repair school buildings as well as construct new ones. On May 11, the Virginia Board of Education unanimously approved 42 grants to school divisions across […]
Hampton Roads again leads Virginia metro areas in vehicle crashes
Hampton Roads led all metropolitan areas in Virginia for vehicle crashes in 2022, outstripping Richmond and Northern Virginia during a period of increasing fatal crashes statewide. The region, which encompasses such cities as Hampton, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, recorded the highest rate of vehicle crashes in Virginia in 2022, at 1.8 crashes per million […]
Virginia crime board awards local law enforcement $1.6 million for new license plate readers
Despite pushback by some members concerned with privacy, the Virginia Criminal Justice Services Board on Thursday awarded $1.6 million in grants to local governments for the purchase of new license plate readers. Those grants will allow 32 localities to purchase 212 of the devices as part of a broader award of $53.5 million in federal […]
Virginia pushes back renewal date for thousands of teacher licenses amid processing delays
The Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously during a Thursday emergency meeting to extend to June 30, 2024 the expiration date for teacher and other educator licenses that must be regularly renewed. The original deadline was next month. Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons urged the board to consider extending the expiration date, saying systemic […]