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Virginia traffic deaths are back up again. Can road safety improvements help?
Transportation officials are spending millions on traffic infrastructure in Virginia in hopes of curbing an alarming increase in traffic fatalities from 2014 to 2021. In a rare move last month, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to appropriate $672.4 million to accelerate road safety improvements across the state. In 2021, Virginia recorded 968 total fatalities on […]
Youngkin, attorney general expect schools to follow transgender policies
As opposition to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s new policies on treatment of transgender students grows, Virginia still lacks an enforcement plan to have school divisions adopt them. Under new guidance published last month, schools are required to inform a student’s parent or guardian whether a student wants to change their name, nickname and/or pronouns from how […]
Virginia wants to move more goods through Port of Virginia by rail
Virginia plans to increase the use of freight rail to transport goods by partnering with the Port of Virginia, according to the draft 2022 Statewide Rail Plan published on Wednesday. Using freight services to transport goods is expected to help relieve traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions and yield annually $2.1 billion in benefits. “The fact […]
Accreditor’s loss of federal recognition puts three Virginia schools at risk
Unless they find another accreditor within 18 months, three higher education institutions in Virginia could lose their ability to offer federal aid after a recent decision terminated the federal government’s recognition of their accrediting agency. This August the U.S. Department of Education terminated the certification of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools after […]
Most Virginia schools remain fully accredited despite student testing declines
Few Virginia schools lost full accreditation from the state this year despite significant learning losses during the pandemic revealed by standardized tests, according to data released on Thursday by the Virginia Department of Education. Data show that the number of fully accredited schools in Virginia dropped from 92% in 2019-20 to 89% for the 2022-23 […]
Parents file class-action suit against Virginia Department of Education, Fairfax School Board over disability hearings
A federal class-action suit has been filed against the Virginia Department of Education and Fairfax County School Board claiming they are violating the rights of disabled students under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The plaintiffs in the case — the parents of an anonymous Fairfax County student and their nonprofit, Hear Our Voices, […]
What Virginia wants to do with $100 million in electric vehicle charging money
As efforts to speed up the transition to electric vehicles intensify, Virginia is expected to receive $100 million from the federal government over the next five years to install public electric vehicle charging stations. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act puts $7.5 billion toward building out a network of electric vehicle charging stations nationwide. Of […]
Youngkin administration overhauls Virginia transgender student policies
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration quietly released a document Friday overhauling Virginia’s policy on the treatment of transgender students, citing “parental rights.” The “Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” published by the Virginia Department of Education will direct local school boards to adopt a […]
Virginia to hold public input sessions on new history standards in October
The Virginia Board of Education plans to finalize new history and social science standards in January after Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration raised concerns with what they said were a number of errors and content issues in a draft. Education officials also proposed at Wednesday’s work session to begin holding public input sessions on the standards […]
Despite law, few Virginia school districts adopt state model transgender policies
Two years after a law passed the General Assembly requiring Virginia school districts to adopt policies for transgender and nonbinary students, few have opted to embrace model policies developed by the state. In 2020, school boards were required by legislation to adopt policies similar to or more comprehensive than models developed by the Virginia Department […]
More than 1.1 million Virginians lack access to fixed-route transit service
More than 1.1 million people in Virginia are in need of fixed-route transit, according to a recent assessment of the commonwealth’s bus and rail services. Additionally, 570,000 jobs lack access to fixed-route transit, a term used for bus, van and rail service that operates according to a regular schedule along a predetermined route. The findings […]
Transit agencies see ridership increases statewide
Transit agencies across Virginia are seeking to increase ridership, even if it means dropping fares. Throughout this month, the Virginia Railway Express, which connects Central and Northern Virginia to the District of Columbia, is suspending rail fares to mitigate the closure of several Metrorail stations in the commonwealth as well as increase ridership. VRE head […]