EDUCATION
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 […]
Despite success, Va. public-private program for early childhood care still far from meeting need
Although almost 157,000 infants and toddlers in Virginia were eligible for publicly funded early childhood care and education services last year, data from the Virginia Department of Education shows over 90% lacked access to them. The same goes for more than half of the state’s approximately 128,000 eligible preschool-age children. In an effort to fill […]
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 […]
Over 104,000 Virginians sign up for new student loan repayment program
WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education. With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October and the Supreme Court’s summer decision to […]
Va. attorney general says transgender student policies comply with anti-discrimination laws
In response to a request by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Attorney General Jason Miyares released an official advisory opinion today concluding the state’s model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students comply with federal and state anti-discrimination laws and reiterating the administration’s stance that school boards must adopt policies in line with them. “It is my […]
Here’s what to know about new federal policies for repaying student loans
WASHINGTON — Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a year-long delay in repayments. The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month. Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education […]
New U.Va. video an unfortunate, necessary tutorial about carnage on campuses
You never see the face of the handgun-wielding attacker in a new instructional video that all University of Virginia students must now view. In that way, the glove- and hoodie-wearing assailant stalking people on campus is unknown, mysterious. Sadly, suspects in many real-life campus attacks in the commonwealth and elsewhere revealed disturbing signs that something […]
As Va. school districts split on transgender policies, state enforcement tools appear limited
Last week, Spotsylvania County Public Schools became Virginia’s first school district to adopt controversial state-crafted model policies for the treatment of transgender and non-binary students. The 4-2-1 decision of the Spotsylvania School Board, made during a chaotic Aug. 14 meeting, was followed by Roanoke County’s adoption of the policies in a similarly heated environment that […]
After bashing GOP rival’s doughnut dropoffs, Democrat sent political email to school staff
A Democratic candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates sent a mass political email to employees of the Williamsburg-James City County school division where she works shortly after criticizing her Republican opponent for dropping off campaign-funded doughnuts at some of the same schools. The campaign of Democrat Jessica Anderson, who is running against Del. Amanda […]
Nearly half the states now allow in-state tuition for immigrant students
When Cristian Dubon Solis was getting ready to graduate from a Boston high school in 2020, he started planning to apply to college. It was only then he realized that as an immigrant lacking permanent legal status, he wouldn’t qualify for in-state tuition at Massachusetts state universities, nor for state-sponsored financial aid. With no way to […]