Virginia schools will have some flexibility in administering Standards of Learning tests to elementary and middle school students this spring, according to a Thursday news release from the state Department of Education.Instead of being required to take the full slate of normally state-mandated tests — designed to set minimum expectations...
Virginia places more students with disabilities outside their local public schools than 37 other states — a trend that’s dramatically increased spending on specialized private schools over the past decade.The nonresidential programs --- more commonly known as private day schools — have been a source of frustration for lawmakers...
Virginia’s school staff shortage is getting worse during the COVID-19 pandemic, and leaders with the state Department of Education urged lawmakers to keep that in mind as they prepare for their upcoming General Assembly session.“We’ve had a teacher shortage all along, but over the past few years, even before...
The Virginia Department of Education is quietly implementing changes in response to a federal report that found serious deficiencies in how the agency monitors and enforces compliance with special education law. In a memo circulated to local school districts last month, state Superintendent James Lane wrote that the agency was...
A little over a week after Gov. Ralph Northam announced plans for a phased reopening of Virginia’s K-12 schools, Virginia Beach Superintendent Aaron Spence wrote a frustrated email to a top official at the state’s Department of Education.“This variance option — and the ongoing statement that all parents have...
By Anya Sczerzenie/ Capital News Service
A growing number of Virginia colleges are announcing that spring break will be canceled or modified in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, announced plans Monday. The biggest change is that the university will not have a week-long spring...
A report by two major educational nonprofits released last week on how states’ science standards for public schools handle climate change gave Virginia a failing grade, citing “abysmal scores across the board.” “Humanity’s impact is downplayed in the standards and is obfuscated by saying ‘natural’ causes of climate change and...
Staffing at the Virginia Department of Education is significantly lower than surrounding states in several key offices — and it's taking a toll on the agency’s ability to help local school districts, including making sure that struggling systems meet state standards. It’s an issue that hasn’t gotten much traction since...
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is calling on Virginia Tech to stop purchasing beagles from Envigo, a controversial dog breeding facility in Cumberland that's been the subject of recent legislative debate. It’s the second time PETA has gone after Tech and other state universities in recent weeks. In...
Early head counts from Virginia’s colleges and universities show an overall 1.3 percent decline in student enrollment this fall — a total of 6,658 students, according to a new report from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.Spokeswoman Laura Osberger said it was the first time that SCHEV...
