EDUCATION
Virginia’s students outscored the nation on ACT
The Virginia students who take the ACT test did better than their peers nationwide this year, according to the state’s Department of Education. Public school students received an average composite score of 23.8 on the test, which is meant to determine college readiness, compared with 20.4 nationwide. The tests are scored on a scale of […]
Virginia’s FOIA council wants university boards to allow public comment before tuition changes
Boards that govern public universities and colleges should allow students and other stakeholders to speak at meetings when the cost of attendance may change, the state’s Freedom of Information Act Advisory Council said Wednesday. But it’s not a change that needs to be codified in law, the council decided. For now, public comment at colleges’ […]
Report: College in Virginia is more expensive because the state hasn’t funded it
Over the last decade, Virginia’s decreased spending on higher education has shifted more of the cost on to students, especially black, Latino and low-income ones, a new analysis by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis found. Virginia spends $1,306 less per student now than it did in 2008, even though the economy has returned to […]
GMU professor relaunches 41-year-old almanac with focus on women in Virginia politics
A George Mason University professor is reviving a 41-year-old record book of state government information, this time online and with a focus on women in Virginia politics. Toni-Michelle Travis, along with seven GMU students in the Schar School of Policy, is working on a new and improved digital version of the Almanac of Virginia Politics that she […]
Should abuse allegations against teachers be subject to a higher standard of proof?
A group of lawmakers is weighing whether teachers merit an extra level of protection during child abuse investigations. For most cases, an allegation is considered founded if child protective services investigators determine that the alleged abuse or neglect actually occurred based on the available evidence. But if the alleged act took place within the scope […]
State school safety panel recommends bullet-resistant whiteboards, more guidance counselors, more police
A special House of Delegates committee floated 54 ways the state could make schools safer from the threat of shootings and violence. Among them: Bullet-resistant whiteboards, more guidance counselors, more school resource officers. The long list – which lawmakers say they still need to price out and winnow down – had something for everyone, with […]
Attorney general says plan to arm teachers in Lee County is unlawful
Attorney General Mark Herring said in an opinion Tuesday that a plan approved last month by the Lee County School Board to arm teachers is unlawful. “For five years in a row the General Assembly rejected specific proposals to arm teachers, so there’s really no ambiguity,” Herring said in a statement. In an effort to get […]
So far this year, the number of mumps cases in Virginia has tripled
It’s that time of year again, and Virginia’s college campuses are swarming with students who might gain a lot over the next semester: hopefully some knowledge, maybe a few pounds and possibly mumps. So far, there have been 157 cases of mumps this year, more than three times the typical number the state sees. There […]
Report: Virginia spending on school infrastructure down 33 percent
Between state and local governments, in 2016 Virginia spent 33 percent less than in 2008 on school capital projects, like building new schools or renovating existing ones, according to a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C., research and policy nonprofit. Virginia is among 36 states in which capital […]
Virginia makes more money available for school security grants
With Lee County announcing its intention earlier this month to become the first school system in Virginia to arm teachers, partly because it’s cheaper than hiring officers, Gov. Ralph Northam’s office says an additional $1.3 million is available in grants for police and security. “Ensuring the safety of Virginians, especially of our youth, is a […]
Alternate universe Senate race, update on Unite the Right anniversary and Richmond’s attendance woes, among other headlines
A different result with ranked-choice voting? Could instant-runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, have installed Nick Freitas as the GOP Senate candidate instead of Corey Stewart? Marla McKenna at The Culpeper Star-Exponent quotes Freitas as in favor of the method, calling it “a solid policy” and pledging to support legislation that would give Virginia voters that […]
VCU president is highest-paid public college president in the state
The Chronicle of Higher Education released its annual ranking of executive compensation of the country’s public and private colleges universities over the weekend. The highest-paid public college president in the state, Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao, came in at 43 on the list with a compensation package totaling $690,943. Behind him on the list […]