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In an effort to support Virginia educators, VDOE created the Continuity for Learning (C4L) Task Force consisting of teachers, leaders, and collaborating educational partners across Virginia. The C4L Task Force has prepared Virginia Learns Anywhere (PDF) which reinforces much-needed structure while also empowering individual teachers to support students in learning remotely. The C4L Task Force encourages divisions to develop and implement continuous learning plans in partnership with local county health departments, families, staff, and local boards of education. |
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State Superintendent Announces Launch of "VA TV Classroom" |
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 Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced today that four Virginia public media stations will broadcast teacher-led classroom instruction aligned with the commonwealth’s academic standards into homes across the state beginning Monday, April 13.
Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media worked closely with the Virginia Department of Education to create “VA TV Classroom” to provide instruction to students in grades K-10 who are unable to access other distance learning options due to a lack of high-speed internet.
“VA TV Classroom” will air instructional content from 1-3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“I would like to thank Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media for providing this resource for students while schools are closed as part of the commonwealth’s strategy to slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect public health,” Lane said. “It is nothing short of amazing that these public media stations were able to create ‘VA TV Classroom’ and schedule its launch within a month of the governor’s initial order to close schools.”
The “VA TV Classroom” on-air schedule is as follows:
- K-3 instruction airs from 1-2 p.m. with Standards of Learning-aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media. “Learn to Grow with WHRO” segments will be 15 minutes in length and led by teachers.
- Grades 7-10 instruction airs from 2-3 p.m. with SOL-aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media focusing on Earth Science and Algebra 1.
- During the week of April 27, “VA TV Classroom” will add a special hour from 3-4 p.m. called “AP Prep Week,” with content provided by Virtual Virginia — in collaboration with WHRO — focusing on a different AP subject each day. The hour will include two 30-minute segments.
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State Superintendent Announces Flexibility in Federal Spending |
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Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced today that the U.S. Department of Education has approved Virginia’s application for additional flexibility in the use of federal education funds, as authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
On Monday, Lane submitted Virginia’s request for waivers from provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act and the General Education Provisions Act that govern how and when federal education funds must be spent by states and local school districts. The U.S. Department of Education granted preliminary approval two hours later and authorized Virginia to implement the waivers pending formal approval.
“Without this flexibility, Virginia school divisions would have had to return millions of dollars in federal funding — most of it supporting programs serving vulnerable students — that they were unable to spend by September 30 due to the closure of schools to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Lane said. “These waivers will also allow divisions and the Virginia Department of Education to shift federal resources to supporting the technology and professional development for teachers necessary to expand distance-learning opportunities for all students.”
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Plans to Expand Virtual Virginia Announced Soon |
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The Virtual Virginia (“VVA”) program, available through the Virginia Department of Education, offers online courses and digital content to Virginia’s students and educators. VVA currently has enrolled over 6,000 students, and in collaboration with WHRO, plans to expand enrollment seats for school divisions through June 30, 2020. Currently, VVA has content for 81 high school credit-bearing courses available. VVA will expand its offerings to include elementary and middle school content and courses beginning in May 2020 and continuing into the 2020-2021 school year. More details will be released next week. |
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Guidance for Childcare Providers to Demonstrate Essential Status to Localities
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The Department of Social Services (VDSS) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) are working closely together to support critical members of the workforce and provide safe child care alternatives for their families during this time. In accordance with Governor Northam’s Executive Order 53, the provision of childcare for essential personnel is considered an essential business. Multiple guidance documents regarding emergency childcare have been issued by VDSS and/or VDOE and may be found at dss.virginia.gov/cc/covid-19 or doe.virginia.gov/covid19
More information on how childcare providers can demonstrate they are essential for local entities can be found on the VDOE website here: Status as an Essential Business - Child Care Services for Children of Essential Personnel
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#CoronavirusHeroes: Teachers Form Parade to Encourage Kids While Schools are Closed for the Coronavirus
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With schools closed due to #COVID19, teachers across the country have been banding together to show students that they are loved and not forgotten. Teachers from Van Pelt Elementary School in Bristol, VA @BVPSDistrict formed a parade in their cars to call out to their students by name and keep up their spirits during this time apart: Van Pelt ES Teacher Parade |
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#COVID19 & Virginia Public Schools Resources
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- The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has been working closely with the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Department of Health, and other state agencies to ensure our public schools and communities have the most up-to-date information and resources. The health and safety of our children and staff are our top priorities: COVID-19 & Virginia Public Schools
- Visit #GoOpenVA:COVID-19 Extended Closing Resources for materials provided by Virginia school divisions to support educational activities when schools are closed.
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WHRO is offering students, teachers, parents and administrators access to twenty-five high school online courses for free during the COVID19 pandemic.
- The VDOE’s Training and Technical Assistance Centers (TTAC) can also serve as a high quality resource for additional support and options for the use of virtual platforms for students with disabilities.
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