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Statement from the Virginia Board of Education
On June 18, 2020, the Virginia Board of Education unanimous adopted the following statement regarding systemic racism, racial justice and education. The Board remains committed to making good on the promise of a high-quality education for every child by eliminating racial and socioeconomic inequities in Virginia’s public education system.
The history of people of color, particularly Black Americans, in our country is a history of strength, perseverance, courageous struggle, agency and hope. But we also know that history is marked by exploitation, oppression, disenfranchisement, and discrimination. As part of broader systems of oppression, people of color have been denied access to the schoolhouse based on the color of their skin. The fight for equal access to public education is longstanding and endures to this day. The brave actions of Mary Peake, Barbara Johns, Ruby Bridges, the Norfolk 17, and countless other students, parents, and civil rights leaders helped break down racial barriers to education. The Board recognizes that equal access to a high-quality public education is a fundamental right of all Virginians, regardless of race, gender, creed, color or sexual orientation. However, systemic racism and discrimination still exist in public education, and too often, a student’s skin color or socioeconomic status predicts the quality of their educational opportunities. As education leaders in the Commonwealth, we have a responsibility to recognize and confront such racism and discrimination.
The Virginia Board of Education is committed to ensuring that Virginia students learn and understand the complex and often untold history of Black Americans in Virginia, and our nation. Through the work of the Commission on African American History Education, a review of Virginia’s History Standards of Learning, instructional practices, and professional development supports is underway, with recommendations due September 1, 2020. Further, the Virginia Department of Education is revising its process for reviewing all Standards of Learning so that all voices are heard during the revision process. As part of the statutory duty to establish the educational objectives for the Commonwealth, the Board is committed to making the necessary revisions to the Virginia’s Standards of Learning to ensure an accurate and comprehensive history of and contributions from Black Americans is taught in Virginia’s public schools. Read More.
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$23.9 Million in CARES Act Funding to Support Students and Teachers During Reopening Process |
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 Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced the Virginia Department of Education will use the $23.9 million state set-aside from the federal CARES Act to help schools support vulnerable students, make up missed instruction, and protect the health and well-being of students and staff during the three phases of Governor Ralph Northam’s school reopening plan and beyond.
“We have had extensive conversations with school divisions since the closure in mid-March to identify their most pressing needs and the areas where help from the state is most needed to reopen schools safely in accordance with the governor’s reopening plan and the recommendations and considerations in VDOE’s ‘Recover, Redesign, Restart 2020’ guidance,” Lane said. “Our top priorities in distributing the set-aside funds are supporting students with disabilities as they return to the classroom, supporting school divisions as they provide opportunities for students to make up instruction lost during the spring, and making sure that schools and buses are safe as children transition back to in-person instruction.”
The state set-aside is part of the $238.6 million award Virginia received last month from the CARES Act Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief fund. Lane said the set-aside funds will support the several state-level initiatives to help schools through the reopening process and during the 2020-2021 school year. As announced last month, 90% of the $238.6 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief fund awarded to Virginia will pass directly to school divisions and other pre-K-12 education agencies based on the formula for awarding Title I funds under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
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2020 Exemplar Performance School Awards Recipients Announced |
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The state Board of Education recently recognized 454 schools and six school divisions for high student achievement, continuous improvement or innovative practices under the board’s exemplar performance school recognition program. The awards are based on performance and practice during 2018-2019 and prior years.
The recognized schools include 71 schools that earned the Board of Education Highest Achievement Award, 375 schools that earned the Board of Education Continuous Improvement Award and one school that earned the Board of Education Innovative Practice Award. The board also recognized seven schools earning the 2020 Board of Education Continuous Improvement Award and six school divisions for innovative practices. In 2019, the first year of the exemplar performance program, 235 schools earned awards.
“The criteria for the exemplar performance awards are designed to incentivize schools to make the changes in instruction, policy, support services and practice required to make progress toward meeting the Board of Education’s objective of achieving equity in opportunities and outcomes for all students,” Board of Education President Daniel A. Gecker said. “The increase in the number of awards earned this year is evidence of the progress our schools were making toward this objective before the pandemic forced the closure of schools in March.”
“I congratulate the principals, teachers, support professionals and students of all of these schools and divisions for the achievement, innovations and hard work recognized by these awards,” Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane said. “I believe the success of these schools and school divisions will inspire learning communities across the commonwealth as they plan for the reopening of school and prepare to meet the instructional and social-emotional needs of students — especially students most impacted by the closure this spring.”
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VDOE Partners with JMU School of Education to Launch Virginia New Teacher Support Program |
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The Virginia Department of Education and James Madison University’s College of Education are launching a program to provide support, coaching and professional development to first- and second-year teachers.
The Virginia New Teacher Support Program will match first- and second-year teachers with an instructional coach who will provide coaching on professional knowledge, instructional planning, instructional delivery, student assessment and professionalism. Participating teachers also will have access to a menu of live online professional development sessions.
“Comprehensive induction programs increase teacher retention and effectiveness, and are especially critical now for first-year teachers whose student-teaching experience was cut short by closure of schools in March because of COVID-19.” Lane said. “The Virginia New Teacher Support Program will play a key role in supporting these new educators and their students as they return to school in August and September.”
In 2017, the Virginia Advisory Committee on Teacher Shortages recommended strengthening new-teacher induction programs as a means of increasing retention and classroom effectiveness of new and early-career teachers. The committee identified professional development and mentoring as critical supports for novice teachers, especially in the areas of planning, classroom management, differentiated instruction and student assessment
“Providing classroom teachers with instructional coaching, mentoring and targeted professional learning during these early years significantly increases the likelihood that these early-career teachers will stay in the profession and increase their effectiveness,” JMU College of Education Executive Director of Teaching and Learning John Almarode said.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the Virginia New Teacher Support Program will provide mentoring and professional development to 500 teachers, including 250 through an existing partnership between JMU, Virginia State University and five pilot divisions (Augusta County, Harrisonburg, Petersburg, Portsmouth and Rockingham County). An additional 250 teachers will be selected from other divisions around the commonwealth. First- and second-year teachers who wish to participate should contact their building principals to apply.
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REMINDER: Partnering with Parents - Leadership Training Opportunities for Summer 2020 |
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 The training opportunities below are available to families of students with disabilities. These opportunities are offered by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
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Parents as Collaborative Leaders (PACL) Basic - July 22-24, 2020, Staunton, VA: Join us for three vibrant days to explore and learn valuable ways for communicating with the professionals involved with your family. This training will focus on strategies for finding and using state and local resources for your family, as well as effective ways to impact outcomes for your family and others. You will also learn skills from other families who are navigating a similar path, as well as strategies for engaging families in meaningful dialogue regarding special education. Register for Parents as Collaborative Leaders (PACL) Basic
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Parents as Collaborative Leaders (PACL) Advanced - August 5-7, 2020, Irvington, VA: Participants will build upon the leadership and collaboration skills acquired in the Parents as Collaborative Leaders training. We will further explore ways to communicate our stories and demonstrate how effective leadership skills can lead to systemic change. Register for Parents as Collaborative Leaders (PACL) Advanced
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Parent Institute - August 20-21, 2020, Charlottesville, VA: An exciting opportunity for parents new to the world of special education. PEATC's Parent Institute is a great opportunity for Virginia parents to gather, collaborate, grow, and learn together. Register for the Parent Institute
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#EdEquityVA Webinar Series Continues |
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As a follow-up to the 2019 Virginia is for ALL Learners Education Equity Summer Institute, the Virginia Department of Education will host a monthly series of webinars focused on equity strategies and resources available to school divisions. Through the diverse expertise of our partners and presenters, our goal is to offer relevant and engaging sessions to Virginia educators. |
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Resources for Phased Reopening of Virginia's Public Schools |
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The recently announced phased reopening of K-12 schools gradually permits in-person instruction to resume while prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff. In order to minimize the disparate impacts closures have had on students, this approach prioritizes the needs of students who have been most impacted by school building closures, and for whom in-person instruction is most beneficial.
- Refer to Recover, Redesign, Restart 2020 and School Reopening Frequently Asked Questions for related guidance from the Virginia Department of Education
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Per an order of the Public Health Commissioner, before entering Phase II or III, every public and private school in Virginia will be required to submit to the VDOE a plan outlining their strategies for mitigating public health risk of COVID-19 and complying with CDC and VDH recommendations. Those schools currently operating under a variance or who were exempt from the closure mandate may continue to do so, and have until July 15 to submit a health compliance plan.
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