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This week’s To-Do’s
This Week’s Articles
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Dr. Lisa Coons, Superintendent of Public Instruction
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I hope everyone had a festive and restful holiday season.
This morning, we recognized our VDOE staff and celebrated members who have extensive service to the agency and the Commonwealth. Whether working with each of you to stand up an ALL In tutoring plan in your division, the continued work preparing for the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act, supporting your efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism, processing pay applications or our continued efforts to improve the teacher licensure process for new and renewing teachers, as well as the work the VDOE team is doing in early childhood education, I wanted to recognize their accomplishments and thank them for their hard work in 2023.
We look forward to keeping the momentum going with you in 2024. Thank you for all that you have done for your students and communities over the past year, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together with you in the year ahead. I look forward to seeing many of you on Monday at the VASS/VASBO conference.
- Lisa
 On December 18, we were proud to announce that all 131 Virginia school divisions had submitted their ALL In spending plans and that the plans were reviewed and posted to the VDOE website. Thank you for your thoughtfulness as you examined the unique challenges facing your students and communities in recovering from pandemic learning loss. The hard work of your teachers, tutors and everyone involved in bringing this additional instruction to your students are making a real difference in helping your students catch up and step ahead in preparing them with the solid academic foundation they need to recover and be successful.
We are also pleased to let you know that 1,030 schools from 114 divisions have launched Zearn math digital support programming to supplement their in-person math tutoring. Additionally, 100 of our school divisions currently have partnered with Lexia/Ignite to launch their reading support programming.
If you have not yet signed up for your division to work with Zearn/Lexia/Ignite, please contact Dr. Marcey Sorensen, Deputy Superintendent, to help you initiate that process.
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News from our Content Specialists and Special Education
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Virginia’s Waiver Programs to Support Students with Disabilities
Audience: Superintendents, Directors
Contact: Assistant Superintendent, Department of Special Populations
Parents and families of students with disabilities receiving services through an individualized education program may not be aware of available services and eligibility of students for various waiver programs in Virginia designed to provide resources to support students and their families. The VDOE encourages local school divisions to share the following information with parent and families of students with disabilities.
The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services administers the three available developmental disabilities waivers jointly with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. There is a waiting list for these waivers, and the slots are assigned based on urgency of need. Additional information regarding waivers is available on the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services website.
Grant Application for Critical Language Programs
Audience: Superintendents; World Language Supervisors
Contact: Dr. Lisa A. Harris, World Languages Coordinator
The application period is now open for the VDOE National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) competitive grants. VDOE will award these grants to public school divisions that provide one or more world language courses in a world language currently identified as critical by the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI) scholarship program.
School divisions may apply for this competitive grant program in the SMApply portal using the NSLI2024 online application. The deadline for divisions to submit completed applications is February 29, 2024. Also available on the NSLI page of the VDOE World Language website is a Frequently Asked Questions section that will be updated as needed with questions received during the application process.
Level Up Virginia Website Now Available in Spanish and Arabic
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Child Care Center Operators, Teachers, non-teaching staff
Contact: Brittany Everett, Postsecondary Access and Success Specialist
Level Up Virginia is a statewide initiative led by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the VDOE to increase postsecondary readiness, enrollment, and completion for all students in the Commonwealth. The Level Up Virginia website provides information on various educational options, including certificate programs, apprenticeships, the military, trade schools, two-year and four-year colleges, and universities. It also offers guidance on how to prepare, apply, finance, and decide on postsecondary pathways. The website now features Spanish and Arabic translations to assist students and families.
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School Performance & Support
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Single-Day or Two-Day Test Administration Available in Spring 2024 for Grades 3, 4, and 5 Reading and Mathematics Standards of Learning Tests
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers
Contact: Office of Student Assessment (email)
In spring 2024, school divisions have the option to administer the Standards of Learning (SOL) Reading tests and SOL Mathematics tests for Grades 3, 4, and 5 in a single day or across two days. This option will be available in both the online and paper test formats.
For a single-day administration of tests, students completing an online test will reach a “seal code” screen, and students completing a paper test will see a “stop sign,” approximately halfway through the test. Students will then take either an individual break or a classroom break. After a break, the Examiner will provide directions or the seal code for students to complete testing that day.
For a two-day administration of tests, students completing an online test will stop when they reach a “seal code” screen, and students completing a paper test will stop when they see a “stop sign,” approximately halfway through the test. All test materials will be collected from students. On the second day, the Examiner will provide test materials and directions for students to resume the test.
School divisions are strongly encouraged to ensure the selection of single-day or two-day testing is applied division-wide for all students when taking the same grade-level content area test (e.g., all students across the division take Grade 3 Mathematics in one day).
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Annual Notification of Method for Verifying Credits in Writing
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Office of Student Assessment (email)
The Guidelines for the Use of Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing require all school divisions to indicate to VDOE how they intend to award verified credits in writing to students in their school division. Each Division Director of Testing or designee should complete this online survey to indicate if the division will verify credits in writing using local performance assessments, the Standards of Learning End-of-Course Writing test, or substitute tests for verified credit approved by the Board. All school divisions should complete the online form no later than January 26, 2024, regardless of which method will be used.
Introducing a New Report for Parents for the Winter Virginia Growth Assessments
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers; School Test Coordinators
Contact: Office of Student Assessment (email)
VDOE is pleased to announce that a new Report for Parents will be introduced on January 12, 2024, for the Virginia Growth Assessments (VGA) administered this winter for grades 3-8 reading and mathematics. This new and improved score report is the result of a collaborative effort focused on providing a clearer picture for parents of how their child has progressed from the Fall VGA to the Winter VGA in the 2023-2024 school year.
Details of the new report will be shared with Division Directors of Testing in a webinar on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. The new report will be available to school divisions beginning Friday, January 12, 2024, for distribution to parents upon completion of student testing. A companion document outlining the changes to the new report will also be provided to school divisions.
Webinar registration information will be shared with Division Directors of Testing, and questions may be submitted to the Office of Student Assessment at the email address provided above.
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Technology
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2024 Multidivision Online Provider (MOP) Application Process Open
Audience: Superintendents, Directors; Division Virtual Learning Coordinators
Contact: Dr. Meg Foley, Virtual Learning Coordinator
The 2024 Multidivision Online Provider (MOP) application process and forms are now available on the MOP Approval, Renewal, & Course Submission website. Applications for the 2024-2025 school year may be submitted at this time. Completed applications must be received by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 1, 2024.
The applications will be reviewed based on the Criteria for Approval of Multidivision Online Providers. The VDOE will provide the applicant with a written decision regarding the approval or denial of the application within 45 business days of the close of the application period. Approved applicants will be publicly available on the MOP webpage.
New and previously approved providers may submit new or revised courses during this application window. Courses submitted for approval must align with the newest revisions to the Standards of Learning (SOL).
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Division Finance and Budgeting
Governor Youngkin’s Amended FY 2024 and Introduced 2024-2026 Biennial Budgets
Audience: Superintendents; School Finance Staff
Contact: Ed Lanza, Director of Budget
Governor Youngkin presented his amended FY 2024 budget and his introduced the 2024-2026 biennial budget on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, before a joint session of the Senate Finance and Appropriations, the House Appropriations, and the House Finance Committees. The amended FY 2024 budget is comprised primarily of technical updates to Direct Aid Programs. The Governor’s budgets will be considered by the 2024 Session of the General Assembly, which convenes on January 10, 2024. VDOE has published calculation templates and budget information related to the Governor’s amended FY 2024 budget and introduced 2024-2026 biennial budget.
Title I, Part A Fiscal Management Webinar
Audience: Superintendents; Finance Directors, Title I, Part A Coordinators
Contact: Tiffany Frierson, Title I Coordinator
VDOE’s Title I, Part A Program will offer a Title I, Part A Fiscal Management Webinar for Title I, Part A, Coordinators, Division Finance Directors, and anyone who writes or amends the Title I, Part A application or submits reimbursement requests. The purpose of the webinar is to provide information regarding Title I fiscal management and guidance on school allocations and writing reimbursement requests.
Registration is required to participate in the webinar hosted on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 10:00 AM. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For those unable to attend, the webinar will be recorded and posted on the Title I hub in Canvas.
Revised 2023-2024 Title II, Part A Allocations under Provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as Amended
Audience: Superintendents, Directors; Title II, Part A Federal Program Coordinators
Contact: Dr. Randall Johnson, Title II Coordinator
The revised final FY 2023 allocations differ from the original final FY 2023 allocations released in the Superintendent’s Newsletter #2023-09. Section 8601 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) authorizes the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to reserve up to 0.5 percent of funds from some ESEA programs, including Title II, Part A, for evaluations conducted by ED. The final allocations provided in June 2023 were based on reserving the maximum 0.5 percent for evaluation ($10,950,400). ED has determined that it will need to use $591,165 for evaluation from the $10,950,400 initially reserved for this purpose.
This change increases the total amount of FY 2023 Title II, Part A funds available to SEAs. Consequently, ED will issue supplemental FY 2023 Title II, Part A grant awards to reflect the revised final increased FY 2023 allocations.
Title II, Part A coordinators should submit an application amendment based on the revised FY 2023 allocation through the Online Management of Education Grants Award (OMEGA) application in the VDOE’s Single Sign-On Web Systems (SSWS).
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