I hope everyone is taking a few minutes to catch their breath this summer.  We also want to share that VDOE has focused our summer programming on supporting teachers and schools as they prepare to implement new Standards this fall. I am excited that we have kicked off our Summer of Support with the regional Literacy and Mathematics Symposiums this week at Longwood University. School teams were able to take a deeper dive into the high-quality instructional materials supporting the implementation of the 2024 English Standards of Learning and the 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning. The symposiums held across the Commonwealth this summer will be the springboard for additional ongoing regional support held throughout the coming year.   

Additionally, this week began the first of six regional Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) workshops supporting elementary and middle school principals and assistant principals. Administrators are exploring the valuable instructional changes required to successfully implement the VLA, as well as reviewing new strategies to monitor student progress and collaborate with families. Additional sessions are planned for Fall 2024 for any new elementary and middle school principals. 

We are committed to this Summer of Support, providing continuous learning and growth for Virginia educators. We are looking forward to working with teachers and administrators throughout the summer on additional professional learning opportunities to support the exciting upcoming instructional initiatives in the school year ahead. 

-Lisa

Senate Bill 345/House Bill 1076 passed by the 2024 General Assembly permits school boards to administer alternative assessments, aligned to the Standards of Learning, to the Virginia Growth Assessments during the 2024-2026 school years. To assure alignment to the SOL, the Virginia Department of Education has developed submission forms for: (1) vendors to provide information on alternative assessments; and (2) divisions to indicate review and use of the alternative assessments. Below is the process for alternative assessments to the VGA: 

All submission forms should be sent to Katie Carroll (Katie.Carroll@doe.virginia.gov).  

As part of VDOE’s ongoing efforts to elevate the great work of Virginia educators, the Department annually seeks recommendations from school leaders of distinguished teachers, principals, and specialists to maintain on file. These recommendations provide VDOE with the opportunity to elevate educators for membership on advisory committees, boards, and task forces, as well as candidates for recognition programs. Your recommendations will assist VDOE in identifying educators who will be of great value to the Commonwealth due to their expertise. 

We are fortunate to have a rich base of veteran educators in our current talent pool. They have been and continue to be a valuable resource in our state efforts. Based on our current talent pool, there is a need for educators who are relatively new to the profession and exhibit outstanding instructional and leadership abilities. Such persons exhibit strong potential for professional leadership and inspiring presence which impacts students, colleagues, and community. VDOE is therefore especially interested in receiving recommendations of such individuals.  

Members of this talent pool are building-level personnel with a required minimum of five years in education. They are typically classroom teachers and are recognized by peers and supervisors as unique in their leadership and results with students. Of special interest are educators who are outstanding and have not received other recognition. 

Do you know a relatively new educator who is not only one of Virginia’s, but also the nation's best? Whose lessons inspire and provide models for others? Who has distinguished him/herself above and beyond established top-quality professionals in our schools? If you have an educator in mind, please provide CONFIDENTIAL, succinct, and specific information for a candidate using this recommendation form. Include a one-page recommendation that addresses how the candidate meets the criteria mentioned in this letter, and a resume from their personnel file. We ask that you keep this recommendation confidential and do not share it with the individual or collaborate with a colleague to complete. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. 

Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on July 10, 2024. Send to TeacheroftheYear@doe.virginia.gov  and submit the saved file as Talent_School Division_Educator Last Name. Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.     #ElevateEducatorsVA 

Pursuant to Chapter 1, 2024 Special Session I Act of Assembly (i.e., FY 2024 “caboose” budget), school divisions were required to report average daily membership (ADM) as of March 31, 2024, to the Virginia Department of Education. The data reported by divisions were used to recalculate all ADM-based state payments for FY 2024 and that process is now complete. School divisions will receive their full ADM-based general fund and Lottery state payments for fiscal year 2024, pursuant to available funds, with no changes other than the routine adjustments that are made each year to the Basic Aid payment for some divisions as prescribed in the appropriation act. 

An Excel template file is provided containing the final FY 2024 state funding due to school divisions (as of the date of this memorandum) for ADM-based accounts. Also, where available, final payments are shown for other Direct Aid to Public Education accounts that are not calculated based on ADM. Payments for some accounts that require school divisions to submit reimbursements have not been finalized for the year, so the payment amounts shown are estimates only. 

The Excel file provided below shows state payments, required local effort for Standards of Quality (SOQ) accounts, and required local matches for Incentive and Lottery-funded accounts calculated based on actual March 31, 2024, ADM. The accounts affected by actual March 31, 2024, ADM appear in the Excel file in bold font. Please note that, unlike previous Excel calculation templates for FY 2024 provided by VDOE, this file does not offer an option to change ADM for FY 2024 since ADM is now final. The Excel file can be downloaded from the Virginia Department of Education website at: Excel Calculation Template Website 

If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Budget Office staff at 804-225-2025 or by email at doebudgetoffice@doe.virginia.gov. 

Prioritized Aspiring Educator Grant

Article: 2024-24-223
Audience: Superintendents, Directors
Contact: Ahmad Saidi, Grants and Reports Manager, Ahmad.Saidi@doe.virginia.gov or Shawna LeBlond, Director, Office of Apprenticeships, Shawna.LeBlond@doe.virginia.gov

The final FY 2024 state budget includes $18.5 million in state and federal funding for the FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grants for public schools statewide. Detailed grant information is available in the Guidelines for FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grants. Funds awarded for this one-time grant program will be available for use by divisions beyond FY 2024. The awarded grant funds may be used for equipment purchases and installations, software purchases, planning, and on-site training to improve the safety and security of public school buildings, including for purposes not authorized under the existing VPSA-funded School Security Equipment Grants program. 

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has awarded each school division base funding of $50,000. The remainder of grant funds are allocated using various criteria including local composite index, number of school buildings/facilities and school buses, PK-12 enrollment, and data from divisions’ responses on the May 2024 school safety survey relating to safety/security components present in schools. School divisions’ awarded grant amounts can be found at FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grants. 

The state funding will be paid to divisions by June 30, 2024, and division expenditures will be reported during FY 2025 using the Expenditure Certification Form.  

Public comments for this application will be accepted through June 20, 2024.  

Each year, in accordance with § 22.1-18 of the Code of Virginia, the Board of Education is required to report the compliance of local school boards with the Standards of Quality. In addition, other statutory, regulatory, and budgetary provisions also require annual certifications or responses from each school division. The information needed to fulfill both the SOQ and other reporting requirements is collected through the SOQ Compliance Data Collection and included as part of the Board’s annual report to the General Assembly. 

Dates for Completion 

• June 17, 2024 – The 2023-2024 SOQ Compliance application will be available through the Single Sign-On for Web-based Systems (SSWS) portal.  The complete list of all questions included in this year's data collection (new or amended questions are highlighted) can be found here:  2023-2024 SOQ Compliance Data Collection Certifications . 
• No later than August 2, 2024 – All school divisions must complete the data submission via the SSWS portal.  
• No later than August 16, 2024 – The SOQ Compliance Verification Report must be printed and signed by both the local superintendent and the school board chair.  After signature, scan the verification and email it to policy@doe.virginia.gov.