As the days begin to warm as we approach March, I hope that each of you has successfully navigated the challenges of this winter and is ready to focus on the opportunities Spring brings. Our continued priority is to support our teachers and students as they work toward finishing the school year strong and demonstrating the results of their hard work. 

The staff at VDOE has worked diligently this school year to provide a wealth of resources to support your next steps in ELA, Mathematics, Social Studies, as well as attendance and behavioral health. The VDOE has rolled out a range of resources to support school divisions, educators, and school leaders, with an emphasis on enhancing classroom instruction and assisting with the transition to new academic standards in many areas. 

A key component of these efforts is the release of updated Standards of Learning and new Instructional Guides, designed to help teachers prepare for the instruction of these more rigorous standards. VDOE has released Instructional Guides in Math and English. Four Instructional Guides have been released in History.  

Similarly, the History and Social Science team, in partnership with school division leaders and community stakeholders, has developed instructional guides for the new History standards, with four guides already released and the remaining ones being released this week. Additionally, the Mathematics team launched Instructional Guides aligned with the 2023 Mathematics SOL, covering all content through Algebra II, and has offered professional development sessions on effective mathematics instruction. 

Over the past year, instructional teams have hosted sessions and webinars to support the implementation of new grant opportunities. The English team facilitated webinars for division and school leaders, grant managers, and school teams, with additional sessions focused on supporting English Learners and Students with Disabilities. In Health and Physical Education, support for Active Learning Grant recipients emphasized ongoing professional development and collaboration. The Multilingual Learner Instruction and World Languages teams have also provided targeted support through sessions on WIDA resources, ACCESS reports, and a Dual Language Immersion Day for division leaders and educators. 

The upcoming months will be just as busy as our instructional team will be providing multiple opportunities for division leaders, instructional leaders, and teachers to engage in meaningful professional learning to help finish out the school year and begin planning for next school year’s success. The mathematics team is planning synchronous and asynchronous webinars to support strong math instruction, with a focus on areas where students have struggled in measurement/geometry and probability/statistics. Additionally, the field can expect sessions on developing a culture of math learners, implementing the data cycle, and developing computational fluency.  

The English instructional team will be offering virtual sessions for teachers on developing skilled readers and building reading stamina, one of the new strands in the 2024 English Standards of Learning. Sessions will also be offered on implementing the division’s selected core curriculum and integrating the Standards of Learning strands to support student engagement.  

For History and Social Sciences, division leaders and teachers can expect webinars to overview the instructional guides by history content areas to support an in-depth look for teachers to plan instruction, incorporating inquiry-based strategies, primary and secondary source analysis, and planning for the full implementation of the 2023 History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning next school year. All of this builds towards the full implementation of the SOL next year. 

The Advanced Learning Office has conducted school visits to engage with Governor’s Schools and hosted webinars for school divisions to better meet the needs of their students, such as the Advanced Placement Access Webinar. The Educational Technology and Classroom Innovation Office has supported divisions through resources like the Activated Learning podcast, the Computer Science Statewide Webinar, and several AI-related events. They also held biweekly school support meetings and the Virtual Virginia VITAL Conference, which engaged over 1,000 educators with presentations from VDOE instructional staff. 

We’ve also focused on strengthening instructional practices within school divisions across the Commonwealth. Through valuable feedback from school and division leaders, we are gaining insights into how our initiatives are helping educators improve classroom practices and scale successful improvements across divisions. 

Our Comprehensive Literacy Network is working with nine school divisions to implement evidence-based literacy practices as outlined in the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). The Network offers weekly support for literacy staff at each location and bi-weekly support for a larger group. In the coming days, the Network will convene to share data from member divisions and plan for year two. 

Similarly, the English Learner Literacy Network brings together school leadership teams and division leaders from 30 schools to develop and implement action plans aimed at improving student achievement, graduation rates, and instructional practices for English Learners. These convenings cover topics such as evidence-based reading research, high-quality curriculum implementation, the impact of structured literacy on English Learners, and change management processes in school settings. 

The Students with Disabilities Literacy Network assists school and division leaders from 30 schools, focusing on creating and executing action plans for improving achievement and building capacity for best instructional practices for students with disabilities. This Network supports plans with evidence-based reading research, inclusionary practices for high-quality curriculum use, staffing and scheduling strategies, and individualized lesson preparation. It includes virtual network sessions, training on the roles and responsibilities of special educators, access to a library of resources and research, monthly one-on-one calls, and in-person coaching days. 

We remain committed to helping every child in the Commonwealth succeed. We are proud to partner with the teachers, parents, and school and division leaders who are working tirelessly to support our children’s academic growth and success. Thank you for all that you do for Virginia’s children. We appreciate each and every one of you. 

- Lisa 

More information for employers and job seekers is available on this flyer and at the Virginia Has Jobs webpage. 

The Virginia Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Resources invite you and your school community to an evening featuring award-winning researcher Arthur Brooks, coauthor (with Oprah Winfrey) of #1 New York Times bestseller Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier.  

In the face of unprecedented levels of stress, uncertainty, and mental health challenges, university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and community members are craving a new way forward in which they can enjoy a greater sense of meaning, purpose, and life satisfaction. This event will focus on concrete actions young people can take to build a strong framework. It is an incredible opportunity for our young people and their supporting communities – including families, church groups, school communities, colleges, after-school programs, mentors, business communities, and more – to come together and hear from the nation’s leader on making strategic and thoughtful decisions to light the path to happiness and fulfillment.

This event serves as the third installation of the Commonwealth Conversations series around the Reclaiming Childhood initiative. Over the last six months, the First Lady has fostered conversations throughout Virginia empowering our youth with the knowledge and support to build fulfilling lives; conversations included the nation’s leading experts on childhood brain development, youth mental health, legislation related health trends and general guidance on youth well-being. In this forum, the First Lady and Dr. Brooks will explore how to recenter lives around four key elements: family, faith, friendship, and meaningful work.

Please share this event with your communities – it is free and open to the public. Register here for a spot – space is limited! For additional information, please visit our website. For any questions, please reach out to Assistant Secretary Aly Buckner at alyson.buckner@governor.virginia.gov. 

The Office of Behavioral Health and Student Safety is hosting the Beyond the Threat Assessment: Best Practices for Developing Student Support Plans webinar on Monday, March 3, from 1-2:30 p.m. This presentation explores the critical steps following a school threat assessment, focusing on developing comprehensive support plans to prevent future incidents and address root causes. Key topics include:  

• Post-assessment action planning  
• Best practices for support plan design 
• Implementing proactive interventions to mitigate risk factors 

This session will provide suicide risk and threat assessment teams with evidence-based strategies to effectively support students post-threat assessment, fostering a safer school environment and reducing the likelihood of future violent incidents. School counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and administrators are encouraged to attend. 

Those interested in attending can register via the Beyond the Threat Assessment registration form. A recording will be made available to all registrants.   

As part of ALL In VA, educators across the Commonwealth are leveraging Zearn Math to support high-dosage tutoring. Schools like Oak-Grove Bellemeade Elementary of Richmond Public Schools and Cople Elementary of Westmoreland County Public Schools are celebrating their students’ math learning by showcasing Zearn progress on social media. 

Regular updates through social media and newsletters help ensure parents and other stakeholders remain informed about the school or division’s free access to Zearn for the 2025-26 school year. These sample blurbs can provide inspiration for the division’s communication channels. 

The Fine Arts Program is pleased to announce the release of Instructional Guides on March 10, 2025. Instructional Guides, companion documents to the 2020 Fine Arts Standards of Learning, amplify the standards by defining the core knowledge and skills in practice, supporting teachers and their instruction. The newly released Instructional Guides will be housed on the Fine Arts webpage. Additional instructional supports are accessible in the VDOE Fine Arts Resource Hub. Instructional Guides support decisions school divisions make concerning local curriculum development and how best to help students meet the goals of the standards. The local curriculum should include a variety of information sources, readings, learning experiences, and forms of assessment to create a rigorous instructional program. The Instructional Guides are divided into sub-sections for each strand: Understanding the Strand, Standards, Concepts, Supporting Questions, Student Look-fors, Assessment Strategies, Content Connections, and Instructional Supports.  

Department staff will provide professional learning sessions to ensure that teachers and those that support them (e.g., principals, central office personnel, directors) will learn about the purpose, intention, structure, content, and context for implementation. Further announcements of such training will be provided in upcoming Virginia Education Update newsletters.  

A webinar will be held March 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the purpose and appropriate use of the instructional guides. Division leaders, curriculum leaders, and school leaders are asked to attend this session. Please register in advance to attend this session. 

The revised 2024 Title III, Part A, English Learner (EL) and Immigrant Youth (IY) reallocations for each school division receiving over $10,000 are now available. The revised 2024 Title III English Learner reallocation for statewide consortium divisions receiving under $10,000 and Additional Required Special Terms and Conditions for Grant Awards or Cooperative Agreements are also available on the VDOE Title III, Part A, website. 

The reallocation of EL and IY Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 allocations differ from the original FY 2024 allocations released in Virginia Education Update Article #2024-31-303. The IY allocations are final and were revised in accordance with the procedures provided in Superintendent’s Memorandum #179-17.  

Title III, Part A coordinators can submit an application amendment based on the revised FY 2024 allocation through the OMEGA application in the VDOE’s SSWS.   

2024 Title III Statewide Consortium members can submit an application amendment based on the revised FY 2024 allocation through the Title III Statewide Consortium inbox (t3statewideconsortium@doe.virginia.gov).

VDOE would like to remind divisions of the requirement to complete Annual Performance Reporting for ESSER and GEER funding. To assist divisions, a webinar will be offered on March 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Please use the APR Part One link to register for the training and use Webinar ID 874 1106 5819. Federal Pandemic Relief Coordinators should look for an email containing additional information prior to the webinar.  

Questions may be directed to vdoefederalrelief@doe.virginia.gov.  

On February 27, 2025, the Virginia Board of Education received the Final Review of Proposed State Approved Textbooks for Kindergarten – Grade 12 Mathematics and Instructional Materials previously taken for initial review on October 24, 2024. The Board of Education took action to approve the list of proposed mathematics textbooks and instructional materials. The Department of Education has published a revised list of approved textbooks on its Mathematics Textbook and Instructional Materials Review | Virginia Department of Education webpage.  

Divisions should also be aware that an additional list of recommended Kindergarten – Grade 12 Mathematics Textbooks and Instructional Materials was presented to the Board for initial review at the February 27, 2025, meeting. There is a related article in this issue regarding those materials.  

The Code of Virginia permits local school boards to use textbooks not approved by the Virginia Board of Education. If a local school board opts to use a textbook not approved by the Board of Education, a local textbook review process should be conducted that includes components similar to the state level review. The Guidelines for Local Textbook Approval, updated by the Board of Education in September 2011, provide additional information.   

A comprehensive overview of the current textbook review process, along with the Regulations Governing Local School Boards and School Divisions, are available in Virginia’s Textbook Review Process.

On February 27, 2025, the Virginia Board of Education received for initial review an additional list of recommended Kindergarten – Grade 12 Mathematics Textbooks and Instructional Materials.  

Beginning February 20, 2025, the lists of recommended K-12 Mathematics Round Two Textbooks and Instructional Materials (Round 2) were made available for a 30-day public review and comment period via the VDOE website. It is anticipated that the Board of Education will take final action on the additional list of recommended Kindergarten – Grade 12 Mathematics Textbooks and Instructional Materials at its March 2025 meeting.    

Additional information is available on the Mathematics Textbook and Instructional Materials Review | Virginia Department of Education webpage. 

Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award nominees was selected as a finalist for the national 2025 Rise Award.    

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Jimmy Horton, a Fleet Mechanic in Galax City Public Schools and one of Virginia’s RISE Award recipients, was named one of the four distinguished national finalists for the 2025 RISE Award.  

The RISE Award, established by Congress in 2019, honors the outstanding contributions of classified school employees in PreK-12 education. Nominees are selected based on their work performance, community involvement, leadership, and support for students and staff.  

With over 27 years of experience in the transportation industry, including 12 years as a Fleet Mechanic at Galax City Public Schools, Mr. Horton exhibits exceptional dedication to both his profession and his school community. He dedicates his time to his students through summer internships, which provides them valuable hands-on experience, mentorship, and fosters their growth. Beyond his technical expertise, Mr. Horton regularly shares his deep passion and knowledge for beekeeping, teaching students about the vital role that bees play in the environment. His commitment to supporting his colleagues and students made him a standout finalist for this prestigious award and national recognition.   

Congratulations, Mr. Horton! For more information about the RISE Award, visit this VDOE webpage.   

National School Social Work Week is March 2-8, 2025, and VDOE would like to recognize school social workers for their unique contributions in helping students achieve academic success. As mental health professionals, school social workers are vital in supporting students’ needs to optimize their learning and are instrumental in linking school leaders, families, and communities to help students succeed.  

The theme for National School Social Work Week 2025 is “Unite to Ignite: Celebrating our Impact.” It’s a time to honor the impact made by school social workers, who empower others and work collaboratively to ensure all students thrive. Ideas for promoting and celebrating School Social Work Week are available at the School Social Work Association of America website.  

School divisions are encouraged to join VDOE in recognizing Virginia school social workers for their dedication to students, families, and school communities.  

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia requests your input as they begin to develop the next Virginia Plan for Higher Education. The Code of Virginia vests SCHEV with the responsibility to develop a statewide strategic plan that reflects statutory goals for higher education in the Commonwealth, identifies a coordinated approach to such state and regional goals, and emphasizes the future needs for higher education in Virginia.   

Please consider completing the Statewide Strategic Planning for Virginia Higher Education survey. Aggregated survey results will be used to drive discussions both internally and during virtual and regional input sessions as development of the new plan proceeds. Please submit your survey by Wednesday, March 5, 2025.   

Find out more about SCHEV’s planning process by visiting our website.

Help celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence by making history come alive, sparking a civics renaissance, and celebrating democracy! Through the work of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250), the Commonwealth is commemorating the anniversary with educational activities, community and statewide events to celebrate that “Virginia’s History is America’s Story.”

The Virginia Department of Education has partnered with VA250 to engage students across the Commonwealth through the study of civics, history, and democracy to promote the principles of engaged and informed citizenship.

Included in this effort is our Expressions of Freedom contest – an opportunity for students to share their ideas and perspectives through artwork, videos, audio recordings, or essays in response to the question: “What does Freedom mean to you?”

The contest is open to students in Grades 3-12. Winners will have the opportunity to have their work placed in a time capsule in the restored pedestal of the statue of George Washington located in historic Trafalgar Square, London, England. The statue serves as a reminder of the enduring friendship and shared ideals, principles, and sacrifices between America and England.