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View this message online
 #2025-21 | Update for June 6, 2025
Latest Federal Updates:
This Week's To-Dos:
Meeting Workforce Needs:
This Week's Articles:
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Latest Federal Updates
Summer Reading Challenge
Article: 2025-21-295
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Parents
Second Lady Usha Vance has invited K-8 students to participate in the Second Lady’s 2025 Summer Reading Challenge. Joining is easy: Read 12 books of your choice between June 1 and September 5 and track your progress on the official reading log. Students who complete the challenge with parent/guardian input can earn a personalized certificate and a small prize. All finalists will also be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a visit to the Nation’s Capital with a chaperone. You can learn more at wh.gov/read.
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Superintendent's Message
Bell-to-Bell: Law of the Land
In a triumph of bipartisan good sense, Virginia has officially made Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone-Free Education the law of the land. It’s not just good policy, but it’s also great news for students, parents, and teachers who are tired of watching young minds be consumed by scrolling instead of sharpened by learning.
Thanks to Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 and early leaders like Hopewell City Schools and 104 school divisions to date with Bell-to-Bell phone policies in place, General Assembly members heard loud and clear that this policy is working for our students and teachers. It is essential we codify it for future students and classrooms now. School divisions that do not have these policies, or begun the community dialogue to adopt them, should immediately prioritize doing so.
Let’s be clear: this is not an attack on technology. Technology, when used appropriately, is a tool of empowerment, and a critical tool for work and in life. We have some of the top computer science standards and digital learning supports in the country. But smartphones and personalized electronic communication devices in classrooms are negatively impacting our youth. They have crossed the line from being a helpful resource to, at best, an outright distraction and, at worst, destructive to learning.
The evidence is clear: students today are more anxious, more distracted, and more disconnected from real human interaction than any generation before them. Much of that is driven by the constant presence of social media, messaging apps, and addictive scrolling that is disrupting classrooms across the Commonwealth.
By banning phones from the opening bell to the closing one, Virginia has made a strong, necessary choice: to put education and our students first.
This is a victory for teachers. We heard loud and clear from teachers across the Commonwealth that their biggest daily struggle was the constant tug-of-war with students and their cell phones. Just as we don’t allow students to vape in class or play video games during lectures, we should not allow them to scroll Instagram while pretending to take notes. A classroom is a place for learning, not likes.
It’s a victory for student mental health. Countless studies show that heavy phone use correlates with anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption among teens. Giving them the gift of a phone-free school day is not punishment. It’s protection. Schools are once again a place for focus and personal growth being held in high regard. It means students are able to go back to talking to one another face-to-face rather than living in a digital echo chamber.
And for parents, codifying Bell-to-Bell brings long-overdue peace of mind. It means while their child is at school, they’re focused on learning, not group chats and cyberbullying or being exposed to content far beyond their maturity level. Exceptions are also protected under the law for unique needs for students with medical conditions or IEPs that require use of personal devices.
Virginia’s move is a welcome signal that we still believe in education as a serious endeavor. Other states would be wise to follow suit.
We will have a special edition next week for other recent legislation and implementation support. Stay tuned!
Emily Anne
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Highlights
News from Across the Commonwealth
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Congratulations to Brookwood Elementary in Virginia Beach City Schools! They were recently recognized as a VDOE Governor's Scorecard on Nutrition and Physical Activity Bronze School! |
VDOE recently supported the 2025 Sea, Air, Land (SeAL) Challenge in Suffolk! Hosted at Col. Fred Cherry Middle School, this engineering competition brought together middle and high school students to design and build robotic vehicles for simulated underwater, aerial and ground missions. Kudos to all the participants, educators, and organizers of the event.
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Meeting Workforce Needs
Virginia Health and Physical Activity Institute at James Madison University – July 13-16
Article: 2025-21-285
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Dani Almarode, Physical and Health Education Specialist, Danielle.Almarode@doe.virginia.gov
The Virginia Department of Education and James Madison University extend an invitation to all administrators and teachers to attend the Healthy Kids, Healthy Virginia 2025 Health and Physical Activity Institute. The 2025 Health and Physical Activity Institute will be held July 13-16, 2025 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Institute provides an opportunity for teachers to share new and innovative teaching and learning practices and consists of a variety of engaging workshops and general sessions. The primary objective of the initiative is to improve the quality of health and physical education instruction and provide support for implementing the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) standards of learning for health and physical education which enhance the wellness and educational performance of Virginia’s students. Registration information and the Call for Presenters form for the Health and Physical Activity Institute are available online.
In addition, there are several pre-conference workshops on Sunday, July 13. These include the Virginia Association of Driver Education and Traffic Safety (VADETS) conference, First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Training, Bicycle Education Certification Course, 101: Tips and Tricks for Making Teaching Easier, Instructional Leadership for Health and Physical Educators and the Strength Training in Physical Education: A Practical, Plug-and-Play Method.
The primary objective for the Virginia Association of Driver Education and Traffic Safety (VADETS) conference will be to provide resources and support for implementing the 2022 Driver Education Standards of Learning and curriculum guide. Registration for the VADETS conference can be found at this link.
Dual Language Immersion Summer Leadership Institute– Registration due by June 20
Article: 2025-21-284
Audience: Division Curriculum Supervisors, School Administrators and Instructional Leaders, World Language and English Learner Supervisors, Title III Coordinators, World Language and English Learner Lead Teachers
Contact: Dr. Lisa Harris, Coordinator of World Languages, Lisa.Harris@doe.virginia.gov and Jo-el Cox, Coordinator of English Learner Instruction, Jo-el.Cox@doe.virginia.gov
The Virginia Dual Language Educator Network (VADLEN) will host the Dual Language Immersion Leadership Institute on Thursday, July 31, 2025, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Willow Oaks Office Complex in Fairfax, VA. This full-day professional learning event, themed Voices of Leadership: Elevating Dual Language Immersion in Virginia, is specifically designed for central office supervisors, division leaders, and school-based administrators who are leading or supporting Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs across the Commonwealth.
The institute offers a timely opportunity for education leaders to deepen their understanding of effective program models, assess readiness, and plan strategically for sustainable program implementation and growth. Sessions will address critical leadership topics such as staffing and recruitment, stakeholder engagement, program evaluation, policy alignment, and instructional leadership within multilingual learning contexts.
Participants will engage in facilitated discussions, hear implementation case studies from Virginia divisions, and collaborate with colleagues to build a stronger statewide community of practice. The institute also provides space for attendees to share challenges and solutions related to scheduling, funding, and assessment in DLI settings. Whether planning to launch a new DLI initiative or refine an existing one, this institute is designed to support leaders in making informed decisions that align with both state guidance and local goals. The $45 registration fee, which goes to VADLEN for the registration, includes lunch and access to all sessions and resources.
Register here by June 20, 2025.
2025-2026 Academy for New Directors of Special Education
Article: 2025-21-288
Audience: Superintendents
Contact: Dr. Zenia Burnett, Director of Instructional Services, Zenia.Burnett@doe.virginia.gov
The VDOE invites all newly hired local Directors of Special Education to the 2025-2026 Academy. This yearlong professional development opportunity aims to support educators in their roles and responsibilities within their local school divisions and to enhance the outcomes of students with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
A new Director of Special Education is defined as an individual who is new to the position and has not been a special education director in another local school division or was new after last year’s Academy. If your school division has employed a new special education director, please complete the Registration for the 2025-2026 Academy for New Directors of Special Education by June 30, 2025, so that information about this academy may be provided.
This yearlong academy will include six sessions that alternate between in-person and virtual. The schedule and details for all academy sessions will be disseminated via email to registered participants in July 2025. Each new director will be assigned an experienced mentor to provide support in their new role.
English Professional Learning Webinars for Division Leaders and Teachers
Article: 2025-21-283
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Reading Specialists
Contact: Jill Nogueras, Associate Director of English Literacy K-12, jill.nogueras@doe.virginia.gov
The Office of English is pleased to announce ongoing professional learning to support the implementation of the 2024 English Standards of Learning. Registration is required in advance for all sessions. We are excited to announce sessions kicking off in August:
Planning for Integration: These sessions are targeted for division leadership, building leaders, reading specialists, and K-12 teachers and will highlight concrete examples of how to meaningfully integrate the strands of the 2024 English Standards of Learning including grade-band specific models. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on a lesson from their HQIM and apply strategies for integration that can inform planning and instruction.
Registration Link
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Kindergarten-Grade 1: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
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Grade 2-Grade 3: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)
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Grade 4-Grade 5: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)
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Grade 6-Grade 8: Thursday, August 7, 2025(9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
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Grade 9-Grade 12: Thursday, August 7, 2025 (11:00a.m.-12:00p.m.)
Text Dependent Questions: This session is targeted towards division leadership, building leaders, reading specialists, and K-12 teachers. The session will focus on integrating the Communication strand with other strands to ensure deep student engagement with the text and make student learning visible in the classroom.
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Elementary: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.)
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Secondary: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (1:00p.m.-2:00p.m.)
Additional professional learning topics and session dates are provided in the registration form and will be announced in upcoming Virginia Education Update newsletters.
Opportunity for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Team Training – July 22-23, 2025
Article: 2025-21-282
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Special Education Coordinators, Athletic Trainers, School Nurses, Related Services Staff (e.g., Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists), School Psychologists, School Social Workers
Contact: Martha Montgomery, Evaluation, Eligibility, and Related Services Specialist, Martha.Montgomery@doe.virginia.gov
The Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia recognize Traumatic Brain Injury through eligibility in accordance with state and federal special education regulations. Students may experience moderate to severe brain injuries that result in special education eligibility for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or mild brain injuries that require monitoring. The VDOE, in collaboration with the VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities, offers training for school divisions to support the identification and provision of educational services to eligible students with TBIs.
The VDOE is seeking applications from school divisions to participate in Cohort 15 of the TBI Team Training. Teams are required to attend a two-day training in July 2025 (participants will receive a stipend) and a follow-up one-day training in March 2026. The July 22-23, 2025, training will be held in Henrico, Virginia, and will provide intensive professional development focusing on the causes, impact, and management of brain injuries. Continuous support throughout the school year is offered to improve divisions’ capacity to provide programmatic and support services for students with TBIs or concussions.
Each team should include five to six staff members. Suggested roles include special education administrator (highly recommended), school administrator, teacher, athletic trainer/coach, occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologist, school nurse, school psychologist, school counselor, and school social worker.
Virginia Statewide LMS Credentials Summer Training
Article: 2025-21-281
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers
Contact: Calypso Gilstrap, Associate Director Office of Educational Technology & Classroom Innovation, calypso.gilstrap@doe.virginia.gov
Virginia educators and infrastructure/technology personnel at Virginia public schools and divisions may earn Virginia Statewide LMS credentials specific to their roles through free professional learning opportunities from Virtual Virginia. Each opportunity will include a series of asynchronous webinars and a brief online course. Participants who complete a track will earn a certificate and digital badge including five hours of professional learning. The Virginia Statewide LMS Educator Credentials track will allow teachers and other education personnel to become certified Statewide LMS educators. Participants in the Technology Essentials track will deepen and extend their knowledge of the effective use of the Statewide LMS. There is no prerequisite to register. For questions about the Statewide LMS Credentials, please contact Morgan Occhuizzo, VVA Professional Learning Specialist at morgan.occhuizzo@virtualvirginia.org.
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ALL In VA
May Virginia Literacy Act Update
Article: 2025-21-280
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers
Contact: Jill Nogueras, Associate Director of K-12 English & Literacy Jill.Nogueras@doe.virginia.gov
To support school divisions’ continued implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA), VDOE . In this edition of the Literacy Update, there is information regarding VLA and VALLSS 4-8 implementation for next school year.
- Instructional Materials
- VALLSS
- Professional Development
- Planning
- Reference Charts for Planning
Superintendents are asked to share these resources with key literacy staff and elementary and middle school principals.
Virginia ALL In with Lexia: 2025-26 Recommended Back-to-School Timeline
Article: 2025-21-279
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Dr. Michelle Wallace, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Michelle.Wallace@doe.virginia.gov
The Virginia Department of Education and Lexia® are proud to continue to partner to help fulfill the Commonwealth’s priority to accelerate literacy growth through ALL In VA. As division leadership and educators plan for 2025-26, the VDOE and Lexia have prepared the following back-to-school recommended timeline. Divisions should use these benchmarks which are aligned to Lexia Implementation Best Practices to set up ALL In VA teams and students for success in 2025–2026.
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Division leads have engaged in 2025–2026 Success Planning with their Lexia success manager, have established minimum student usage and progress expectations, and have communicated the where, when, and why of ALL In to their stakeholders.
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All new-to-Lexia students have successfully completed the Auto Placement.
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Educators have established routines including minimum student usage and unit expectations with students.
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Educators begin conducting weekly myLexia® five-minute check-ins to personalize learning and facilitate flagged Lexia Lessons® and Skill Builders®, which are marked as delivered.
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Success Planning: Contact your Lexia success manager or reach out to vatutoring@lexialearning.com to get connected.
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Teaching & Learning
Middle School Mathematics Accelerated Pathways Webinar
Article: 2025-21-291
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Amanda Nevetral, Director, Office of Advanced Learning, Amanda.Nevetral@doe.virginia.gov; Victoria Bohidar, Mathematics Coordinator, Victoria.Bohidar@doe.virginia.gov
In April 2025, the passage of HB2686 by the General Assembly solidified Virginia as a national leader in advancing eligible students in accelerated mathematics coursework using automatic enrollment and other means of eligibility. HB2686 requires school boards to develop and adopt a policy that sets forth the criteria for students in grades five through eight to be eligible to enroll in advanced or accelerated mathematics.
The narrated webinar, technical assistance documents, and additional information to support implementation of middle school mathematics accelerated pathways can be found on the VDOE Mathematics website.
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Innovation Funding
Join One of the Nation’s Most Powerful Networks in Education Innovation
Article: 2025-21-287
Audience: Superintendents, School Principals
The Yass Prize STOP for Education Accelerator is the leading entrepreneurial bootcamp for education leaders who are committed to Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless education. This national grant opportunity of up to $1 million is for education entrepreneurs and leaders – including school principals and superintendents, and more -- and applications are due by July 15, 2025 at 12:00 pm EST. Learn more: the next applicant webinar is June 24, 2025 at 12:00 pm and you can register here.
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School Finance
Middle School Mathematics Acceleration Grant – Apply by June 16
Article: 2025-21-292
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Amanda Nevetral, Director, Office of Advanced Learning, Amanda.Nevetral@doe.virginia.gov; Victoria Bohidar, Mathematics Coordinator, Victoria.Bohidar@doe.virginia.gov
The 2025 General Assembly appropriated funds to provide grants to support expanded access to online advanced math programming and expanded math experts through innovative math teacher credentialing options. This expansion may include funding for students to enroll in Virtual Virginia or other virtual course options, teachers to engage with professional learning or college courses focused on advanced coursework and higher-level mathematics endorsements, funding for teachers to take the Praxis tests needed to expand endorsements in mathematics, the development of compacted mathematics curriculum, and salary support needed to provide teachers to teach accelerated middle school curriculum or advanced mathematics coursework in high school. Other innovative strategies are encouraged and may be included in the grant application. Funding utilized through this grant may not be used to supplant current teacher salaries.
Divisions are encouraged to apply for this funding opportunity to expand access to advanced math programming and to expand access to licensed teachers in higher level mathematics.
Annual Slot Survey Due June 27th– Student Slots in Regional Alternative Education Programs and SOQ Bonus Payment Certification Document Reminder
Article: 2025-21-290
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals
Contact: Sofia McDaniel, Senior Innovation Policy Analyst, Sofia.McDaniel@doe.virginia.gov
The recently enacted Fiscal Year 2026 state budget continues provisions for reallocating unused student slots in regional alternative education programs.
Each year, the General Assembly appropriates funding for 1,798 slots for regional alternative education programs across the Commonwealth. In the past, and for the approved Fiscal Year 2026 budget, this statewide pool has been divided among local school divisions by VDOE according to each divisions’ local composite index. These slot allocations have been historically communicated to school divisions in the Direct Aid Calculation Tool. In the past, VDOE solicited feedback from local school divisions through an annual slot survey to determine actual need. This survey has typically taken place in May or June of every year.
This year, VDOE will ask regional alternative education programs to complete a survey similar to the past on slot usage for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. This survey can be found here and is due by June 27. The number of slots allocated to each division can be found in the Direct Aid Calculation Tool and in a condensed version here.
Furthermore, VDOE is required to conduct a biennial application process to determine slot allocations for the regional alternative education programs for the 2026-2028 biennium. Each school division, or the fiscal agent for each regional program, is required to apply for the desired number of student slots from the statewide total number of slots funded in the state formula. This continuing will be released in the coming weeks.
As a reminder, local School Divisions will also need to complete the certification document for bonus payments to school divisions, Academic Year Governor’s Schools, and Regional Alternative Education Programs instructional and support personnel. This information can be found in the #2025-18 Virginia Education Update Recap for Week of May 5, 2025.
FY2026 Required Local Effort and Required Local Match Data Collection
Article: 2025-21-289
Audience: School Division Finance Directors
Contact: Ed Lanza, Director of Budget, Edward.Lanza@doe.virginia.gov
Section 22.1-94, Code of Virginia, requires local governing bodies to appropriate funds to school divisions that are sufficient to maintain an educational program that meets the Standards of Quality (SOQ). Section 22.1-97, Code of Virginia, sets forth the procedure that VDOE must follow if a county, city, or town fails to appropriate sufficient local funding to support the SOQ. The 2024-2026 biennial budget adopted by the 2025 General Assembly (Chapter 725) directs VDOE to follow certain procedures for calculating required local effort as well as procedures to follow if a school division does not spend the required state and local shares for the SOQ.
The FY 2026 Budgeted Required Local Effort and Required Local Match (RLERLM) data collection application and instructions are accessed through the Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal. Supporting documentation, including instructions to assist with completion of the data collection, are provided in SSWS. Most programs with a required local match have additional eligibility requirements to ensure that school divisions qualify for state funding. These additional eligibility requirements must be met prior to the release of state funds, and certifications indicating that the requirements will be met will continue to be collected as in previous years. Please note that each jointly-operated school division (Fairfax County and Fairfax City, Greensville County and Emporia City, and James City County and Williamsburg City) must submit separate certifications for each locality.
The RLERLM collection window will open on May 29, 2025. The data submission and the electronic certification forms are due to VDOE no later than June 27, 2025. Please note that recurring FY 2026 state payments to school divisions for optional Incentive and Lottery programs cannot begin until all school divisions have certified the RLERLM data collection. Distributions of funds for Lottery programs will begin in January 2026.
If you have questions about this data submission or the instructions in SSWS, please contact the Budget Office at (804) 225-2025 or email at DOEBUDGETOFFICE@doe.virginia.gov.
Fiscal Year 2026 Planning and Start-up Grants for Extended/Enriched School Year or Year Round School Programs
Article: 2025-21-286
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, Division leaders, School Improvement Team Members
Contact: Dr. Lisa Drzymala, School Quality Coordinator, Lisa.Drzymala@doe.virginia.gov, (804) 750-8134
The Appropriation Act includes funding in Fiscal Year 2026 for ESY-YRS planning grants and start-up grants to school divisions interested in establishing or implementing extended school year or year-round school programs to improve student achievement. Instructions and applications are available at the Virginia Department of Education’s website.
All school divisions applying for either a planning grant or a start-up grant must submit a completed application by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 30, 2025.
Priority will be given to schools based on need, relative to the state accreditation ratings or similar federal designations. Applications for planning grants must include evidence of commitment to pursue implementation in the subsequent 2026-2027 school year.
Schools may apply for a planning grant of no more than $50,000. Schools may apply for annual start-up grants of up to $300,000 per extended/enriched school year or year-round school, which may be awarded for a period of up to two years after the initial implementation year to implement new extended year or year-round school programs. The per school amount may be up to $400,000 depending on status. Grant funds awarded may be spent over two years.
Additional information will be available in an upcoming webinar. Registration information will soon be available on the website. The link will also be sent to division superintendents, OSQ contacts, and ESY-YRS contacts.
Final FY 2025 Direct Aid Entitlements
Article: 2025-21-278
Audience: Superintendents, School Finance Staff
Contact: Ed Lanza, Director of Budget, Edward.lanza@doe.virginia.gov
Pursuant to Chapter 725, 2025 Act of Assembly (i.e. 2025 Appropriation Act), school divisions were required to report average daily membership (ADM) as of March 31, 2025, to VDOE. The data reported by divisions were used to recalculate all ADM-based state payments for fiscal year (FY) 2025. School divisions will receive their full ADM-based general fund and Lottery state payments, pursuant to available funds, for FY 2025 with no changes other than the routine adjustments that are made to the Basic Aid payment for some divisions each year as described later in this memorandum.
The information in this article contains the final state funding due to school divisions (as of the date of this memorandum) in FY 2025 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 referenced in this memorandum shows state payments, required local effort for the SOQ accounts, and required local matches for Incentive and Lottery-funded accounts calculated based on actual March 31, 2025, ADM. The accounts affected by actual March 31, 2025, ADM appear in the Excel file in bold font. Please note that, unlike previous Excel calculation files for FY 2025 provided by VDOE, this file does not offer an option to change ADM for FY 2025 since ADM is now final. The Excel file can be downloaded from the Virginia Department of Education website at:
If you have any questions concerning the information in this memorandum, please contact Budget Office staff at (804) 225-2025 or by email at doebudgetoffice@doe.virginia.gov.
Title I, Part A, Carryover Provisions and Reallocation Procedures under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as Amended
Article: 2025-21-277
Audience: Superintendents, Division Finance Officers, Title I, Part A Coordinators
Contact: Tiffany Frierson, Title I Coordinator, tiffany.frierson@doe.virginia.gov
Section 1127 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, allows school divisions to carry over up to 15 percent of their Title I, Part A, allocation for any federal fiscal year. School divisions must encumber 85 percent of each award year’s Title I, Part A, allocation by September 30 of the following year. The law allows school divisions to apply for a waiver to exceed the 15 percent limitation once every three years if: 1) the state agency determines that the request of a local educational agency is reasonable and necessary; or 2) supplemental appropriations become available. School divisions that are eligible for a waiver must submit the request in October. School divisions that receive less than $50,000 are excluded from the carryover limitation.
An email will be sent in October to any division that has not submitted reimbursements for 85 percent of their FY24 funds by September 30, 2025, outlining the procedures for certifying that 85 percent of funds have been encumbered or applying for a waiver. The request must be signed by the superintendent. Directions for submission of the Certification of Obligation will be provided by email in October.
Section 1126(c) of the ESEA requires the state educational agency (SEA) to develop procedures for the reallocation of Title I, Part A, funds that have not been expended within the allotted 15-month period of each award year. The procedures for reallocation of Title I, Part A, funds can be found on the Title I, Part A webpage.
Information About Certain FY2025 Federal Title Grant Application Submissions from the Office of ESEA Programs
Article: 2025-21-276
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Other (Specify) Division Finance, Federal Program Coordinators
Contact: Staci Longest, Deputy Superintendent of Budget and Finance, staci.longest@doe.virginia.gov
The Virginia Department of Education is closely monitoring the release of certain FY2025 Title funds:
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Title I, Part C & D Subpart I
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Title II, Part A
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Title III, Part A
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Title IV, Part B
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Title V, Part B Subpart II
Out of an abundance of caution, VDOE is informing divisions currently developing and submitting applications for these funds that the Department will not begin approving submitted applications until official Grant Award Notifications for the previously mentioned programs are received from the United States Department of Education.
In the meantime, Coordinators and Specialists from the Office of ESEA Programs are available to provide technical assistance with the development and submission of applications, as well as to support the spend down of currently allocated Title grants.
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School Performance & Support
Applications for the 2025 Standards of Learning Item Review Committees
Article: 2025-21-293
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Division Directors of Testing, Supervisor of Math, Supervisor of Reading, Supervisor of Science, Supervisor of History and Social Science
Contact: Office of Assessment, student_assessment@doe.virginia.gov
The Office of Assessment is seeking applications for the 2025 Standards of Learning (SOL) Item Review Committees. The committee meetings will be held at the Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center in Glen Allen, Virginia, from July 7-12, July 10-14, and July 17-21, 2025.
All individuals who wish to serve on these committees, including previous participants, must complete an online application. All applicants must submit an expert task, embedded in the application, to be considered. Educators who completed an application and expert task to serve on a Standard Setting Committee for the same content and/or grade level DO need to submit a new application but are not required to submit a new expert task. Applications, including the expert task, must be received by Monday, June 16, 2025, to be considered.
Access the SOL Item Review Committee Information for Applicants document for details, including a list of the Mathematics, Reading, Science, and History and Social Science committees, dates for each meeting, committee member responsibilities, and selection criteria.
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Board of Education
Update to Procedures for Initiating an Academic Year Governor’s School
Article: 2025-21-275
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers
Contact: Amanda Nevetral, Director, Office of Advanced Learning, Amanda.Nevetral@doe.virginia.gov
In June 2025, an updated version of this document will go before the Board of Education for Final review. The Department is currently seeking stakeholder feedback from individuals, school divisions, and organizations. To provide feedback, please visit the Academic Year Governor’s School webpage to view the updated document and fill out the corresponding feedback form. All feedback must be provided by June 9, 2025.
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School Nutrition
Information on the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 and Effect on Child Nutrition Programs
Article: 2025-21-274
Audience: School Food Authorities, Community Sponsors
Contact: SNPPolicy@doe.virginia.gov
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Crediting vegetables at Breakfast
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Prohibition on the Use of Chicken and Seafood from China
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Compliance with Paid Lunch Equity Requirements
Excessive Heat and Air Quality Advisory Waivers for Summer 2025
Article: 2025-21-273
Audience: Superintendents, School Food Authorities and/or Community Sponsors
Contact: Maggie Parker, CNP Coordinator, Maggie.Parker@doe.virginia.gov
The Virginia Department of Education, Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs received approval from USDA to offer waivers during periods of excessive heat or air quality advisories for summer 2025. These waivers are effective May 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025, and are available to SFSP and SSO sponsors operating outdoor feeding sites. Available waivers include:
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non-congregate meal service
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meal time flexibility
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parent or guardian pick-up
Waivers may be used for up to ten consecutive operating days. USDA approval is required if a sponsor needs these waivers for longer than ten consecutive operating days.
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Early Childhood
Invitation to Participate in Workgroup on the Future of School-Age Child Care
Article: 2025-21-294
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Non-teaching Staff
Contact: Chelsea Kaihoi, Associate Director of Early Childhood Policy and Innovation, Chelsea.Kaihoi@doe.virginia.gov
VDOE is seeking applications from representatives from local school divisions to participate in a legislative workgroup on the future of out-of-school-time (OST) in Virginia.
Senate Bill 1084 and the 2026 Virginia Budget: House Bill 1600, Item 125.10 charged VDOE with convening a work group to produce recommendations related to 1) ensuring the health and safety of children in school-age care or OST programs and 2) addressing unmet parent demand for OST services while maximizing all available funding. The law calls for representatives from school divisions among other stakeholders.
In-person workgroup meetings will be held on the following dates in Richmond.
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Tuesday, June 24, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
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Thursday, July 24, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 9, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
If you are interested in representing local school divisions in this workgroup, please complete this form by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 13. Applicants must commit to attending all three meetings in-person in Richmond. VDOE can support certain travel costs for participants outside the Richmond area. Questions may be directed to Chelsea Kaihoi, Associate Director of Early Childhood Policy and Innovation.
Migration of VALLSS, VKRP, and LinkB5 into Virginia Connects for Kids (VAConnects)
Article: 2025-21-272
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Child Care Center Operators, Teachers
Contact:
Virginia Connects for Kids (VAConnects) is an integrated data system that brings together three state data collection systems, Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS), the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP), and LinkB5. VAConnects is managed by the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development and funded by the Virginia Department of Education.
VAConnects was launched in the 2024-2025 academic year; educators in every division have been using VAConnects for data entry and reporting for VALLSS. Next academic year (2025-2026) the system will expand to include VKRP and LinkB5 in one platform with a one-stop log-in for all three systems.
VAConnects will serve as the integrated platform for:
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VALLSS: PreK, VALLSS: K-3, and VALLSS: 4-8, created by Virginia Literacy Partnerships, provide language and literacy screening and resources.
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VKRP (Pre-K through K) provides assessments of mathematics, self-regulation, social skills, and mental health well-being to complement VALLSS.
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LinkB5 collects information about all publicly-funded birth-to-five ECE sites and is the data system for Virginia's unified measurement and improvement system, Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5).
Collectively these three initiatives impact almost every child in a publicly-funded program ages birth – 3rd grade in Virginia as well as 4th-8th graders who need additional assistance.
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