VDOE is happy to announce a Lunch and Learn Webinar Series to support superintendents, school finance officials, and relevant grant staff with strategies, best practices, and technical supports for existing federal grants.  Sessions will be hosted on the following dates and can be accessed with the links below. 

• July 29, 12 - 1 p.m.   
• August 21, 12 - 1 p.m. 
• September 11, 12 - 1 p.m. 

Virginia educators now have a powerful new tool at their fingertips, thanks to a statewide initiative aimed at preparing residents for the future of artificial intelligence. Governor Glenn Youngkin unveiled the Virginia Has Jobs AI Career Launch Pad, a web-based platform developed in partnership with Google to help Virginians explore and train for high-demand careers in AI and technology. 

The platform offers a curated selection of free and low-cost courses, bootcamps, and degree programs. Teachers across the Commonwealth are encouraged to take advantage of these resources—not only to upskill professionally, but also to bring AI literacy into their classrooms. 

Educators can apply for scholarships to cover Google’s AI Essentials courses and Career Certificates in fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics, and project management. These credentials are designed to be job-ready and accessible, with 70% of graduates reporting career advancement within six months. 

For teachers, the implications are far-reaching. By engaging with the platform, they can: 

• Integrate AI concepts into lesson plans 
• Model digital fluency and lifelong learning 
• Prepare students for ethical and innovative use of emerging technologies 

Virginia educators interested in exploring these opportunities can visit VirginiaHasJobs.com/AI to enroll, apply for scholarships, and begin their journey into the future of education and technology. 

The Office of English is pleased to announce that the ongoing professional learning to support the implementation of the 2024 English Standards of Learning begins next week, July 30, 2025. Registration is required in advance for all sessions. Additional professional learning topics and session dates are provided in the registration form. 

The first Foundations for Reading and Foundations for Writing session will dive into the progression and rigor outlined in the Kindergarten-Grade 5 Foundations for Reading (FFR) and Foundations for Writing (FFW) Standards.  

Participants will then have the opportunity to plan alignment with division-adopted High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) will support the development of foundational skills and ensure consistency with grade-level expectations outlined in the Foundations for Reading and Foundations for Writing standards. This approach helps ensure that all students are equipped to reach their full potential. 

Join the Office of English next week by completing this registration form. 

School counselors are invited to attend the Graduation Pathways for Students with Disabilities Webinar on August 7, 2025, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. 

This webinar will highlight the vital role that school counselors play in clarifying and streamlining the process of using credit accommodations to help students with disabilities earn a standard diploma. In response to the 2024 General Assembly’s passage of SB220 and HB1089, the Virginia Board of Education has been directed to ensure students with disabilities receive high-quality instruction and specialized support from well-prepared educators to improve both academic and postsecondary outcomes. A key component of this legislation is to foster a shared understanding among educators, students, and families regarding the effective implementation of credit accommodations.  

Register using the Graduation Pathways for Students with Disabilities and the Standard Diploma Webinar registration form. A recording of the webinar will also be sent to all those who register. 

The Office of STEM is pleased to announce ongoing professional learning to support the implementation of the 2018 Science Standards of Learning. There is one webinar series for teachers and another series for school and division leaders. Divisions that do not have a direct science supervisor are encouraged to identify a key instructional leader (or an elementary leader and a secondary leader) who can attend the series and share the information with other leaders in the division. This may include teacher-leaders, assistant principals, or other division leaders who will be able to share information out to a larger audience or lead professional learning. Registration is required in advance for all webinars. 

Science Teacher Support Series 

Webinars offered monthly to support science teachers. Webinar dates, topics, and registration links for the fall are below. More details about each topic can be found at the registration link.  

• September 16, 2025 | 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  Topic: Foundations: Building Science Literacy

• October 21, 2025 | 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  Topic: 2025 Expanded High School Science Standards of Learning

• November 18, 2025 | 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  Topic: Foundations: Building Science Vocabulary

• December 16, 2025 | 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  Topic: Using the SEPs to Improve Science Learning: Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Science Leader Support Series 

Webinars offered monthly to support division-level science leaders. Webinar dates, topics, and registration links for the fall are below. More details about each topic can be found at the registration link. 

VDOE and VLP are excited to welcome newly hired K-8 Reading Specialists for the 2025–2026 school year! To fulfill the requirements of the Virginia Literacy Act, VLP will host one-day, in-person training sessions focused on evidence-based literacy instruction aligned to science-based reading research for all new K-8 Reading Specialists.  

Please review the following eligibility guidelines:  

• Only newly hired Reading Specialists should attend. 
• Reading Specialists must have a primary role working directly with students to be eligible. 
• If a Reading Specialist is transitioning between grade levels (e.g., from elementary to middle school) and has already completed a previous in-person training with VLP, then they are not eligible to attend again.   

School divisions are responsible for arranging travel, hotel accommodations, and covering any related expenses for attendees.  

Training capacities were determined based on projected staffing numbers submitted by division leaders last spring. We appreciate each division’s support to ensure that only eligible, newly hired Reading Specialists are registered so we can accommodate all who need the training. Registrants will be directed to one of the following locations and dates according to the division entered in the registration survey: 

The VDOE has established an optional-use contract with EveryDay Labs, a program focused on helping educators improve student attendance through evidence-based strategies. This optional-use contract is available for school divisions to use at their discretion, with no direct funding from VDOE. By conducting this procurement on behalf of school divisions, VDOE streamlined the process and ensured compliance with state and local requirements. 

The statewide contract with EveryDay Labs is intended to support school divisions in delivering attendance improvement services, including actionable data analytics, effective communications, and ongoing staff training, which will help the Commonwealth to continue moving in the right direction for attendance and student success. School divisions interested in partnering with EveryDay Labs will need to identify their own local funding sources. Interested divisions can review the Attendance Recovery Services (HB30) Contract and can schedule a meeting with EveryDay Labs via the EveryDay Labs interest form. 

The Virginia Department of Education Fine Arts Program is excited to announce the launch of Virginia Roots: A Journey Through Virginia Craft, a new series produced by Blue Ridge PBS in collaboration with VDOE. This series highlights Virginia's craft traditions and the individuals who are preserving them today. The series is intended for use in Virginia classrooms to show traditions and modern connections of basket weaving, engraving, pottery, gourd art, and quilting. The episode guide features connections to Virginia's Standards of Learning, discussion prompts, and links to sample lessons created by Virginia educators.  

Additionally, VDOE hosted a webinar on July 17, 2025, to provide further details about the series, and a recording of the webinar is available. One Virginia teacher shared, “I am excited to include Virginia artists and history into some of the lessons that I already use. The videos are a fabulous resource.” 

The 2024-2025 Annual School Report (ASR) must be submitted to the Virginia Department of Education by September 15, 2025, as required by Section 22.1-81, Code of Virginia.  School divisions and regional programs that wish to file for an extension (until September 30, 2025) for their 2024-2025 ASR must, per Section 22.1-81, Code of Virginia, submit a written request signed by the division superintendent, or designee, to Christina Berta, Chief Operations Officer, to the email address: DOEBUDGETOFFICE@doe.virginia.gov, prior to the September 15, 2025, deadline.  The submitted extension letter must cite a good cause reason/need for the extension of time.  Please note that the signed extension letter must be attached as a .pdf file to the email, with “2024-2025 ASR EXTENSION” in the subject line of the email.

Each school division and regional program will use the Web-based Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal to access, download, and submit the 2024-2025 ASR Excel template and text file to the Department.  Instructional and resource documents are located within the SSWS application.  Once a division has successfully completed the 2024-2025 ASR in the ASR application in SSWS, the division superintendent or designee will approve and certify the Superintendent’s Verification Report through the Superintendent’s Data Collection Approvals (SDCA) application.

The collection window will open in mid-August.  If you have any questions about the ASR data collection process, please contact the Budget Office at DOEBUDGETOFFICE@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 225-2025. 

Pursuant to Section 58.1-638, Code of Virginia, the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia has prepared the July 1, 2024, school-age population estimates. These estimates will be used to update the fiscal year (FY) 2027 sales tax revenue distribution estimates to school divisions in the Governor’s introduced 2026-2028 biennial budget, to be released in December 2025.

The July 1, 2024, school-age population estimates are open to review and inquiry until September 30, 2025, at which time they become final. School divisions and localities may inquire about a revision to their estimates provided certain criteria as established by the Weldon Cooper Center are met.

To participate in the review process, division and locality representatives should review their school-age population estimates, the methodology documents, and the Review/Inquiry Process description, available on the Weldon Cooper Center website. 

The Weldon Cooper Center contact for questions is:  

Hamilton Lombard, Research Analyst
434-982-5698
Hamilton.Lombard@virginia.edu  

Please carefully review the proposed estimates of your school-age population and keep in mind the end of the review process on September 30, 2025, at which time the estimates become final. 

The 2025-2026 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (Sections 611 and 619) Flow-Through federal allocations for school divisions and state operated programs (SOPs) that qualify based on submission of an approvable 2025-2026 annual plan are now available. The Section 611 subrecipient awards of $117,777,553 were made available on July 1, 2025, and $227,962,232 will be available for awards on October 1, 2025. The full allocation for Section 619 Flow-Through funds was made available as of July 1, 2025, through the reimbursement process to school divisions and SOPs that have submitted an approvable annual plan.

The 2025-2026 IDEA Part B Flow-Through Funding document includes comprehensive details about funding allocations, reimbursement procedures, and additional required special terms and conditions for grant awards or cooperative agreements. 

Funding allocations for July-September and October-June will be entered into SNPWeb for each school by July 31, 2025. If a school does not effectively utilize its FFVP funding, technical assistance will be provided. Schools may be asked not to apply for FFVP the following year if a significant amount of funding is unspent at the end of the school year. 

SNP directors are encouraged to review SCNP (Dir.) Memo #2025-2026-02 for more information. The elementary schools that will receive FFVP funding for SY 2025-26 are in SCNP (Dir.) Memo #2025-2026-02, Attachment A. 

On August 7, VDOE will be hosting a webinar for site leaders who are new to VQB5. The webinar will provide an overview of the required VQB5 participation activities and will address frequently asked questions to help sites prepare for the upcoming VQB5 year. This webinar will be recorded. 

• Webinar: Introduction to VQB5 for New Program Leaders  
• Date: Tuesday, August 7 at noon 
• Register 

The final number of allocated VPI slots for the 2025-2026 school year is now available online. This allocation reflects all requests for expansions and enhancements, including redistribution of slots, wait list slots, 3-year-old slots, and community provider add-on slots.  Note that slots for 4-year-olds and 3-year-olds are funded and awarded separately and cannot be exchanged for each other.      

As a reminder, Virginia Preschool Initiative programs are funded based on student enrollment on October 1, 2025, as reported in the fall 2025 Student Record Collection (SRC) based on available funding. Prorated funding for slots filled for the first time between October 2, 2025, and December 31, 2025, may also be available pending available funding.