The Virginia Department of Education recently received preliminary Title I allocations, authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), from the U.S. Department of Education (USED) for FFY 2026 (school year 2026-2027). These allocations are provided through Basic Grants, Concentration Grants, Targeted Grants, and Education Finance Incentive Grants (EFIG) that Congress made available under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Act). At this time, it is estimated that Virginia will receive a total Title I allocation of $ 331,826,125.00, representing an approximate 4 percent decrease in funding compared to FFY 2025 ($347,311,950.00).  

Please be aware that the preliminary Title I, Part A, allocations for Virginia school divisions do not reflect the state set-asides, changes in final census data, the state reservation for school improvement activities under Section 1003(a) of the ESEA, and other adjustments required by law. The final allocation for each school division is likely to differ from the preliminary allocation provided by USED. 

Refer to the Title I, Part A, website for documents containing calculation information and preliminary allocations for FFY 2026. 

The revised 2024–2025 Title IV, Part A federal allocations for each school division, along with the Additional Required Special Terms and Conditions for Grant Awards and the Terms of the Grant Award, are now available on the VDOE Title IV, Part A website. 

Section 8601 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) authorizes the U.S. Department of Education to reserve up to 0.5 percent of funds from certain ESEA programs, including Title IV, Part A, for evaluation. The final allocations released in June 2024 were based on reserving the full 0.5 percent ($6,900,000). USDE has since determined that it did not need any of the funds initially reserved under Section 8601 for evaluation. 

Section 4104 of ESEA authorizes the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to reserve up to four percent of Title IV, Part A funds for state activities. VDOE has determined that it did not need the full four percent. 

As a result, additional funds are now available for SEA allocations, which is the basis for the revised division allocations. 

Title IV, Part A coordinators should submit an application amendment reflecting the revised FY 2024 allocation through the Online Management of Education Grants Award (OMEGA) system in the Virginia Department of Education’s Single Sign-On Web Systems (SSWS). 

All funds must be encumbered by September 30, 2026, and final reimbursement requests must be submitted by November 15, 2026. 

For questions regarding the revised Title IV, Part A allocations, please contact Marsha Granderson, Title IV Coordinator. 

The Office of Innovation is launching the ITRT Toolbox Canvas Course, an interactive self paced, six module learning experience for current and aspiring ITRTs and for leaders who supervise them. Participants earn 16 hours of professional development credit and strengthen alignment with Virginia’s Best Practices for the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher and the Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning. 

Participants will deepen their skills in technology integration, coaching, professional learning facilitation, and digital citizenship advocacy while learning strategies for effective relationship building across the school(s) and community. By strengthening ITRT capacity, divisions benefit from more consistent technology enhanced instruction, improved educator support, and stronger alignment with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate.

The VDOE is planning for the nineteenth cohort of its Aspiring Special Education Leaders Academy (ASELA). This special education leadership initiative, established in 2008 to assist school divisions and state-operated programs with succession planning, is designed to help prepare potential leaders for administrative positions in special education. Through a yearlong program (September 2026 – September 2027) that will kick off with a three-day workshop, followed by monthly two-day seminars or field experiences, cohort members will have opportunities to gain knowledge and skills that will help them excel in positions of special education leadership. 

The VDOE is now accepting one application per school division, state-operated program, regional program, and technical assistance center for Academy participation. Approximately 20 participants will be selected for Cohort XIX. Candidates for the Academy may include administrators holding entry-level positions, teachers, student services staff members, and related services staff members who have demonstrated leadership. All candidates must possess a master’s degree or be near completion of one and must be endorsed by their director of special education and division superintendent or designee. 

Applicants should complete the ASELA Application to participate in this program. More information is available on the VDOE Leadership Academies web page. Applicants must obtain approval from their director of special education prior to submitting an application. The application deadline is April 17, 2026. Candidates and directors of special education will be notified of selection outcomes in May 2026. 

Virginia has several military families and families of the federal workforce who were stationed abroad and have arrived or will soon arrive on safe-haven orders. Many of whom are now living in temporary housing and with children to enroll in the classroom. School divisions that are enrolling students who are impacted and might be temporarily residing in housing located outside of their school divisions should be mindful of the following Code of Virginia provisions regarding enrollment of military families: 

• Chapter 27. Educational Opportunities for Children of Certain Federal Employees, § 22.1-373. Enrollment. 
• § 22.1-3. Persons to whom public schools shall be free. Section 3. 
• § 22.1-7.2. Enrollment for students residing on a military installation or in military housing. Section C. 

For questions about military-connected and federally-connected students or those related to § 22.1-360. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, contact Dan Dunham, Military Student and Families Specialist, at Dan.Dunham@doe.virginia.gov.  

The Virginia Department of Education, Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs, is launching At the Table with VDOE LIVE, a new monthly town hall series designed to support school nutrition directors and their leadership teams across the Commonwealth. 

These interactive sessions will bring you timely state updates, practical implementation guidance, and space for open dialogue on the issues shaping school nutrition operations. Each month, you’ll hear directly from VDOE program staff, gain clarity on emerging priorities, and connect with peers for shared problem-solving. 

Meetings will take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month. A recurring calendar invitation will be sent to all School Nutrition Administrators, and you are encouraged to share it with anyone in your division who may benefit from attending. 

At the Table with VDOE LIVE is your opportunity to stay informed, ask questions, and walk away with clear next steps to support strong, compliant, and student-centered nutrition programs. 

We look forward to seeing you At the Table. Please review SCNP Director’s Memo #2025-2026-35 for more information. 

School entrance immunization requirements are established in the Code of Virginia, § 22.1-271.2. Immunization requirements and § 32.1-46. Immunization of patients against certain diseases which remain in effect as written. Additional information about required immunizations for school enrollment is available on the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) School Requirements – Immunization web page. The VDH has prepared important letters, posted under Resources, for families of rising students in Kindergarten and Grades 7 and 12. The Grade 7 packet also includes valuable information about the human papillomavirus (HPV). School divisions are encouraged to share these resources with families and school communities to help them prepare for successful enrollment in the 2026-27 school year and to support ongoing student health and wellness. 

The VDOE Office of Behavioral Health and Student Safety remains dedicated to supporting student health and wellness. Contact the VDOE School Health Coordinator Na-Keisha A. White at Na-Keisha.White@doe.virginia.gov with questions or for additional support concerning K-12 immunization requirements.

The Opioid Abatement Education Program was developed to support K-12 teachers, school-based mental health professionals, school nurses, school resource officers, and administrators with instruction on delivering evidence-based opioid abatement education and prevention programming for students that supports the Health Standards of Learning. The use of the Botvin Lifeskills Training in schools to support instruction on opioid misuse and prevention is free to school divisions. Stipends are available to educators who complete the training program and implement it in their schools. For those interested in training through the Opioid Abatement Education Program, additional information and details are available on the VDOE Opioid Abatement Education Plan web page.  

For more information, contact Nenneya Shields, Opioid Abatement Program Manager, at Nenneya.Shields@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 923-0926. 

As VDOE works to strengthen and refine the Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5) system for the upcoming 2026–2027 year, we invite feedback all early childhood stakeholders on the proposed updates to the 2026-2027 VQB5 Guidelines. Your input is essential and will help inform VQB5 efforts for the coming year and beyond.

• VQB5 Guidelines Feedback Survey – open through April 15  

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce the award recipients for the Teacher Effectiveness Support in Critical Shortage Areas and Dual Enrollment (TESCADE) Grant. 

A total of 86 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across the Commonwealth submitted applications for this competitive funding opportunity. Following a comprehensive review process—including application quality, established cut scores, and available funding, the following 27 LEAs have been selected for award:  

• Amelia Co
• Amherst Co
• Arlington Co
• Bedford Co
• Bland Co
• Charlotte Co
• Charlottesville City
• Danville City
• Grayson Co
• Greensville Co
• Hanover Co
• Hopewell City
• King and Queen Co
• Lunenburg Co
• Newport News City
• Northampton Co
• Page Co
• Poquoson City
• Pulaski Co
• Scott Co
• Shenandoah Co
• Suffolk City
• Warren Co
• Westmoreland Co
• Williamsburg-James City Co
• York Co

Grant Timeline 

• Award Period: April 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027
• Encumbrance Deadline: September 30, 2027 
• Final Reimbursement Deadline: November 15, 2027 

Reporting Requirements 

All grant recipients will be required to submit: 

• A Midterm Report- Deadline: Friday, January 8, 2027
• A Final Report- Deadline: Monday, November 1, 2027

These reports must clearly outline: 

• Identified critical shortage areas
• Targeted teacher certifications
• Implemented recruitment strategies and methodologies