Teachers matter, and no one better represents their impact than our 2027 Regional Teachers of the Year, all of whom have now been announced. Over the past few weeks, I had the privilege of traveling to each region to personally surprise these outstanding educators, and every visit was truly inspiring. 

This year’s honorees reflect the incredible diversity and talent within Virginia’s schools. They include an AP human geography and history teacher, an elementary library media specialist, an elementary ESOL teacher, an AVID teacher, an elementary reading specialist, a high school French teacher, a P.E. teacher, and a special education teacher. Each brings passion, dedication, and excellence to the classroom, embodying the very best of Virginia education.

These educators represent what our schools strive for every day: high standards, strong support systems, and a deep commitment to student success. I look forward to celebrating these eight remarkable teachers in Richmond this May, where they will be recognized by the Governor. 

Congratulations to all of our Regional Teachers of the Year—and thank you to all the teachers across the Commonwealth who make a difference in students’ lives every day. 

The Virginia Department of Education celebrates National Apprenticeship week April 26 -May 2. This nationwide celebration applauds and highlights the success and value of Registered Apprenticeship in meeting critical industry needs.  

In particular, VDOE would like to celebrate the 200 aspiring educators who have committed to becoming teachers through the Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program and the 32 aspiring principals committed to becoming principals through the Principal Registered Apprenticeship Program throughout the Commonwealth. The apprenticeship model powerfully combines rigorous coursework with immersive clinical experience, giving future educators continuous, real-world opportunities to apply their learning. By earning a living wage throughout their apprenticeship, participants can pursue their passion for education without the burden of financial barriers. Teaching has now become the fastest growing apprenticeship occupation in the Commonwealth—an exciting milestone for the profession. The Department proudly celebrates our current and future teacher and principal apprentices as they launch their inspiring careers in education! 

The “Grow Your Own” efforts to address the educator shortage are ongoing and are designed to be collaborative. To learn more about how registered teacher apprenticeships can address workforce challenges and shortages, join Superintendent Conway and Commissioner Overley from Virginia Works on May 1, 2026 at 9:30am for a conversation facilitated by Dr. Carla Warren, Senior Partner from the National Center for Grow Your Own. Register today for the session!  

To comply with state and federal reporting requirements, school divisions and regional centers are required to annually submit transcript-like data via the End of Year Master Schedule Collection (MSC). The EOY Master Schedule Collection opens May 18, 2026.  A successful submission is due no later than July 24, 2026.  Superintendents must electronically approve the verifications no later than August 14, 2026. For complete details about this requirement, access the 2025-2026 EOY Master Schedule Collection Guide.

Pursuant to Chapter 564, 2025 General Assembly, VDOE is required to report support services personnel as outlined in subsections O and P of §22.1-253.13:2 of the Code of Virginia on its website. VDOE is required to collect support personnel data from school divisions through the Annual School Report (ASR).  

School divisions will report to VDOE all support positions as outlined in the Standards of Quality. Some of this data can be extracted from the text file of the ASR. Other data will need to be reported separately through Schedule R of the Excel template. School divisions can find a preview of Schedule R on the VDOE website. Please note that the final version of Schedule R may vary slightly from the preview version.

VDOE will provide more information regarding Schedule R when it publishes the instructions for the FY26 ASR collection in July. The instructions will include a crosswalk of account code combinations that will be used to extract some of the positional data from the ASR text file.  

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. 

As part of VDOE's ongoing efforts to recognize and elevate the outstanding work of Virginia educators, the Department annually invites school leaders to recommend distinguished teachers, principals, and specialists for inclusion in its statewide talent pool. This process helps VDOE identify educators to serve on committees and task forces and contribute their expertise and feedback. 

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. We invite you to recommend distinguished classroom teachers, specialists, and/or principals who are mid-career educators with at least five years of experience and have demonstrated the following:  

• Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective and innovative instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school; 
• Exemplary educational accomplishments and leadership beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;  
• Individuals whose contributions to education are largely unheralded yet worthy of the spotlight; and 
• Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community. 

If you know an educator who exemplifies these qualities, submit the VDOE Educator Talent Pool Recommendation form and required components. Please keep this recommendation confidential and do not share it with the individual. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Submissions are due by May 8, 2026 by 5 p.m.  

Send applications to TeacheroftheYear@doe.virginia.gov  and submit the saved file as VDOETalent_School Division_Educator Last Name. Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.
#ElevateEducatorsVA  

With the arrival of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is proud to recognize the many contributions and rich heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

Local school divisions are encouraged to seek and develop instructional and community programming that highlight AAPI history using an interdisciplinary approach in order to create inclusive, year-round lesson plans. For greater understanding and deeper connection, instruction should aim to engage students, teachers, parents and the community at large; and align with the 2023 History and Social Science Standards of Learning. Resources are available from Virginia institutions, Smithsonian museums and its affiliates, such as Virginia.gov, Library of Virginia (2021),  National Museum of American History, National Archives, Federal Asian Pacific American Council, and the Library of Congress. 

In collaboration with our external partner, Make Us Visible, a toolkit has been created celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. It contains free, adaptable classroom activities and discussion prompts; grade level adaptations; printables; book and media recommendations; and opportunities to connect history to students’ lived experiences.  

VDOE values the efforts of teachers in promoting a quality and comprehensive exposure to American and Virginia history. For additional instructional support and information, please contact the History and Social Science Program at vdoe.hss@doe.virginia.gov.  

The Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP), with support from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership (VFEL), will host the 98th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference & Exposition on June 22 - June 25, 2026, at the Williamsburg Doubletree Hotel. This statewide in-person event has been held annually since 1927 and its purpose is to develop and enhance middle and high school administrators’ leadership skills, increase their understanding of current educational issues, and expand their knowledge base for success.  

Principal Kafele will be one of the FIVE keynote speakers at the event and will do a general session keynote in addition to a Learning Lab focused on “What Is My Value INSTRUCTIONALLY to the Teachers I Supervise?” 

For additional information, please visit the Conference Website or call the Association at (804) 355-2777. Questions about the conference may be directed to Dr. Kathleen Smith, Conference Chairperson, at kathleen.smith@vaprincipals.org. 

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.