Last week, I had the privilege of recognizing 115 Virginia high school seniors at the Central Virginia Military Signing Day. Held at the Virginia War Memorial, this event honors students from across Central Virginia who have committed to serving our nation through enlistment in the United States Armed Forces, participation in ROTC programs, or appointments to our nation’s service academies. 

At the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), we are proud to support schools as they help students pursue a wide range of postsecondary pathways, including military service. We are especially grateful for the many ways our schools, educators, and communities support military-connected students and families across the Commonwealth.  

Congratulations to all military signees throughout Virginia, and best wishes as you begin this important new chapter of service and leadership. The VDOE is proud to support you, and we will be cheering you on every step of the way. 

Educators across the Commonwealth have been leveraging Zearn Math to support math learning, and students are rising to the challenge.  

• Southampton Elementary School of Richmond Public Schools created a Zearn Hall of Fame to celebrate students who reached their Zearn lesson goals this year. 
• Meherrin-Powellton Elementary School of Brunswick County Public Schools launched a spring garden challenge to encourage students to complete their Zearn lessons.   

This summer, keep the learning going with Zearn’s Summer Intensive Series, which helps rising 1st- through 9th-grade students build a deep understanding of the foundational math concepts that will help them unlock new, grade-level learning in 2026-27. Each 4-to-6-week series of adaptive digital lessons and instructional materials is designed to flexibly support summer math learning during in-school programming, tutoring or at home. Learn more and explore the series. 

Plus, motivate students’ math learning on Zearn with a summer-themed lesson challenge. Download and customize a lesson tracker for students to track their progress and celebrate their hard work with a certificate. Access the challenge. 

In partnership with WIDA, the VDOE will be offering two summer professional learning opportunities. 

• Writing with Multilingual Learners in the Secondary Grades: This in-person workshop is designed for secondary History and Social Science Teachers, English Language Development Teachers, and Instructional Coaches. It will take place at 1180 Seminole Trail Charlottesville, VA 22901, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., June 24-25, 2026.
  • This two-day workshop will focus on writing instruction that supports the use of the Teaching and Learning Cycle as a way to empower multilingual writers, not only to produce successful academic writing but also, more importantly, to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences.
  • Interested educators must register for Writing with Multilingual Learners in the Secondary Grades in advance.  
• Expanding Reading Instruction with Multilingual Learners: This webinar series is designed for all K-12 classroom teachers, English Language Development teachers, and Instructional Coaches. It will take place August 5 and 12, 2026, 1-2:30 p.m.
  • This series of two webinars and online resources provides ideas for expanding reading instruction to make it more effective for multilingual learners. Participants will learn ways to build on and expand current approaches to teaching reading and to engage multilingual learners in the interactions that support reading development.
  • Interested educators must register for Expanding Reading Instruction with Multilingual Learners in advance.   

As part of the Supporting Americas School Infrastructure (SASI) grant award, the VDOE is contracting with ASTM International (formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials) to conduct a one-day training course on Property Condition Assessment training at The Inn at Virginia Tech on June 23, 2026, from 8 a.m.– 5 p.m.  

This course will provide a copy of the E2018 Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments: Baseline Property Condition Assessment Process, Course Notes, Certificate of Attendance, 1.5 CEU’s, and also includes an overview of the ASTM Property Condition Assessment standard; how to conduct a baseline property condition assessment and prepare a Property Condition Report.   

The conference is limited to 100 participants, whether they attend in-person or virtually. VDOE is inviting no more than two staff from each school division’s facilities department to attend. Registration forms should be completed no later than May 22, 2026. For additional information, please contact 804-750-8715.

• Location: The Inn at Virginia Tech
• Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
• Hotel Block (Government rate of $122/night excluding taxes): Hotel reservations can be completed online or by phone at 540-231-8000; mention VDOE group block June 22-23, 2026
• Course Registration Form: Property Condition Assessment ASTM Training Registration 

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Center for School and Campus Safety is announcing the 2026 Virginia School Safety Training Forum and Executive Forum. This year, the focus is on school safety, with the goal of bringing clarity, insight, and innovative strategies for improving emergency response into view. Join DCJS as they zoom in on the critical lenses that shape safe learning environments across Virginia. 

The conference will take place at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, July 20-22, 2026. For more information about the conference and registration, visit the 2026 Virginia School Safety Training Forum and Executive Forum web page. 

Contact Shellie Evers, Center for School and Campus Safety and Crisis Management Supervisor, Division of Public Safety Training and the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, at Shellie.Evers@dcjs.virginia.gov with questions. 

As shared in the comprehensive summary of the Commonwealth Listening Tour, student health and well-being contribute directly to academic gains for students and benefit from school and community partnerships focused on data to plan successful supports and interventions.  Effective use of school health data leads to stronger and more comprehensive school health programs, improved health outcomes for students, and healthier communities overall. 

Collected school health data is now accessible through the School Health Data Dashboards, showcasing the important work school teams are doing to keep students safe, healthy, and ready to learn. 

The annual mandated School Health Data Portal will open on Friday, May 15, 2026. Annual mandated hearing and vision data, along with collected school health data, must be entered through the Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal. If you need assistance logging in, please contact your school division’s SSWS administrator. All data entries are due by close of business Tuesday, June 30, 2026. 

School nurse coordinators will receive an email from the VDOE on Thursday, May 14, 2026, that provides additional information and supplemental guidance for data entry. 

The first collection of the SEBT Eligible Student Data is complete. Congratulations to data stewards and school nutrition directors for timely, accurate data. More than 494,000 student records were in the statewide file transmitted to VDSS for SUN Bucks benefits. Households with students in the first file will begin to receive SUN Bucks June 22 and issuance will continue throughout the summer for each subsequent file. 

The second collection is open now through June 3. Students newly eligible after the first cutoff must be reported in the second file. Review the Dates-Collection, Student Eligibility, and Issuance document and information on the SEBT Data Collection webpage for details. Records rejected by VDSS must be corrected and also included in the second file. Only 131 records failed VDSS edit checks. The VDOE sent error reports to 18 LEAs with details. Send questions to ResultsHelp@doe.virginia.gov. 

School and LEA leaders are encouraged to share information by linking to the Virginia SUN Bucks website. Students with individual eligibility determinations for free or reduced-price meals, by direct certification or meal application, are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks and were reported in the SEBT file. Students who live in a low-income household but were not determined eligible by DC or meal application must apply for SUN Bucks directly with VDSS. Households can take the eligibility quiz to learn more and access the online application.  

Schools providing meals at no cost to all students through Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) should share information about SUN Bucks applications with all households. Community partners and family liaisons should consider conducting outreach with households that need to apply, especially in CEP schools.  

Review SCNP (Dir.) Memo #2025-2026-31 for more information. 

The VDOE, Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs, encourages school nutrition program and community organization directors to register their staff for the 2026 Summer Manager Workshops. These workshops are designed for school and community nutrition professionals responsible for managing and operating the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the At-Risk component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Training topics will include Managing Food Allergies and Strategies for Leading Effective Teams.  

Refer to VDOE-SCNP Director’s Memo 2025-2026-46 for the full workshop schedule, training information, and registration link. 

School Food Authorities (SFAs), private schools, and Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) that charge for student meals must complete the Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool for the 2026–2027 school year by July 1, 2026, as part of their annual application packet. The USDA requires this submission to ensure compliance with federal meal pricing standards. 

The PLE Tool, available in SNPWeb Download Forms, calculates each division’s weighted average paid lunch price for the upcoming year. SFAs participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) division-wide are exempt, while those operating partial CEP must complete the tool for non-CEP schools. 

Refer to VDOE-SCNP Director’s Memo 2025-2026-44, Attachment A, Attachment B, Attachment C, and Attachment D for more information, instructions, financial data, and prior-year lunch price reports. 

The VDOE, Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs is excited to welcome all new and aspiring school nutrition directors to the 2026 New Director’s Academy! Kick off this new chapter in your professional journey by participating in this essential and dynamic training. A newly hired SNP director is anyone stepping into the role who has not yet completed the required training. 

The VDOE-SCNP is hosting the next Academy on July 20-23, 2026, at ECPI University in Glen Allen, located at 11104 West Broad Street, Glen Allen, VA 23060. 2026 New Director's Academy registration is now open! Early registration is encouraged to ensure a spot.   

The New Director’s Academy is offered for all newly hired and aspiring Virginia SNP directors. The training is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the USDA Child Nutrition Program operations and requirements through engaging sessions and networking. Classes are instructed by VDOE-SCNP subject matter experts and the Institute of Child Nutrition and include topics covering federal and state program regulations, meal pattern requirements, financial management, procurement, accommodating special dietary needs, and much more!  

Please review SCNP Director’s Memo #2025-2026-45 for more information. 

The 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 2026. These waivers are effective May 1, 2026, to September 30, 2026, and are available to Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option sponsors operating outdoor feeding sites. Available waivers include: 

• non-congregate meal service,
• meal service times flexibility, and
• parent or guardian meal pick-up. 

The excessive heat waiver may be elected on days when the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, excessive heat warning, or excessive heat watch. The poor air quality waiver may be elected on days when the site’s zip code has an Air Quality Index “purple” flag or higher, as indicated by the Air Now website.  

Refer to VDOE-SCNP Director’s Memo 2025-2026-43 for additional information. 

The Perkins V 2024-2025 Carryover funds are in addition to the annual Perkins V Awards and will be reallocated proportionally based on 2025-2026 CTE course enrollment to school divisions that have spent their initial Perkins V 2024-2025 allocation within $999 of unspent Perkins funds from federal fiscal year 2024, according to #2025-23 Virginia Education Update June 20, 2025. Each school division is required to prepare an application amendment to their 2024-2025 approved local plan and budget. The amendment should reflect the carryover amount and saved as “Perkins V 2024-2025 Carryover Fund Amendment.”  

The focus of the Carryover funds is to expend the Industry Credential Examinations, Licensure Examinations, Occupational Competency Assessments, Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Health Sciences (STEM-H) CTE State Entitlement allocations. However, if all credential allocations are expended, the Carryover funds may be used for all permissible Perkins V expenditures. 

Reimbursement requests for the Perkins CTE carryover funds must be submitted through the Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal using the Online Management of Education Grant Awards (OMEGA) application. As with other grant funds, a budget transfer is required to allocate the funds to appropriate object codes before submitting a reimbursement request. All expenditures to be reimbursed with the reallocated funds must be consistent with the approved local plan and budget and cover expenditures that were made during the 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 school years. Carryover fund expenditures must be encumbered by June 30, 2026, and reimbursement requests must be submitted by September 30, 2026.  

By accepting this grant award, the school division agrees to the grant terms and conditions, and applicable state and federal laws. Documentation of any reimbursement claims must be retained in the school division and must be available for audit in accordance with state regulations governing the retention of financial records.