Congratulations to the educators, leaders, and staff from 3,222 child care centers, family day homes, Head Start programs, and public school preschools across the Commonwealth who successfully completed the 2025-2026 VQB5 year.  

This milestone represents a lot of hard work and dedication. Program leaders met all VQB5 requirements by sharing information about their programs, educators, and child enrollment through LinkB5; supporting observations in more than 11,000 classrooms, providing feedback for more than 28,000 educators; and impacting more than 135,000 young children in Commonwealth.    

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is grateful for your ongoing commitment to quality and to the children and families you serve. 

The Digital Learning Unit invites educational technology leaders to join its monthly webinar series beginning July 14. Webinars will provide professional learning focused on Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning, policy updates, internet safety, artificial intelligence, GoOpenVA and sharing resources.  

Monthly topics include:

• July: Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning (DLI SOL), ITRT, and Librarian Supports and Resources
• August: VDOE Policy Updates and Internet Safety
• September: GoOpenVA 
• October: Digital Learning and AI Strategies
• November: 2027 DLI SOL Update 

Interested in discussing these topics further? Office Hours will be held each 4th Tuesday of the month starting in July. During these times, the Digital Learning Unit will revisit each of monthly webinar highlights and offer an open Q&A for continued discussion and support. Register today for the webinars and office hours. 

Division teams are invited to join the VDOE for a statewide, in-person literacy network session on August 4 at the Hotel Roanoke from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. 

CLSD grantees should send teams of representatives based on division size and the number of grants awarded. Teams should include division literacy leaders, school leaders, reading specialists, and other literacy educators. CSI, ATSI, and TSI schools are encouraged to send similar teams. Non-grantee divisions that are not federally identified should consider sending representatives who can share information and support implementation across schools and divisions. All divisions should use local data and identified needs to determine participation. 

The convening will feature sessions focused on strengthening literacy implementation, highlighting schools and divisions demonstrating successful outcomes, and providing opportunities for collaboration and networking. Topics will include implementation of the Literacy Walkthrough Tool, literacy planning through Professional Learning Communities, and family literacy engagement strategies. 

Divisions can use CLSD grant funds, if available, for travel expenses, or consider state, local, or federal grant funding according to local travel policies. 

To receive details on how to register teams for the convening, divisions must first complete this Interest Form using a valid school email address. Once the form is submitted, registrants will receive access to the official registration form and additional event information.  

VDOE in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) are announcing the 2026 Summer Institute for School Nurses (SISN), taking place on July 13-15 at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel. 

This professional development event allows Virginia school nurses to participate in evidence-based learning experiences facilitated by leading subject matter experts. Participants will receive an opportunity to learn from peers and gain practical tools and strategies deemed essential for supporting the health and well-being of students across the Commonwealth. Topics include diabetes management in the school setting, enteral feeding support, threat assessment, and discussion that will elevate division level partnerships and support development of this key area of the educator workforce. Nursing education credits will be provided. 

Conference registration and information are available at the Summer Institute for School Nurses registration web page. Register by June 29 to attend. 

Virginia’s Behavioral Health Commission (BHC), which was established to improve the state’s behavioral health services and system through research-based recommendations and oversight, is currently working on a study of the availability of substance use supports and services in Virginia’s public schools. This study was requested by the BHC’s legislative members as part of its 2026 workplan.

As part of the study, BHC staff will be contacting school divisions during the summer months. There are other ways that school divisions may be invited to participate: 

• Upcoming site visits: BHC will contact a cross-section of school divisions over the next two weeks to schedule on-site meetings with division and school personnel and to ask for assistance in facilitating site visits to schools within the division.   
• Upcoming survey: In July, BHC will send a brief survey to some school counselors in each division. This survey is intended to provide an overview of the substance use supports and services that are currently available. Individual responses will be kept confidential.  

The BHC Study of Substance Use Supports and Services in Public Schools flyer provides more in-depth information on the BHC and the study. 

Division superintendents must confirm that all vehicles used to transport students and school staff have the required insurance coverage for the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Pursuant to Section 22.1-191, Code of Virginia, such insurance must be secured, certified, and submitted to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on or before August 1, 2026.   

Compliance with these requirements is mandatory before any state school funds can be distributed (see Sections 22.1-190, 191 and 197, Code of Virginia). VDOE urges you to initiate the procurement process in time to finalize the necessary insurance contract by the end of July. Please ensure that the contract contains the coverage required for all days that schools are operated during the entire 2026-2027 school year. 

Insurance certification instructions can be found at: Pupil Transportation Insurance Certification Instructions. 

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has created a toolkit for LEAs, schools, and their partners to help families stay informed about Virginia SUN Bucks, a program designed to ensure children have access to healthy food when school is out. SUN Bucks provides a $120 summer grocery benefit for each eligible child, helping families keep nutritious meals on the table during the summer months.   

To support your outreach, review the comprehensive communications toolkit that includes ready-to-use social media content, robocall scripts, text messages, flyer language, and additional resources to help you communicate clearly and consistently with your community.  

Most families with eligible students will automatically qualify for SUN Bucks with no application required. Children in households receiving SNAP or TANF benefits are automatically enrolled, as are some students with a free or reduced-price meal determination from the past school year. Families who don't qualify automatically are encouraged to apply online, by mail, or by phone. Households unsure about eligibility can take a short eligibility quiz, or visit the Virginia SUN Bucks website to apply or learn more.