VDOE has received approximately $9.4 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Grant to support funding opportunities to strengthen healthcare access, delivery, and outcomes in rural communities. These investments directly benefit Career and Technical Education (CTE) Health and Medical Sciences programs by expanding healthcare career pathways for students.  

VDOE is seeking RHTP grant applications from 75 rural school divisions and 3 regional technical centers (listed in Attachment A) as determined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, with an estimated award of $120,868. Additional funding may be available depending on applicant volume. The CTE RHTP Grant Application is due to the VDOE by 5 p.m. on October 23. The completed application should not exceed ten pages, and should include the budget, contact information, cover page, project narrative, and the signed statement of assurance.  

Interested applicants may register for the CTE RHTP Grant informational webinar scheduled for October 8, at 11 a.m. Additional information about this grant opportunity is available on the Virginia Rural Health Transformation website which includes opportunities to engage, next steps for implementation, and ways stakeholders and community members can get involved. 

The Office of English is pleased to continue the “Developing Skilled Readers in the Content Areas” webinar series throughout October, designed to strengthen interdisciplinary and cross content literacy across subjects. The remaining series topics include: 

• Writing Using Science, October 7 
• Reading Comprehension and English Language Learners, October 14 

The next session “Writing Using Science” highlights the 2024 English Standards of Learning’s emphasis on writing and how writing supports both comprehension and communication within the DSR strand. Using scientific thinking as the anchor, participants will explore strategies and approaches that help students make their thinking visible through writing. Though the examples draw on science, these practices transfer across disciplines, supporting cognitive load, and enabling students to apply their knowledge when engaging with new, grade‑level texts.   

For additional details and registration for October 2026 sessions, including the “Writing through Science” webinar scheduled for October 7, please use the October 2026 Registration Form.

VDOE is required by Virginia Code § 22.1-217.01 to annually prepare and distribute to local school boards information describing educational and other services that are available to students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired. School boards are required to post this information on school division websites annually, and to inform the parents of students who are identified as deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired of the availability of such services. 

VDOE’s Annual Resources Update for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities is a compilation of the required guidance documents and additional resources available through the VDOE Sensory Disabilities web page. Administrators and teachers are encouraged to share the VDOE’s guidance and resources with parents. School divisions may contact the VDOE Office of Special Education Instructional Services to request printed copies and alternate formats to include in Virginia public schools and public libraries. 

In accordance with the Code of Virginia, Chapter 1 of Title 22.1, effective July 1, 2027, each school board shall develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website an access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility for limited English proficient (LEP) parents, in a language understandable to such LEP parents.   

Each school board shall provide language assistance services required in a manner consistent with the Standards of Quality but shall be afforded discretion in selecting cost-effective service delivery models that meet the specific needs of the LEP population in its school division. The plan design is a local school division decision and should fit the needs of LEP parents within the division. VDOE has created Division Language Access Plan Considerations for Local Education Agencies (LEAs)for division to use as language access plans are being developed in accordance with the legislation.  

VDOE is conducting a survey in response to House Bill 724 (HB 724), which directs the Department to study the criteria used by public elementary school educators to determine whether students are promoted to the next grade or retained in grade.    As part of this study, VDOE is gathering information from school divisions about local policies, practices, and decision-making processes related to elementary student retention. The survey seeks to better understand the factors considered when making retention decisions, including student academic performance, assessment results, attendance, teacher recommendations, interventions and supports provided to students, socio-emotional factors, and input from educators, specialists, and caregivers.  Responses will help VDOE assess current retention practices across Virginia and consider the feasibility and potential implications of expanding or modifying the criteria used to determine elementary student retention. 

We invite superintendents, elementary principals, and/or division designees to complete this survey by October 15. Superintendents should be intentional when submitting responses, particularly if there are multiple retention policies within a division. If there is only one policy for retention in the division applicable to all elementary schools, please have one division representative fill out the survey. If elementary schools have varying policies in the division, please complete the survey for each school.   

In compliance with the information and reporting requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), divisions are required to make an unduplicated count of students with disabilities receiving special education services on December 1 of each year. Each student with a disability reported to VDOE must have a properly developed and implemented Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individual Services Plan (ISP) in place. This data should reflect student records as of December 1, 2026. 

The December 1 Child Count window will be accessible through the Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal. The window will open December 1, and close December 14 for data submissions and the superintendent’s approval/verification. Divisions are responsible for completing the Parentally Placed Private School and Homeschooled Survey within the December 1 Child Count application. The survey must be completed prior to beginning the Child Count approval process. Submissions made after the child count window closes may impact the division’s local determination rubric for accurate and timely data submission. 

The December 1 Child Count forms the basis for state funding and federal reporting. The information submitted is subject to audit by the United States Department of Education, VDOE, and the Auditor of Public Accounts. The divisions are responsible for maintaining student records and conducting extensive verification and validation checks to ensure that data reported to VDOE are accurate.