On October 29, the Virginia Board of Education received the Cycle V recommended lists of Virginia Literacy Act Core Programs for Kindergarten through Grade 5 for first review. 

Beginning today, October 29, the Cycle V Core Programs are available for a 30-day public review and comment period via the VDOE website. It is anticipated that the Board of Education will take final action on the recommended lists of Virginia Literacy Act Core Programs for Kindergarten through Grade 5 at their December 3 meeting.

Access code information for the Cycle V recommended Core programs and a feedback form for public comment is available on the Curriculum Review Process for the Virginia Literacy Act webpage. 

VDOE will be conducting a pilot study in school years 2026-27 and 2027-28 to collect data for the Board of Education to evaluate the inclusion of Recently Arrived English Learners in the School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). Information on participating in this optional pilot study and the intent form was sent to division superintendents and to accountability and division directors of testing earlier this week. The intent-to-participate form is due on November 20 for interested school divisions.  

All school divisions are eligible to participate with a goal of seeking geographical diversity across the Commonwealth. More information on the pilot study is available to assist school divisions in making an informed decision on participating in this study. Additional support will also be provided during weekly Office of Accountability Office Hours.  

We are excited to share Next Steps Day, a free event designed to help students with disabilities explore their options after high school. This event is sponsored by Level Up Virginia, Radford University and the Center on Transition Innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). 

Next Steps Day brings together college representatives, training programs, and community organizations for students to learn about postsecondary education and career pathways. The event includes short, practical information sessions and opportunities for one-on-one conversations. Light snacks will be provided, and families are welcome. Students should check with their school division regarding transportation.  

Event Details 

• Date and time: November 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 
• Location: Radford University, “The Bonnie” Hurlburt Student Center, Clement Street, Radford, VA 
• Registration Deadline: October 30 
• Next Steps Day Registration Link 
• This event is a valuable way for students to learn about college, trade programs, and other next steps after graduation. Please share this flyer and opportunity widely with families, transition coordinators, counselors, and special education teams. 

The VDOE Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs uses the USDA State Emergency Notification System (SENS), Send Word Now, to provide local education agencies (LEA) and community sponsors up-to-date communication and guidance during a disaster. This free text-based feature will be activated in situations when schools and sites may be closed because of a disaster or emergency declaration due to a tornado, snowstorm, hurricane, or other natural disaster. 

In an emergency situation, Send Word Now contacts in affected regions will receive texts. The text messages will ask a question such as, “Are there any schools within your LEA that are closed due to a disaster or emergency?” Based on the response, additional texts will give information on how to provide meals to children under the USDA programs during the closure. Text messages may also be sent in advance of an emergency to help LEAs prepare. Users will be required to opt-in annually.  

Guidelines for Signing Up 

• School divisions, non-public schools, and community sponsors of the USDA Child Nutrition Programs may register up to two emergency contacts to receive Send Word Now texts. The school nutrition program administrator, as identified in SNPWeb, should be one of the contacts.  
• Send Word Now recipients must register a number that can receive text message (i.e., a cell phone). 

Identified contacts must sign up for Send Word Now by November 20. 

The direct final rule, Simplified Geographic Preference Procurement in the Child Nutrition Programs announced in USDA memo SP11-2026, CACFP 05-2026, SFSP 05-2026 does not change the meaning of geographic preference or how it is implemented. The geographic preference option as outlined in 7 CFR 210.21(g) remains in effect and child nutrition program operators may continue to use the strategies within the geographic preference option when soliciting or buying unprocessed agricultural products. 

The final rule only changes some language and terminology in efforts to make the regulation clearer. Please review SCNP (Dir.) Memo #2026-2027-23 for details on geographic preference and those changes.  

On October 22, the U.S. State Department informed non-essential personnel and their families that they will be evacuated from Saudi Arabia. Many of these families were previously evacuated following the first days of Operation Epic Fury and continue to be impacted. A number of these families will be returning to Virginia. For students and parents, the uncertainty surrounding when—or whether—they will return can be stressful and make it difficult for families to commit to long-term living arrangements. 

School divisions are encouraged to review Code of Virginia § 22.1-3, subsection 3, as well as the Project Hope Virginia website, to determine how best to support the enrollment of students affected by this recent evacuation. 

In spring 2027, VDOE will use the online tool, Qualtrics, to collect the 2028 Mary V. Bicouvaris Virginia Teacher of the Year information and application. This tool will require a new process for the school division’s selected Teacher of the Year (TOY) to submit their online application by February 10, 2027, by 5 p.m.   

Ahead of this transition, superintendents or their designee are asked to complete the 2028 Virginia Teacher of the Year Confirmation Form with the contact information for their selected Teacher of the Year. This information will allow VDOE to email the Qualtrics application link directly to the teacher. Superintendents or their designees should fill out this information as soon as they have selected a divisional Teacher of the Year; all division TOYs will receive access to the application on December 10, 2026.  

After the superintendent submits the form:  

1. The teacher will receive the Qualtrics application link by email on December 10, 2026.  
2. The teacher will create a Qualtrics account to complete the application.  
3. The teacher will submit the required educational background, required essays, acknowledgements, and letters of recommendation and references.  
4. The teacher and school division contact may collaborate while preparing the application.  
5. The teacher must personally submit the final online application.  

Should a division select their TOY after December 10, please use the above form immediately to notify VDOE staff and share the application.  

A sample application is currently available on the VDOE Virginia Teacher of the Year website so teachers and school divisions can review the information and requirements before beginning the online application.