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In this edition
In Case you Missed it...
Articles from Edition #2023-12:
- ESEA Distinguished Schools Recognition Program
- National Board Certification Incentive Award Data Collection
- Annual Pupil Transportation Report
- 2023-24 Student Record Collection
- Title IV Part A Reporting
- Title I Part A,D Allocations
- Certification of Ineligibility to Participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- School Nutrition Hiring Standards
- Virginia Youth Survey - Monitoring Risk Behaviors
- RISE Award Nominations Open
- VPI Reporting Due 11/10
- Literary Fund Loan Application Period
- Impacts of Federal Government Shutdown
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Key Takeaways
- Update on Virginia Literacy Act Curriculum Review
- Celebrate Blue Star Welcome Week 9/23-10/1
- Title I, Part C allocations released
- VDOE and DMAS are partnering to offer medicare support training for schools
This Week’s Checklist
Articles with deadlines are marked with ⚠️.
- GEPA Waiver Application Public Comment period ends 10/12
- VAAP Participation Justification Due 11/2
- VQB5 Registration Deadline Closes 10/3
- STEM-TRRI applications due 10/20
- SCAP Applications for School Construction Projects due 11/28
- RLERLM data certification due 10/27
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News from Across the Commonwealth
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Elevating Educators
This week we wanted to highlight some of the ways our educators are amazing. Randolph Elementary School in Goochland recently hosted a family night for multilingual families. The event was a team effort!
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Surgeons in Training
Students at Moseley Elementary in Chesterfield County were given a unique way to approach mathematics. Students applied what they knew about place values to help save some (math) patients!
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Dr. Lisa Coons, Superintendent of Public Instruction
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 This week, I am truly thankful that educators across the Commonwealth continue to discuss how to accelerate learning, implement ALL In, and discuss how to ensure every child comes to school every day. I am humbled by the focus on students and dedication all of our leaders and educators have to address unfinished learning to ensure every Virginia student has the opportunity to reach their dreams.
Please remember to visit our ALL In website for resources, including the playbook, frequently asked questions, and links for tutors in the community who are interested in providing assistance. All In not only focuses on tutoring, but also focuses on the importance of regular attendance. We know that if a student attends school regularly, their opportunities for success dramatically change. We must have a continued focus on attendance as we move through the school year.
Our VDOE team will continue to build resources, engage in conversations, and provide collaborative solutions around attendance. Resources related to chronic absenteeism can be found on our website and also on the Attendance Works website. Through our collective efforts, we can improve student attendance and student achievement. Kids need to be in school. We all know #AttendanceMattersVA!
 I also want to take a moment to show gratitude for the opportunity to visit schools, see a focus on student learning, and discuss issues that matter to your communities. So, I want to continue to thank all the educators across our state. We are truly blessed by your intentional focus and dedication for every child.
In appreciation,
Lisa
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News from our Content Specialists and Special Education
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Blue Star Welcome Week
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers, Parents, Students, and Community Members
Contact: Daniel Dunham, Military Student and Families Specialist
celebration of Blue Star Welcome Week from September 23, 2023-October 1, 2023. This is an opportunity for the Commonwealth to welcome military-connected families by showing our appreciation through events, messages, and actions as well as offer opportunities to make meaningful connections. To learn more about how you can participate, visit the Blue Star Welcome Week’s webpage.
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Virginia Literacy Act Curriculum Update
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Teachers
Contact: VLA Team (email)
The Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) requires VDOE to recommend instructional programs in literacy–including K-5 core, K-8 supplemental, and K-8 intervention materials–that are aligned with the eligibility criteria of VLA, namely evidence-based literacy instruction and science-based reading research for approval by the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE). The VBOE has already approved an initial list of K-3 core instructional materials in June 2023. The VDOE website has been updated to include the completed rubrics and pricing lists (DOCX) for the K-3 core instructional materials.
VDOE, in partnership with the Virginia Literacy Partnerships (VLP), has opened Cycle 2 of the Instructional Program Review process which includes:
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K-5 Core Instructional Programs
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K-8 Supplemental Materials
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K-8 Intervention Materials
Reviews are being conducted by Virginia educators including administrators, reading specialists, and teachers. Virginia is using a two-phase process for core instruction review that is 1) modeled on similar processes in other states, and 2) designed to align with the requirements of the VLA and the current textbook review process. Cycle II K-5 Core materials will be presented to the VBOE for first review during the November 15-16 Board meeting and then be presented for final approval during the December Board meeting. The VDOE website has been updated to show the core instructional programs submitted in this review cycle and the program’s status.
A recommended list of supplemental and intervention materials will also be brought to the VBOE in early 2024. Dates are forthcoming for supplemental and intervention materials and should be formally announced shortly.
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School Performance & Support
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Opportunity to Comment on the Request to Extend Availability of Federal Funds ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents, Directors
Contact: Dr. Sarah Susbury, Director of the Office of Student Assessment
VDOE will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) for waivers of Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), also known as the "Tydings Amendment,” to extend the period of availability of Federal Fiscal Year 2021 funds for the Title I, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (State Assessment Formula Grants) until September 30, 2024.
The extended authority to obligate these funds would enable VDOE to improve the quality of assessments for students in accordance with applicable program requirements. In submitting the request for this waiver to USED, the Commonwealth must provide notice of the request and a reasonable opportunity to receive public comments.
Comments should be submitted to student_assessment@doe.virginia.gov by October 12, 2023.
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Required Justification to Exceed One Percent Participation in the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents, Directors
Contact: Deborah Johnson, Intellectual Disabilities Specialist
The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA), which amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and replaced the previous No Child Left Behind Act, clarifies that states must ensure the total number of students assessed in a subject using the alternate assessment aligns with alternate achievement standards, and the state may not exceed one percent of the total number of all students who are assessed in a subject (Section 1111(b)(2)(D)(i)(I) and Section 1111(b)(2)(D)(ii)(II)). However, states are precluded from setting a division-level cap on the percentage of students who may be assessed with an alternate assessment. The law also specifies that any school division that exceeds the one percent cap must submit information to the state justifying the need to exceed it.
To meet this requirement and to be in alignment with VDOE’s Corrective Action Plan for exceeding the one percent cap for alternate assessment participation, school divisions are asked to examine their Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) participation to determine the division’s need to exceed the one percent cap and must provide justification for exceeding the one percent cap to the VDOE.
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Supporting Early Childhood Care & Education
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VQB5 Registration Deadline Closes Next Tuesday ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents, Directors, School Principals, Child Care Center Operators, Teachers, non-teaching staff
Contact: Lucy Mitzner, Quality Improvement Specialist
VQB5 Registration for the 2023-2024 program year is closes next Tuesday, October 3rd for all publicly-funded early childhood programs, including all VPI, Head Start, Early Head Start, Early Childhood Special Education, Title One, and Child Care Subsidy programs. VQB5 Registration occurs within the LinkB5 data system, coordinated by Ready Regions. Please see the below resources to support VQB5 Participation.
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Division Finance and Budgeting
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Recruitment and Retention Initiative ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents, Directors
Contact: Shawna LeBlond, Grants Manager
The 2022 General Assembly Special Session I appropriated funding to attract, recruit, and retain high-quality individuals to teach science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) subjects in Virginia middle and high schools experiencing difficulty in recruiting qualified teachers. School divisions interested in this funding must submit to the Virginia Department of Education a STEM Teacher Recruitment and Retention Initiatives (TRRI) Application on the Single Sign-on for Web Systems (SSWS) portal by October 20, 2023.
Access additional instructions and information on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Teacher Recruitment and Retention.
2023-2024 Title I, Part C, Allocations and Title I, Part C, Consortium Incentive Grant Allocations under Provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as Amended
Audience: Superintendents, Directors; Title I, Part C, Federal Program Coordinators
Contact: Sarah Gallagher, Title I, Part C Specialist
The procedures and forms for submitting an application for Title I, Part C, were previously provided to school division program coordinators. Applications were due on July 1, 2023.
Second Round Grant Applications for the School Construction Assistance Program ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents; Facility Directors and Finance Directors
Contact: Vijay Ramnarain, Director of Support Services, (804) 750-8715
The General Assembly and Governor Youngkin created the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) providing $450 million for competitive grants for new school construction, additions, and major building renovations. The Board of Education previously awarded $365.3 million in grant funding to qualifying school projects, and $84.7 million in funding remains available for award through a second-round application process, designated “SCAP FY24.”
As directed by the Board of Education, the competitive application criteria and 65-point minimum qualifying score will remain the same for the second application round. School divisions may apply for grant funding using VDOE’s Single Sign-On Web Systems (SSWS) portal. Instructions and additional guidance documents are located on the VDOE’s SCAP FY24 webpage. School projects that were awarded grant funding in the first round are not eligible to receive another grant in the second round.
Applications for grant funding must be submitted in SSWS no later than Friday, November 28, 2023. School divisions applying for a new school project in the planning phase or in the document preparation phase that have not yet obtained a school number from VDOE must complete a Planned School Form so that the project can be identified as an eligible school project in SSWS and be scored using the competitive criteria in the Board’s guidelines.
Medicaid and Schools Annual Training Opportunity
Audience: Superintendents, Special Education & Student Services Directors; Finance Officers
Contact: Amy Edwards, Medicaid Specialist
The VDOE, in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), is offering a virtual training opportunity on October 2-10, 2023. The training will address efforts underway that have the potential to expand school divisions’ federal Medicaid funding for covered school health and support services provided to children outside of special education as well as the current Medicaid and schools reimbursable services.
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FY 2024 Updated Required Local Effort/Required Local Match Certification ⚠️
Audience: Superintendents; School Finance Staff
Contact: Ed Lanza, Director of Budget
All school divisions are required to update their fiscal year 2024 certifications of required local effort and required local match (RLERLM) pursuant to additional funding actions enacted in Chapter 1, 2023 Special Session I General Assembly. School divisions must update their certifications of local funding in the RLERLM application in the Single Sign-on for Web System (SSWS) portal by October 27, 2023.
The RLERLM collection window has been opened in SSWS so that school divisions can certify that additional local matching funds have been provided pursuant to the General Assembly’s increase to the support positions staffing standard and the additional 2 percent compensation supplement effective January 1, 2024. Once a division has successfully completed Sections I and II in the RLERLM application in SSWS, the division superintendent or designee must certify the FY 2024 RLERLM electronically in SSWS. Detailed instructions are located in SSWS on the right side of the webpage once you enter the RLERLM application. Please note that updated recurring FY 2024 state payments to school divisions cannot begin until all school divisions have certified the RLERLM data collection.
Superintendents of school divisions whose local appropriations for FY 2024 are only slightly in excess of the amount required to maintain local effort for the SOQ are requested to review their average daily membership (ADM) totals monthly. These superintendents must request additional local funding from the local governing body whenever changes in ADM increase the amount of required local effort beyond what has been appropriated by the local governing body.
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Career Opportunities at VDOE
Positions have been posted for working in the Richmond capital region that include:
- LASER Specialist (Decision Analytics)
- Regulatory and Legal Coordinator
- IT Project Manager
- SNP Nutrition and Wellness Specialist
- VTSS Implementation Specialist
- Senior Policy Analyst
- Press Communications Coordinator
- Director of Licensure
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