Department of Education
- Closing Virginia’s child care affordability gap could cost up to gap $4.5b a year
Secretary of Education Jeffery Smith and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway speaking inside the Peake Childhood Center in Newport News during the child care funding summit on Oct. 14, 2026.
- Justice Department report reprints Loudoun lawsuit alleging school officials downplayed 2021 Stone Bridge assault
The DOJ report reprints an October 2025 federal suit alleging Loudoun school officials showed deliberate indifference after a 2021 restroom assault at Stone Bridge High School.
- Virginia sees gains in kindergarten readiness, but gaps persist for underserved students
Children playing at Peake Childhood Center in Newport News in October 2026.
- Virginia lawmakers approve plan to advance new K-12 school funding formula
A cup of pencils sit on top of a classroom desk in a Virginia school.
- Governor Spanberger Orders Creation of Statewide Plan to Strengthen Cybersecurity, Prevent & Respond to AI-Related Cyberattacks
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today issued Executive Directive 6 to strengthen the Commonwealth’s cybersecurity and address the risks posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
- Virginia’s 2026 report calls for expanded college access, improved postsecondary planning
Damon Jiggetts, president and CEO of ACCESS College Foundation, and U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott at an October 2026 financial aid workshop in Portsmouth.
- Governor Spanberger Visits Students & Teachers in Henrico, Discusses Focus on Continuing to Strengthen Virginia Schools
HENRICO, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today visited Glen Lea Elementary School in Henrico County to meet with students and educators
- Governor Spanberger Announces Nearly $1.3 Million in Scholarships & Incentives for Nursing Students
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Spanberger today announced that the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center (VNWC) has awarded nearly $1.3 million in scholarships and incentives to nearly 350 prospective students across the Commonwealth.
- Virginia Releases 2026 School Performance Data Showing Broad Improvements
The Virginia Department of Education issued the Fall 2026 statewide results under the School Performance and Support Framework for the 2025-2026 school year.
- Governor Spanberger Announces School Accountability Results, More Than $26 Million in New Investments for Schools
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the 2026 School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) results, providing
- Virginia students make gains in reading, math as schools push toward pre-pandemic levels
Students in a classroom.
- W&M researcher leads study on students’ literacy outcomes under Virginia Literacy Act
Elizabeth Talbott has been awarded a research grant to conduct a longitudinal study of the Virginia Literacy Act.
- Virginia receives $7.2 million grant to expand childcare in Southwest, Southside Virginia
A supporter for early childhood and child care access wears a "gotta have child care" pin in Richmond on Jan. 21, 2026.
- Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger Allows Boys to Play in Girls Sports
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's administration withdrew a proposed regulation on July 30, 2026, that would have prevented biological males from participating in female-only athletic teams and entering designated female spaces.
- As student well-being concerns grow, Va. advocates push for stricter school tech guidelines
Virginia parents and educators are urging leaders, including the Board of Education, to reduce excessive classroom screen time by considering a draft policy that prioritizes distraction-free learning, physical books, writing, and face-to-face interaction.
- Virginia Education Press Needs intense Support
You can forget about any humility you might have expected after the Virginia education media falsely claimed for months that 70+ Virginia
- Virginia education board approves new rules for local student assessments
Students in a classroom.
- Virginia Beach schools, Civil Rights Office reach agreement over sexual misconduct investigations
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building pictured on Nov. 25, 2024.
- We must solve Virginia’s other health care workforce crisis: A lack of educators
America’s health care workforce shortage is a known crisis: Over 85% of health care facilities lack adequate staff.
- Higher Standards of Learning Cut Scores Coming, but Not This Year, Virginia Board Says
Virginia Board of Education Members listening to Superintendent Emily Anne Gullickson at the board’s business meeting on Nov. 13, 2025.
- Opioid authority awards $12.3 million for prevention, treatment and recovery in Virginia
The Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority has awarded more than $12.3 million to support opioid prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across the commonwealth.
- State Education Board Clarifies Expanded High School Graduation Course Options
Updates spell out how Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and transfer students can meet diploma requirements this year.
- Virginia resident seeks answers from state education superintendent over genocide definition
A Virginia resident is asking a Prince William County district court to order the state’s superintendent of public instruction to demonstrate how the Virginia Department of Education defines the term “genocide” in the state’s K-12 history curriculum. Prince William resident Gene Sokolowski filed a FOIA lawsuit in his county district court, alleging that Superintendent of […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Saddled with $137.6 Million Bill as State Absorbs Pandemic-Era Childcare Program
Virginia taxpayers are now facing a permanent financial burden as lawmakers recently approved a massive allocation of state funds to prop up a pandemic-era childcare program. The state budget includes a staggering allocation of $137.6 million for the Child Care Subsidy Program, which is managed jointly by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia […]
- Education department seeks new student assessment vendor
The Virginia Department of Education took the next step toward replacing its student assessment system, a move estimated to cost the commonwealth at least $30 million a year, after criticism over delayed results, technology access concerns and frequent changes. State and federal laws require all students to take state assessments, unless they qualify for a […]
- He Cannot Speak With His Voice. Virginia’s Schools Still Wouldn’t Listen
Noah does not speak with his voice. He speaks with his hands, with the careful shape of signs his family has worked hard to learn, with the urgency in his eyes when something is wrong, and with the full weight of a body that needs constant, skilled attention just to stay safe. At school, at […]
- Fight-or-Flight at Six Years Old: One Girl’s Lawsuit Accuses Virginia of Betraying Children With Disabilities
Ava is six years old. On good days she can sit for a short stretch of time with a favorite book or a quiet activity, her small hands moving carefully, her focus intact for a few precious minutes. On harder days the world itself feels too loud, too bright, too unpredictable. Fluorescent lights hum. Classroom […]
- Loudoun Parent Alleges Multi-Year Failure to Educate Son with Complex Disabilities, Seeks Private School Placement and Hundreds of Thousands in Relief
Thomas is a 10-year-old boy who lights up when he talks about fishing or riding his bike through the neighborhood. A brown-belt in taekwondo, he has a soft spot for animals—especially therapy dogs—and has spent hours learning to care for them. He is energetic, curious, and, by many accounts, eager to please when the conditions […]
- Virginia Budget Expands Universal School Meals with $17.6 Million Taxpayer Price Tag
Virginia lawmakers have approved a significant spending increase in the state budget, allocating $17.6 million from the General Fund across the biennium to expand school meal programs. The funding targets the Virginia Department of Education and Direct Aid to Public Education to increase reimbursement rates for school breakfasts. However, a primary goal of this multimillion-dollar […]
- Virginia’s $117.6 Million Education Bonus Highlights Concerns Over State Spending and Local Tax Burdens
Virginia lawmakers are once again reaching into the general fund, this time allocating $117.6 million for a one-time bonus program aimed at public education employees. The amendment specifically provides a flat $1,500 bonus for state-recognized instructional and support positions across the commonwealth. Fiscal conservatives are raising concerns about the growing price tag of this initiative, […]
- Virginia’s $770 Million Teacher Pay Hike Sparks Concerns Over Runaway State Spending
Virginia taxpayers are facing a massive financial burden as the state government commits an astonishing $770 million to fund a four percent salary increase for teachers in both fiscal years 2027 and 2028. This sweeping budget allocation doubles the original proposal made by the governor, raising serious concerns among fiscal conservatives about sustainable spending and […]
- Virginia schools gain spending flexibility under federal program
Virginia schools will have greater agency in administrative decisions and flexibility in how they spend federal funds heading into the upcoming school year, potentially affecting low-income student programs and teacher development. Over the past year, the U.S. Department of Education has loosened some rules on how federal Title program funds can be used. In December, […]
- Taxpayers Foot the Bill: Virginia Allocates $25 Million for Private Employer Childcare Program
Virginia taxpayers are now on the hook for a newly established $25 million pilot program designed to heavily subsidize childcare benefits for private employers. The initiative, funded directly from the general fund and slated for fiscal year 2027, represents a massive expansion of state involvement in private sector compensation. Critics argue that this Employee Child […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Record Two Billion Dollar Education Spending Spree
The recently finalized fiscal year 2027 to 2028 biennium budget for the State of Virginia includes a staggering two billion dollar investment in new public education funding. A central component of this massive financial package is a mandated four percent salary increase for public school teachers and support staff in each of the next two […]
- Virginia Allocates $116.3 Million for School Bonuses Amid Growing Budget Concerns
The state of Virginia is preparing to distribute a staggering $116.3 million in taxpayer funds to cover a one-time bonus payment for public school employees. This substantial financial commitment targets funded Standards of Quality instructional and support positions across the commonwealth. While supporting educators is a recognized priority, fiscal conservatives are raising alarms regarding the
- Virginia Education Budget Balloons with $148.4 Million Spending Hike
Fiscal Concerns Over Ballooning Education Budget Virginia taxpayers are facing another massive expansion of state spending as lawmakers push a staggering $148.4 million budget increase over the upcoming biennium for the Department of Education. This new funding proposal aims to more than double the Special Education Add-On, a program that was only just established during […]
- Virginia Budget Expands State Spending With $500,000 Grant for School Defibrillators
Virginia lawmakers have allocated a substantial half-million dollars from the state general fund for the upcoming fiscal year to equip schools with medical emergency devices. This aggressive spending measure represents a massive expansion of state involvement in local educational infrastructure. While protecting the health and safety of students is a universal priority, fiscal conservatives are […
- Virginia Allocates $1.25 Million in Taxpayer Funds to Study K-12 Education Spending
The Virginia legislature has finalized a state budget that includes a massive $1.25 million allocation aimed at reviewing the public education funding formula. This significant expenditure will fund the Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding over the upcoming biennium. Conservative watchdogs are raising serious concerns that this allocation represents another layer of bur
- Virginia Taxpayers on the Hook for $136.1 Million as Lawmakers Eliminate Spending Caps on Private Day Schools
Virginia taxpayers are facing a steep financial burden as the state government allocates a staggering $136.1 million from the General Fund over the biennium for the Children’s Services Act. This massive influx of taxpayer dollars is intended to address soaring caseloads and the escalating costs of private day school placements for at-risk youth. However, fiscal […]
- Virginia Budget Amendment Targets Runaway Private School Spending with $10 Million Public Expansion
Virginia lawmakers have authorized a $10.0 million allocation in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to expand student eligibility for the Support for Students with Intense Support Needs Application program. This targeted funding increase pushes the total budget for the program to $112,686,268, which represents a substantial rise from the previous base amount of $102,686,265. Fiscal […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Face Massive Burden as State Approves $117.6 Million for School Bonuses
Virginia taxpayers are bracing for another massive expenditure as the state government pushes forward with a costly education budget. Lawmakers have approved an astonishing $117.6 million appropriation to cover the state’s share of a one-time $1,500 bonus for instructional and support positions. This massive spending initiative targets state-recognized Standards of Quality staff within local schoo
- Virginia Budget Explodes with $17.6 Million Handout for Universal School Breakfasts
Virginia taxpayers are currently facing a significant financial burden as the state budget allocates a staggering $17.6 million to increase school breakfast reimbursement rates. This massive funding initiative, slated for the upcoming FY2027-FY2028 fiscal biennium, aims to push more school divisions into the controversial federal Community Eligibility Provision. By heavily incentivizing this speci
- Virginia Budget Hides $400.4 Million in Flexible Slush Funds for Local Schools
The Virginia budget for fiscal year 2027 contains a massive expenditure that should raise immediate red flags for fiscal conservatives and taxpayers across the commonwealth. Lawmakers have approved a staggering $400.4 million allocation designated merely as a one-time flexible payment supplement for local school divisions. By categorizing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars under such […]
- State Budget Subsidizes Local School Responsibilities With $500,000 AED Grant
Virginia taxpayers are once again footing the bill for local school district expenses as the newly passed state budget allocates $500,000 in the first year of Fiscal Year 2027 for Automated External Defibrillators. The funds, directed through the Department of Education under Direct Aid to Public Education, are meant to assist high-need public elementary and […]
- Virginia’s $148.4 Million Special Education Expansion Sparks Calls for Stricter Fiscal Oversight
The upcoming fiscal year 2027 budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes a staggering $148.4 million allocation to more than double the Special Education Add-On. This massive financial injection expands per-pupil funding for special education students, representing a significant priority for state legislators. While providing adequate resources for vulnerable students is a shared moral value
- Virginia Budget Explodes with Record Education Spending and Teacher Raises
The State of Virginia is preparing to implement the largest investment in public education in its history, raising serious concerns among fiscal conservatives about runaway state spending and long-term financial stability. The newly approved budget includes a massive two billion dollars in new education funding overall, with over one billion dollars directed specifically toward public […]
- Virginia Taxpayers on the Hook for $10 Million Expansion of Renamed Special Education Bureaucracy
Virginia taxpayers are facing another significant budget expansion as state officials push forward a massive $10.0 million funding increase for the fiscal year 2027 education budget. The general fund appropriation specifically targets the newly rebranded Support for Students with Intense Support Needs Application, formerly known as the Special Education Regional Tuition program. This costly financ
- Virginia’s $400 Million Blank Check: How Flexible School Funding Threatens Fiscal Responsibility
Virginia lawmakers have allocated a staggering $400.4 million from the general fund as a one-time flexible payment to local school divisions across the commonwealth. This massive expenditure, tucked into the latest state budget amendments, comes with the promise of addressing local educational needs without requiring a direct financial match from localities. However, fiscal conservatives are […]
- Public college governing boards
Even after being ousted as the Virginia Military Institute’s first Black superintendent last summer, retired Major General Cedric Wins said Monday at a higher education-focused conference in Washington D.C. that by helping to examine and improve governing boards for Virginia’s public colleges and universities on a state commission, he is committing another act of service. […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Face Record Education Bill as State Spends Billions Despite Declining Enrollment
The state of Virginia has officially enacted a budget that includes a staggering two billion dollars in new public education funding. This record-breaking allocation represents the largest single investment in public education in the history of the commonwealth, placing an immense long-term burden on hardworking taxpayers. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently praised the spending package, claiming