Kids
- Henrico Teachers and Parents Confront School Board Over Sweltering Classrooms and HVAC Failures
Educators describe 85-degree rooms and year-long neglect as parents demand a public daily repair audit; Teacher of the Year ties facilities failures to broader safety and support gaps.
- Few Va. universities have studied food insecurity among students, though 80% say it’s an issue
Most of Virginia’s public universities and colleges are aware of student food insecurity at their institutions, according to a November survey conducted by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
- 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.
- Loudoun Board Member Proposes Moving Summer School Before Fall Term
Kari LaBell urges the Loudoun County School Board to consider relocating summer school sessions to the weeks just prior to the new academic year to curb learning loss.
- Virginia House Panel Weighs Scope of Inhalant Sales Limits
A Criminal Subcommittee of the Virginia House of Delegates reviews a bill restricting retail sales of canister products with inhalant potential amid concerns it is overly broad.
- Lynchburg Expands Child Protective Services with Kinship Care and Substance Use Experts
Five new positions in Lynchburg’s human services department aim to keep children out of the foster care system and provide more support to families already in it.
- Reston Plaza America Unsure of Future of Noodles and Company
Noodles and Company in Reston Plaza America (staff photo taken by Angela Woolsey).
- Prince William County Middle School Basketball Program Has a 100-Game Winning Streak
The coaches of the Potomac Shores Middle School Boys’ Basketball teams didn’t need to teach this lesson because they haven’t had the opportunity yet. Marlon Marshall, the Varsity Coach, and Mark Marshall, the JV coach, both have a perfect 100-0 record.
- Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15. The lawsuit, filed July 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Western […]
- Virginia school board to appeal federal court order to remove Confederate school names
After more than two hours in the second of two closed sessions, the Shenandoah County School Board voted unanimously 6-0 Thursday night to appeal a federal court’s order for the district to remove Confederate names from schools in the county. It may cost millions in taxpayer dollars to contest the decision. Judge: Shenandoah School Board […]
- Hampton Roads tenants describe landlord’s abuse, retaliation after landmark fair housing settlement
A new settlement with Hampton Roads landlord David Merryman — who is currently serving a 17-year sentence for defrauding the federal government — means several of his former tenants will receive a piece of $2.5 million in financial compensation over the next year. Merryman must sell his Virginia properties, numbering over 60, and can never […]
- Federal judge denies hemp entrepreneurs’ request to overturn Virginia’s new THC limit
A federal judge in Roanoke on Friday declined seven Virginia business owners’ request to eliminate a new regulation that removes an exception to the state’s limit of 2 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per product package. The new standard took effect Aug. 15. The entrepreneurs had asked the U.S. District Court for the Western District of […]
- Anti-Slapp law plays role in backing Va. teacher and parent targeted by false online accusations
A Northern Virginia court in June rejected social media efforts to damage the reputation of a teacher and parent, awarding them more than $1 million in combined damages. Robert Rigby Jr., a longtime educator and advocate for LGBTQ+ students, said after the leader of conservative political action committee Virginia Project posted unfounded accusations that he […]
- Virginia launches new unit targeting illegal vapes and intoxicants
Virginia is creating an enforcement unit to oversee the rapidly expanding market for vaping products, hemp-derived intoxicants, THC and kratom, consolidating several regulatory responsibilities within the attorney general’s office. Attorney General Jay Jones announced the Regulated Products Enforcement Unit on Thursday, saying it will handle civil enforcement, retail compliance, product directori
- 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, […]
- Rep. Suhas Subramanyam Votes Against KIDS Act Despite Having Children of His Own
As a parent in Loudoun County, Virginia, few issues hit closer to home than the safety of our children online. In an era where smartphones are ubiquitous and social media platforms dominate young lives, protecting minors from harmful sexual content, predatory interactions, and addictive algorithms should be a non-negotiable priority. Yet, on June 29, 2026, […]
- Fairfax Schools Address Online Monitoring Concerns
Fairfax County Public Schools have been the subject of discussions regarding their student online monitoring capabilities. The primary focus involves identified gaps in keyword search monitoring and Google Suite security measures. These elements are described as essential for detecting signs that students may need assistance. The concerns stem from an analysis of current school internet […]
- Virginia schools push for local tax option as aging buildings strain rural divisions
Every time storms threaten the Tidewater region, Superintendent David Daniel worries the next round of severe weather could cripple Mathews County Public Schools’ aging environmental system, forcing classroom closures and creating safety risks for students. In one case, the storm did just that. Moisture overwhelmed the elementary school’s heating, ventilation and cooling system, causing water […]
- Virginia Universities Draw Attention for Handling of Parent Record Requests
Public universities in Virginia have been noted for practices that limit or complicate parents’ access to records concerning their children’s academic and campus experiences. These institutions reportedly require additional steps and documentation that extend the time needed to fulfill information requests. Such approaches affect families who support higher education through various contributions.
- Starting next year, public bathrooms in new Virginia buildings must have diaper-changing stations
A baby changing table in a public restroom. (Photo by Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, had an “ah-ha” moment when her daughter, now three, was a newborn. She’d been at a restaurant and needed to change her diaper but there was no changing station in the bathroom. Virginia law […]
- Fairfax County Counselor Addresses Concerns Over Excessive Screen Time for Young Children
Specifically, the counselor recounted experiences on a bus ride from the airport, while waiting in airport locations, and on planes, where every such child appeared to have a tablet in hand. ‘Stop handing tablets to kids everywhere,’ she urged, framing this as evidence of an unintended trend toward screen dependency from an early age. The […]
- Thousands of Virginians will regain the right to vote next month
Virginia resident Tati King, a former felon who helped lead a major lawsuit to win back his and others’ voting rights, stands outside of Virginia’s Capitol. (Photo courtesy of Phuong Tran/ACLU of Virginia) Tati Abu King, who was formerly incarcerated for a felony, has been waiting years to be able to vote again. A court […]
- Supreme Court ruling revives debate over conversion therapy bans, including in Virginia
The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom) An 8-1 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court has revived a legal fight over conversion therapy bans, siding with a free speech challenge to Colorado’s prohibition on therapists using talk-based conversion therapy with minors. Though the case has been sent back down […]
- Youngkin’s education board moves to toughen proficiency standards
Virginia students will soon face tougher academic expectations. Nearly a month after school leaders demanded greater transparency, the State Board of Education voted Thursday to support raising the benchmarks — or cut scores — for math and English, setting off a debate over how the changes will affect classrooms.
- RIP, Charlie Kirk, American Patriot and Friend of Israel
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old father of two and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed in broad daylight Wednesday at a Utah Valley University event.
- Survey finds gaps in use of top-tier teaching tools across Virginia
Some Virginia classrooms are embracing top-tier teaching tools — but others are barely touching them. A new statewide survey finds wide disparities in how English and math teachers use high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), underscoring the challenge of lifting student performance.
- Virginia Parents Protect their Children from Addictive Social Media
Reclaiming Childhood Task Force established to address youth mental health crisis RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today issued