Diane Carnohan

This report details the Virginia Board of Education's comprehensive review process for textbooks and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). It outlines the legislative context from Chapters 680 and 683 (2025 Acts of Assembly), stakeholder engagement, and best practices for HQIM selection focusing on alignment to academic standards, instructional design, accessibility for all learners, and teacher usability. The report concludes with recommendations for revising the current review process, enhancing training, addressing publisher alignment concerns, and outlining future steps to improve instructional material implementation.

This Consolidated State Plan outlines Virginia's comprehensive approach to implementing federal education programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It details the state's academic standards, assessments, and a robust accountability system with long-term goals for academic achievement, graduation, and English language proficiency. Key strategic areas include ensuring equitable access to effective educators, improving school conditions, and supporting student transitions. The plan also addresses the unique needs of migratory children and at-risk youth, aiming to foster student success and close achievement gaps across all student populations.

This document outlines the first review of Virginia's Textbook and High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) Process, designed to align with Priority 1 of the Board of Education's Comprehensive Plan (2024-2029) to set and meet high academic expectations. The strategic focus encompasses revising the existing process for rigorous vetting and selection of HQIM, ensuring alignment with Standards of Learning, evaluating materials for accessibility, and providing targeted professional learning. Recommendations include incorporating new definitions, identifying support for diverse learners, establishing clear timelines for textbook/HQIM cycles, improving training for reviewers, enhancing stakeholder feedback opportunities, and making technical updates to the process, with planned implementations extending to 2030.

The agenda item focuses on the first and final review of revisions and reallocation of unused funds from the School Construction Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2025 (SCAP FY25). Due to a canceled project by Lunenburg County, $16,500,000 in funding needs reallocation. The proposal recommends distributing these unused funds to the next qualifying projects that were not fully funded in the previous round, adhering to board-approved guidelines requiring a minimum score of 65 points. Specifically, Sussex County Public School Division's Sussex Central High School project is recommended for the entire eligible grant amount of $1,772,000, and Petersburg City Public School Division's Petersburg High School project is recommended to receive a partial grant award of $13,811,034 from the remaining funds. The Superintendent of Public Instruction recommends approval to diversify and spread the remaining SCAP FY25 grant funding across more schools and divisions statewide. Authority for the program is derived from legislation established in the 2022 Special Session I General Assembly.

This document presents the first review of the Virginia Board of Education's Amended Comprehensive Strategic Plan for 2024-2029. The plan outlines the Board's priorities and goals for public education in Virginia, aligning with the Commonwealth's economic growth, workforce development, and talent competitiveness priorities. It builds on past successes and seeks to provide clarity for educators, families, and community members. Key sections include the Board's mission, vision, K-12 enrollment trends, and a five-year strategic framework with goals, focus areas, and outcome metrics. The plan emphasizes education as Virginia's primary long-term economic strategy, linking student readiness to employer and community needs.