Articles of Interest
In Virginia, school boards will be the primary deciders on AP African American studies
Schools to Test Single-User Bathrooms, Heat Sensors | News | loudounnow.com
Fauquier County School Board moves to limit 5% raises to only state-funded positions | News
Virginia schools to digitize maps in case of emergencies
Elk Hill meeting mental health needs of students in Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta County
14 books to be removed from Spotsylvania County school libraries
Virginia Explained: The debate over student expectations
‘This is a reality’: Winchester School Board discusses school shootings
School Board Approves Collective Bargaining | News | loudounnow.com
More threats and extreme behavior in younger students at Virginia Beach Schools
Virginia’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction will face several challenges | WVTF
DOE Updates
VLA Webinar About the Statewide Training Opportunity for Reading Specialists
The Virginia Literacy Act passed by the Virginia Legislature in 2022, seeks to improve
K-3 literacy outcomes for all students in the Commonwealth. As part of this legislation, all
reading specialists are required to receive training in evidence-based literacy instruction and
science-based reading research. VDOE and Virginia Literacy Partnerships will host a webinar on March 29 at noon. to review information about the training and the role of reading specialists. See Superintendent’s Memo 049-23 for details and the registration link.
Free Virtual Workshop: Revolutionary Women
Join the Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum to explore the American Revolution through the eyes of Elizabeth Thompson, a loyalist spy, Deborah Samson, who fought as a patriot, and Jane Walker, whose story represents the thousands of wives who accompanied the army. Participants will gain historical content about women’s rights and roles in colonial America and discuss tips for how students can research the past.
Register for the Brainstorm 2023
Hosted by the Shenandoah Valley Educational Technology Consortium, this event will be held via Zoom from 4-6 p.m. each afternoon of April 18 – April 20. Brainstorm is a fully virtual educational technology-focused conference designed to motivate educators to innovate their classroom practices and integrate technology tools. Presenters and keynote speakers will focus on the utilization of instructional technologies, strategies, and resources to transform classrooms and meet the needs of today’s learners.
2023 Middle and High School Principals Conference & Exposition Call for Presentations
The Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals, with support from VDOE and the Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership, will host the Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference & Exposition on June 20 – 23, in Virginia Beach. The theme of this year’s summer conference is “Discover ’24.” See Superintendent’s Memo 042-23 for details.
Ed. Department Updates
ADDRESSING EDUCATION LEADERS
In back-to-back-to-back remarks at the Council of the Great City Schools’ Legislative/Policy Conference, the Council of Chief State School Officers’ Legislative Conference, and the National Association of State Boards of Education’s Legislative Conference, Secretary Cardona called on education leaders to rework systems so they better support promoting academic excellence, improving learning conditions, and preparing students for a world where global engagement is critical to the nation’s standing. “Now is the time for systems in education that deliver on our nation’s potential and put us in the position to raise the bar and lead the world for years to come,” he emphasized. He also urged leaders to tap the $1 billion allocated under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to further advance school-based mental health programs. “Our students are in great need now,” he said. “Let us support you through that work.”
Note: In an session open to the public, a number of Chief State School Officers shared how they were using nearly $19 billion of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds set aside for state use to advance recovery, from high-impact tutoring to student well-being initiatives (agenda and tweets 1 and 2).
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The Department is currently soliciting applications under several discretionary grant competitions.
- Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) — Open Textbooks Pilot Program. This program supports projects at eligible postsecondary institutions or state higher education agencies that create new open textbooks and expand the use of open textbooks and materials for courses that are part of a degree-granting program, particularly for those with high enrollments. (Note: The deadline for applications is May 16.)
- Strengthening Institutions Program. The SIP program provides grants to eligible postsecondary institutions to help them become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by improving the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability. (Note: The deadline for applications is May 22.)
- Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program. The UISFL program provides grants for planning, developing, and carrying out projects to strengthen undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages in the U.S. (Note: The deadline for applications is May 22.)
- Expanding Opportunities Through Quality Charter Schools Program — Grants to State Entities. This program awards grants to state entities that, in turn, award subgrants to eligible applicants to open new charter schools and replicate and expand high-quality charter schools. (Note: The deadline for applications is June 5.)
Also, education and workforce partners are encouraged to apply for Labor’s State Apprenticeship Grants, which may be used to strengthen and diversify the teacher workforce.
PEAP 2023 MATERIALS The Department recently posted the 2023 President’s Education Awards Program (PEAP) Excellence and Achievement certificates, as well as congratulatory letters from the President and the Secretary, for download by school principals. Each year, hundreds of thousands of elementary, middle, and high school graduates from public, private, and military schools are recognized for their educational accomplishments. There is no limit on the number of awards that may be downloaded and printed, as long as students meet criteria for each award set by schools.
