November 18, 2021 Business Meeting
The Board approved the minutes of their meetings on October 20-21, 2021.
Consent Agenda:
The Board approved three consent items:
Action Items:
The Board gave preliminary approval to a revision of the regulatory action to amend the regulations establishing standards for the accreditation of public schools in Virginia. A Board-established committee reviewed accreditation data and recommended this revision to the school accreditation regulations to address unintended consequences of the 2017 revision. With today’s vote, the proposed amendments will now undergo state executive level review, followed by a 60-day public comment period before returning to the Board for final adoption.
The Board approved the 2021 Annual Report on the conditions and needs of public schools in Virginia. This constitutionally required report provides an overview of the needs of public education, an update on student achievement and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the Board’s work over the past year. Additionally, the Annual Report outlines the condition of public education including education funding as compared to other states, student enrollment trends, staff vacancies, and graduation and dropout rates. The final report will be transmitted to the Governor and General Assembly on December 1.
The Board approved three Notices of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA).
They include:
The first two are related to the 2020 General Assembly transfer of oversight of child care programs and regulations to the Virginia Board of Education and are necessary to enable better implementation and alignment with state and federal law. The third one relates to surveys, program evaluations and other types of research utilizing input from people and establishes an institutional review board charged with protecting the rights and welfare of research participants.
The Board approved “Guidance on Cultural Competency Training for Teachers and other Licensed School Board Employees in Virginia Public Schools,” as required by House Bill 1904 and Senate Bill 1196 (2021 General Assembly). The statutorily required guidance document provides minimum standards to be covered by local division required training. This document will now be posted on TownHall for a 30-day public comment period, pursuant to the Administrative Process Act.
The Board approved a Fast-track regulatory action to strike “Component” and align regulatory language with federal requirements. This is a technical change to ensure consistency in multiple areas of board regulation where this language appears and to align it with applicable federal regulations.
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Board actions are unanimous or unopposed unless otherwise noted
The next meetings of the Board of Education are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, January 26-27, 2022. For more information, visit the Virginia Board of Education web page.
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