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Virginia Department of Education

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Virginia Board of Education

Vision

The vision of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction, in cooperation with their partners, is to create an excellent statewide system of public education that derives strength from our diversity and that ensures equality of opportunity for each student in a safe and healthy learning environment that prepares all students to be capable, responsible, and self-reliant citizens in the global society.

Mission

The mission of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction, in cooperation with their partners, is to set education policy and provide leadership that improves the achievement of all students by advocating for effective programs that address individual and diverse learning needs of students, establishes high standards and has high expectations for learning, measures student performance, provides accountability to the public, and promotes a culture of lifelong learning.

The Board of Education serves as the primary advocate for a quality education for all children and youth in the state. The board seeks to promote excellence in the education of all students and is responsible for policies that promote educational quality throughout the state. In this capacity, the board defines the fundamental mission of the state's education system and develops the system's long-range goals. In order to meet these goals, the board enacts appropriate regulations, supports local implementation efforts, and regularly measures the performance of the system.

Duties

The main duties of the Board of Education include:

• Setting statewide curriculum standards;
• Establishing high school graduation requirements;
• Determining qualifications for classroom teachers, principals, and other education personnel;
• Establishing state testing and assessment programs;
• Establishing standards for accreditation of local school divisions and preparation programs for teachers and administrators;
• Implementing the No Child Left Behind Act and administering federal assistance programs; and
• Developing rules and regulations for the administration of state programs.

The Board of Education consists of nine members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. Members are appointed to serve a term of four years. No member shall be appointed to more than two consecutive four-year terms.

Goals for Public Education in Virginia: 2011-2016

1.  Expanded Opportunities to Learn: The Board of Education will continue to improve the standards for public schools in Virginia in order to expand learning opportunities needed for Virginia’s public schools. Our schools will lead the nation in rigor and quality and our students will compete and excel in postsecondary education and/or in the global workplace.

2.  Accountability for Student Learning: The Board of Education will support accountability for all public schools by providing leadership and by establishing policies that help schools and school divisions increase the academic success of all students, especially those who are at-risk or in underperforming school systems. Using improved longitudinal data systems, the Board will monitor schools’ progress in closing achievement gaps among groups of students.

3.  Nurturing Young Learners: The Board of Education will work cooperatively with partners and will promote new and innovative partnerships to help ensure that all young children are ready to enter kindergarten with the skills they need for success.

4.  Strong Literacy and Mathematics Skills: The Board of Education will establish policies that support the attainment of literacy and mathematics skills for all students, pre-K through grade 12.

5.  Highly Qualified and Effective Teachers and Administrators:  The Board of Education will establish policies and standards that improve the preparation, recruitment, and retention of Virginia’s educational personnel, including their meaningful and ongoing professional development, especially in teacher shortage areas and in hard-to-staff schools.

6.  Sound Policies for Student Success: The Board of Education will provide leadership to develop and implement the provisions of state and federal laws and regulations in ways that improve and expand opportunities for all of Virginia’s schoolchildren to excel academically.

7.  Safe and Secure Schools: The Board of Education will provide leadership to create safe and secure school environments.

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