For Families
Parent Ombudsman for Special Education
Contact Information
Gloria Dalton, Parent Ombudsman
Phone: 804-371-7420
Toll Free: 800-422-2083
Email: SpecialEducationOmbudsman@doe.virginia.gov
Family Engagement in Education
Family Engagement in Education Month-This is a PDF document. is an opportunity to recognize the importance of families and schools working together to build better futures for all children. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and Board of Eduation (BOE) believes that families and schools working in collaboration can create meaningful relationships that lead to significant gains in student achievement and success. We strongly encourage local school officials to develop plans and policies to enhance family engagement in their children’s schools, lives, and in the education community. Refer to the Family Engagement Resource Flyer-This is a Word document. for a variety of resources to promote and highlight Family Engagement during the month November and throughout the year.
School Enrollment
- Enrollment in Virginia Public Schools
- Virginia School Entrance Laws
- School Entrance Physical Exam Form (PDF) and Instructions (PDF)
- School readiness describes the capabilities of children, families, schools and communities that promote student success in kindergarten and beyond. Each component plays an essential role in the development of school readiness.
Learn more About Virginia Schools
School Quality Profiles
are a new way to look at the performance of Virginia’s public schools. School Quality Profiles are available for all schools, school divisions, and for the state.
Graduation Requirements
Students have many options for earning a high school diploma and opportunities ways to maximize course selections.- Graduation Requirements for students entering the ninth grade in fall 2018 (Class of 2022).
- Graduation Requirements for students entering the ninth grade prior to fall 2018
- Frequently Asked Questions about Earning a Virginia High School Diploma for students entering the ninth grade prior to fall 2018
- Academic and Career Plan – Students in middle and high school must now have a personal Academic and Career Plan that aligns academic and career goals with the student’s course of study.
- Parents: How to Connect Student Learning to Careers: Parents, Start Early! (PDF)
Virginia’s Revised Standards of Accreditation (SOA)
- Impact on Schools and Students
- Revisions to School Accreditation
- Revisions to Virginia Graduation Requirements (Class of 2022)
Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. For more information about FERPA, see Student Records & Privacy.
- To obtain copies of your public school records, contact your local school division’s administrative offices. Contact information on Virginia school divisions and schools is available on the Education Directories page.
- To obtain copies of your private school records, contact the private school’s administrative offices or the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE).
Resources for Families
- Career Clusters - planning tools for career and college readiness. Career Clusters help students investigate careers and design their courses of study to advance their career goals.
- Driver Eduation
- Health and Medical Support
- Home Schooling
- Human Trafficking
- Local Alternative Education Options for Suspended and Expelled Students in the Commonwealth (PDF)
- Military Families - includes contact list for school liaison officers
- Parent’s Guide to Additional Services - includes information about summer school
- Private Schools
- School Nutrition Programs – including:
- National School Lunch Program
- School Breakfast Program
- Afterschool Snack Program
- USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
- Summer Food Service Programs
- Special Education
- A Parent’s Guide to Special Education (PDF)
- Guía de Educación Especial para Padres (PDF)
- Virginia Family Special Education Connection
- Guidance for Military Families with Students in Special Education (PDF)
- Steps to Success: Communication with Your Child's School (This is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Marshallese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.)
- TestNav8 SOL Practice Items - by subject and grade level allow students to practice using the same online tools and formats they will use for their actual test.
- Summer Learning - grade level content for parents.
- Virtual Virginia - offers pre-Advanced Placement (AP), honors and AP classes as well as academic electives and world languages classes online. Eligible students enroll in Virtual Virginia through their local schools.
Outside Resources
- US Department of Education Family and Community Engagement
- SOL Innovation Committee- works identifying ways to improve the Standards of Learning testing and accountability system. The committee is made up of educators, legislators, administrators, business leaders, parents and advocates selected from across the commonwealth who are committed to implementing lasting changes to our current system. To request to be added to the committee’s listserv, or to give your input, please send an email to: education1@governor.virginia.gov.
- Virginia 529 College Savings Plan
- FAMIS, low cost health insurance- A Virginia family of four can make as much as $49,713 a year and still qualify for FAMIS, low cost health insurance for kids. Call 1-855-242-8282 or apply for FAMIS online.
- The Senate and House of Delegates programs
- Preparing for College – Resources for Virginia high school students to learn how to prepare, apply, and pay for college.
- Internet Safety