Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Teaching in Virginia

The Virginia Department of Education licenses teachers and administrators according to regulations adopted by the Board of Education. The department also administers regulations governing educator preparation programs to ensure that teachers enter the classroom with content knowledge and instructional skills aligned to the Standards of Learning and other objectives for learning and achievement.

The department also administers programs to help school divisions recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and recognize instructional excellence.

Stay Informed with TeacherDirect

TeacherDirect provides a direct line of communication with classroom teachers and educators. TeacherDirect includes information about new instructional resources created by VDOE staff as well as professional development, grant opportunities, and other information of special interest to teachers and students.

ALL In VA

The Commonwealth of Virginia is making a significant investment in public education with $418 million dedicated to high dosage academic tutoring, accelerating the expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA), and combatting chronic absenteeism.

School Performance and Support Framework

Virginia's students, families, and educators have long deserved a system that prioritizes high expectations for every child and provides clarity on how each school is preparing students for success. Virginia’s new accountability system, the School Performance and Support Framework, builds trust among schools, parents, and communities through transparent, easy-to-understand reporting on a school’s performance. The Framework shows how students are mastering grade level content, whether each student is growing, and how the school is preparing students for their next phase of their education.

Early Childhood Care & Education

Quality early learning experiences are an essential element to preparing children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. The Virginia Department of Education helps prepare all children for kindergarten by supporting birth to five programming

K-12 Standards & Instruction

Instruction in Virginia's public schools is guided by the Standards of Learning. The standards describe the commonwealth's expectations for student learning and achievement in grades K-12 in English, mathematics, science, history and social science, technology, the fine arts, foreign language, health and physical education and driver education.

The commonwealth and its public schools also provide specialized instruction and programs for gifted students, students with disabilities, English language learners and children in schools serving economically disadvantaged communities.

Standards of Learning & Student Assessment

Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history/social science measure the success of students in meeting the Board of Education’s expectations for learning and achievement. All items on SOL tests are reviewed by Virginia classroom teachers for accuracy and fairness. Teachers also assist the state Board of Education in setting proficiency standards for the tests.

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