March 24, 2025 Newsletter
In This Edition:
1. What We're Reading
2. School Board Meeting Recap
3. Happening Soon
What We’re Reading and Listening To
Virginia schools ranked dead last nationally in math recovery since pandemic, report says (WUSA)
The Education Recovery Scorecard, in its third year, from Harvard and Stanford and obtained by the Associated Press, looks at National Assessment of Education Progress numbers to gauge academic recovery in more than 8,700 school districts across 43 states and D.C…However, Virginia showed signs of improvement [for reading] in recent years, ranking 14th in the nation for reading growth between 2022 and 2024.
Sold a Story - Episode 13 The List (APM Reports)
Steubenville became a model of reading success. Then a new law in Ohio put it all at risk. In this episode, we look at the "science of reading" lists some states are making, why the program Steubenville has been using for 25 years isn't getting on many of these lists, and the surprising power of one curriculum review group.
Virginia’s Top Schools Leader Lisa Coons Abruptly Resigns (WaPo)
The reasons for Coons’ departure were not immediately clear…Virginia Board of Education president Grace Creasey said Chief Deputy Secretary of Education Emily Anne Gullickson would serve as acting state superintendent, effective immediately. “[She] brings experience, deep knowledge, commitment, and passion to this role…As a teacher, an advocate, and a national thought leader, she is ready to continue her service to the Commonwealth,” Creasey wrote.
The South Surges in Demographically-Controlled NAEP Analysis (The 74 Million)
Mississippi fourth-graders are the tops in the country at math and reading, surpassing their peers in much wealthier New Jersey and Connecticut, according to an analysis of America’s foremost test of student learning. A raft of other, mostly unheralded states command the peaks of academic achievement, including Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Georgia…That revised national leaderboard is visible only after researchers account for the wide variety of student populations in each state.
Why Some Schools Are Rethinking College For All (NYTimes)
Even after decades of bipartisan effort and billions of dollars spent, about 40 percent of students who start college never finish, often leaving with life-altering debt. Across the political spectrum, higher education institutions are less respected and trusted by the public…In response, some high schools…are now guiding teenagers toward a wider range of choices, including trade schools, apprenticeships, two-year degrees or the military.
Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks (AP)
The goal is to keep children safe, but these tools raise serious questions about privacy and security — as proven when…reporters inadvertently received access to almost 3,500 sensitive, unredacted student documents through a records request…Vancouver school staff and anyone else with links to the files could read everything. Firewalls or passwords didn’t protect the documents, and student names were not redacted, which cybersecurity experts warned was a massive security risk.
Opinion: Kids Are Spending Too Much Time on Laptops (Bloomberg)
Over the past two decades, school districts have spent billions of taxpayer dollars equipping classrooms with laptops and other devices in hopes of preparing kids for a digital future. The result? Students have fallen further behind on the skills they most need to succeed in careers: the three R’s plus a fourth — relationships. Today, about 90% of schools provide laptops or tablets to their students. Yet as students spend more time than ever on screens, social skills are deteriorating and test scores are near historic lows.
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March 13th School Board Meeting Recap
Highlights from the School Board Meeting focused on the proposed SY 2026-27 budget:
FY 2026 Budget Overview
Superintendent Durán presented a draft budget that began with a $41.4M deficit. Per Dr. Durán, the budget prioritizes staff compensation, student success, and operational efficiency. The budget includes a 2.31% increase, with $9M expected from the state (pending review).
Key Budget Investments
$24.96M for staff compensation, including step and COLA increases.
$11.5M for student academic growth, focusing on special education and English learners.
$2.71M for operational excellence, including school safety and staff for immersion schools.
Proposed Reductions
$22.36M in reductions, including cuts to central office and school-based positions, such as library aides and ITC contracts.
Budget Process and Timeline
The budget process is collaborative, with further public input through work sessions and a public hearing on April 3rd. Final approval is expected on May 1st.
Read the full recap here.
Happening Soon
Tuesday, March 25, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, Budget Work Session #1. School Board Work Session. Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. Watch live.
Tuesday, March 25, 2:45 – 4:00 PM, Budget Work Session #2. School Board Work Session. Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. Watch live.
Thursday, March 27, 7:00 PM, School Board Meeting. The Request to Speak form will be posted at 4:00 PM on Friday, March 21, and will remain open until 4:00 PM on Wednesday, March 26. Watch live on Comcast Channel 70 or Verizon Channel 41.
Thursday, April 3, 3:45 - 5:15 PM Budget Work Session #3. School Board Work Session. Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. Watch live.
Thursday, April 3, 7:00-9:00 PM Public Hearing on Proposed FY 2026 Budget. Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. Watch live.
Tuesday, April 7, 6:00-7:00 PM Open Office Hours with Kathleen Clark. Sign up to speak after 3:00 PM April 3rd.
