A new law passed by Virginia’s legislature and expected to be signed this month by Governor Terry McAuliffe presents an important opportunity for the commonwealth to support the work of its most cutting-edge school divisions.
Authored by Delegate Tag Greason and passed with robust bipartisan consensus, the new law directs the Virginia Board of Education to designate eligible School Divisions of Innovation. It gives the board the responsibility for creating exemptions from certain regulatory provisions.
School divisions choosing to participate will submit 5-year Plans of Innovation with specified goals and student performance targets. Plans are expected to address components including “creating opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery at different points in the learning process based on readiness” and to demonstrate increased student progress measuring both student growth and achievement.
The governor has several weeks to sign (or veto) the plan. Should he sign it, as expected, the state board of education later this year will identify which regulatory requirements Divisions of Innovations may seek exemptions from, and define the application process. The law gives the state board wide latitude in doing so, and the success of the program may hinge upon how ambitious it chooses to be in the freedoms it offers divisions...
This article originally appeared on the Lexington Institute's website. Read the full article here.
