REPORT: Virginia Lowered Education Standards, Dismantled Accountability
Today Governor Glenn Youngkin received the Department of Education’s report “Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students.” The education report builds upon Governor Youngkin’s direction in Executive Order One issued on his first day in office. The Governor affirmed his guiding principles to address troubling data trends and outlined policy recommendations to restore excellence in education in Virginia.
Fairfax GOP Honors Elizabeth Schultz
At the Fairfax GOP Convention held on March 26, 2022, Chairman Steve Knotts shared the following proclamation:
WHEREAS, our fellow Republican Elizabeth L. Schultz honorably served on the Fairfax County School Board for eight years;
WHEREAS, Ms. Schultz additionally served for one year in the U.S. Department of Education as Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Technology
VIDEO: Vern Williams Talks Education with Fairfax GOP
Legendary math teacher Vern Williams recently discussed current trends and controversies in K-12 education, with Fairfax GOP Vice Chairman for Strategy and Engagement Srilekha Palle.
Williams advocates teaching what he calls “real math,” not “fuzzy math.” Twice honored by the Mathematics Association of America for distinguished teaching, Williams additionally served on the National Advisory Mathematics Advisory Panel during the George W. Bush Administration.
WATCH: Fairfax Mom Stands Up for County Parents and Students
Carrie Lukas, vice president of Independent Women’s Voice and mother of five children, shared her concerns with the Fairfax County School Board last night. Lukas’s remarks focused on the current mask controversy — her own kids were suspended for not wearing facial coverings — and concluded with a plea for school choice.
“This week is known as National School Choice Week, and it’s time for Virginia to give parents like me the ability to leave this school system which very clearly doesn’t want us anyway,” Lukas said.
Gov. Youngkin Issues “School Choice Week” Proclamation
Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced this week as School Choice Week, and issued a proclamation highlighting the importance of school choice for Virginia’s students and parents. “As your governor, I will continually stand up for students and parents and will sign the largest education budget in Virginia’s history. Our goal is that every student will graduate high school ready to go to college or start a great career. Choice and innovation within public education is vital to achieving that goal. That’s why together we will not only raise standards and raise teacher pay, but we will invest $150 million to kick start 20 new charter schools in the Commonwealth. We must empower parents and students with choice and innovation in K-12 public education,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.
ICYMI: Winsome Sears on ‘Fox News Primetime’
Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears joined Fox News Primetime last week to discuss a variety of issues facing our commonwealth and the nation, from the economy to education and more. “When you had governors deciding that certain businesses were essential and others weren’t, mostly mom and pops suffered. In the meantime, the big box stores stayed open,” Sears recalled. “Then you have to stay home with your child because the governors closed the schools, yet it’s interesting to me that private schools were able to figure out very quickly how to keep open while COVID was raging.”
Elizabeth Schultz Named as Virginia’s Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction
Today Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin named Jillian Balow as Virginia’s next Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Elizabeth Schultz as the next Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“Jillian and Elizabeth are going to be crucial in helping Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera restore excellence in education,” Youngkin said.
Virginia NAACP Encouraged Following Meeting with Youngkin Administration
Virginia State Conference NAACP President Robert N. Barnette, Jr., and Executive Director Da’Quan Marcell Love met with Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears, and Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares earlier today.
The in-person, hour-long meeting took place at the request of the Virginia NAACP with the goal of creating a positive working relationship with the incoming administration from the very beginning.
Youngkin Announces Selection of Education Secretary
Governor-Elect Glenn Youngkin today announced he has chosen Aimee Rogstad Guidera to serve as the next Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Aimee will be a critical partner in restoring expectations of excellence; overseeing a record education budget to invest in teachers, facilities and special education; rolling out innovation lab and charter schools; and standing for a curriculum that prepares Virginia’s children for a dynamic future and removes politics from the classroom,” said Governor-elect Youngkin.
ICYMI: Youngkin’s Bold Vision to Fix Our Schools
For months, for months, we’ve seen chaos seep into our schools, escalating into violence. Violence in our schools that lack security. A new instance each week until the unthinkable happened: Virginia – and America – awoke to the news that a young teenage girl had been sexually assaulted in her Loudoun County school – and worse, the school administrators covered it up, and Loudoun’s commonwealth attorney targeted the victim’s family.