VASCD actively promotes public policy that reflects best educational practice and addresses the needs of modern learners.
If you would like to be a member of our Policy Team, there are opportunities for you! Contact Chris Jones at vaeducatorcmj@gmail.com
If you would like to receive periodic updates related to Virginia Board of Education and legislative action related to the priorities below, sign up for our Policy Updates email list here.
VASCD promotes decisions and policies that reflect “autonomy with integrity”, our belief in the abilities of educators to make sound decisions regarding teaching and learning. Read about autonomy with integrity- what it is and why it matters- here.
VASCD’s Policy Priorities guide our advocacy work with policymakers at the Virginia Board of Education and in the General Assembly. We also work to ensure these priorities are reflected in our work with educators and our partnerships with other organizations.
For 2022- 23 our priorities are:
Outstanding Teachers for Virginia’s Students
We must elevate the profession and champion autonomy with integrity from policy to the practitioner. Recruiting and retaining the very best educators requires coordinated efforts among policymakers and the education community. Although we appreciate the recent attention to Virginia’s teacher shortage, we urge decision-makers to align their actions with evidence regarding the factors that actually influence educators’ decisions to enter, stay, and grow in their positions.
Modernizing Virginia’s Assessment System
Virginia’s student assessment system should support and align with today’s student learning goals. Virginia’s Profile of a Graduate raises expectations for the student learning by requiring the demonstration of both academic knowledge and a broader range of skills necessary for success in the workplace and community. To measure these outcomes, a comprehensive and aligned assessment and accountability system are essential and should include multiple measures of proficiency, growth, and performance through assessments that incorporate flexibility with respect to time and space.
Personalizing Professional Learning Opportunities for Educators
Educators need relevant, competency-based professional learning opportunities. Throughout the commonwealth, there is an increased emphasis on students’ actual demonstration of learning in real-world contexts. In the same way, teachers should be able to learn in ways that are immediately relevant to their jobs and able to be demonstrated in the ways they plan, deliver, and assess learning for their students.