Student & Family Services
A variety of programs and resources are available to assist families in partnering with their local public school to support and improve teaching and learning.
Military Families
VDOE, in collaboration with the adjutant general, the Virginia National Guard Family Assistance Center and other military authorities, provides a number of resources on children of mobilized military personnel for families and educators.
Comprehensive Services Act
The Virginia Comprehensive Services Act provides for the pooling of eight specific funding streams to support services for high-risk youth. These funds are returned to the localities with a required state/ local match and are managed by local interagency teams. The purpose of the act is to provide high quality, child centered, family focused, cost effective, community-based services to high-risk youth and their families.
Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS)
The Virginia Tiered System of Supports (VTSS) is a framework and philosophy that provides resources and support to help every student to be successful in academics and behavior.
English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are designed to assist students in communicating effectively in English, both in and out of school. A number of resources and services are available to schools to help limited English proficient (LEP) students demonstrate their ability to understand, read and write English in order to function and be successful in school and in American society.
Homeless Students (Project Hope)
Project HOPE ensures the enrollment, attendance, and the success of homeless children and youth in school through public awareness efforts across the commonwealth and subgrants to local school divisions. School divisions develop customized programs to meet the needs of homeless children and youth in their areas.
Enrollment of Students in Foster Care
The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 is a federal mandate that ensures school stability for children in out-of-home care. The act requires that the child welfare agency (i.e., department of social services, child-placing agencies, etc.) coordinate with local educational agencies (Iocal school divisions) to ensure educational stability for every child in foster care. The Code of Virginia was amended in 2011 to mirror the educational stability component of the Fostering Connections Act.
Homebound Instruction
Homebound instruction shall be made available to students who are confined at home or in a health care facility for periods that would prevent normal school attendance based upon certification of need by a licensed physician or licensed clinical psychologist. For students eligible for special education or related services, the Individualized Education Program committee must revise the IEP, as appropriate, to direct off-site instruction.
Migrant Education Program
The purpose of the Migrant Education Program (MEP) is to design and support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs that provide migratory children with the same opportunity to meet the challenging state academic content and student achievement standards that are expected of all children. In addition, the MEP works to ensure that all migrant students graduate with a high school diploma (or complete a General Education Diploma) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment.
State-Operated Programs
Virginia law requires institutions having children in residence or custody to provide education and training commensurate with that provided to pupils in public schools. These educational services may be provided on-site cooperatively with the Virginia Department of Education or pursuant to a contract with a public school division or other public or private nonsectarian school, agency, or facility. The Board of Education prescribes standards for the education of students by these facilities; the facilities in turn must submit annually their proposed educational programs for approval by the board.
Re-Enrollment
Under state law, the Board of Education, in cooperation with the Board of Correctional Education is responsible for promulgating regulations for the re-enrollment in the public schools of youth who have been in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. These regulations require a re-enrollment plan for each youth who is of school attendance age or is eligible for special education services.