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Articles by Todd Truitt
Ed Journalism’s Middle School Math Mirage
Attacks on Excellence is a series from Education Progress featuring critical coverage of the education policies and research paradigms that are holding students back. Give Part 1 and Part 2 of TheEvidence Crisis in Math Reform sub-series a read if you missed them! The latest “math reform finally works!” story comes from The Hechinger Report, featuring a Brockton Public Schools math curriculum coordinator celebrating supposed middle school gains using inquiry-first instructional methods.
Virginia Board of Education Rejects Surprise Proposal to Delay Cut Score Increases…For Now
The Virginia Board of Education on Thursday rejected a last-minute proposal from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to delay implementation of tougher passing standards (“cut scores”) on Standards of Learning (SOL) exams. Board members repeatedly emphasized we have the lowest math and reading cut scores in the country and that Virginia students, especially the least advantaged, have already waited long enough for more accurate measures of academic achievement. But it’s not dead yet.
Spanberger Admin Proposes Extending Virginia’s Lowest-in-Nation English and Math State Standards for 2 More Years
After years of delays, the proposed additional delay sets up a likely strong push for another delay in 2 years by powerful lobbying groups for those who work in the K-12 system…at the expense of Virginia students and parents As a supporter of Governor Abigail Spanberger, I’ve been impressed by much of the new administration’s promises on the campaign trail and in their first day executive order on higher expectations for Virginia’s public schools.
A Q&A on the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
by Josh Cowen Publisher’s Note by Todd Truitt Image Credit: Created by Grok As Virginians await Governor Abigail Spanberger’s decision regarding continued participation in the new federal scholarship tax credit program—originally opted into by former Governor Glenn Youngkin in early 2026—Josh Cowen’s Q&A below offers an overview of how the program functions.
Gratitude for Virginia’s SOL tests | Todd Truitt
Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests rarely inspire gratitude. More often, they are criticized as blunt instruments, sources of stress or symbols of overreach. Yet these tests have done something important: They have made it harder to ignore students falling behind. They also help build a stronger Virginia economy by preparing more students, especially from historically underserved communities, for careers and lifelong success.
Thankful for Virginia’s SOL Exams
Transparency and Accountability Where Local Systems Fell Short by Todd Truitt My guest commentary this week in the Richmond Times-Dispatch expresses thankfulness for Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. Before statewide testing, local assessments often masked poor performance and hid achievement gaps from parents and policymakers. The SOLs brought essential transparency and continue to keep struggling kids visible and schools accountable. You can read the full OpEd here.
A Rising Democratic Star Disappoints Teachers’ Unions in Virginia
by Kevin Mahnken, The 74 Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed an expansion of collective bargaining rights last week. Her allies in the labor movement weren’t pleased. Photo credit: Governor of Virginia’s webpage Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s rejection of a new law expanding collective bargaining rights for teachers has led to a division in the state’s Democratic coalition. It also generated discontent with a figure thought to be among her party’s future national leaders.
Center for Educational Progress
Platforming cherry-picked post-pandemic data masks struggles of Brockton students | The Evidence Crisis in Math Reform, Part 3 Attacks on Excellence is a series from Education Progress featuring critical coverage of the education policies and research paradigms that are holding students back.
Virginia’s Decision on Federal School Choice Tax Credit Program Looms
Two Democratic Governors Join Federal School Choice Tax Credit Program While Virginia’s State Program Faces Sunset by Todd Truitt Two Democratic governors have now chosen to participate in a new federal school choice tax-credit scholarship program. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced this week that her state will opt in, following Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
Accountability Is the Broccoli of Education Reform. States Must Eat More of It.
by Jeb Bush, The 74 Publisher’s note by Todd Truitt Virginia’s recent overhaul of its school accountability system and upcoming overhaul of its assessment system offers a timely case study for the argument advanced in Jeb Bush’s OpEd below.
Spanberger Signs Tighter School Cellphone Ban Into Law
by Todd Truitt Virginia’s move toward cellphone-free schools has now become a bipartisan through-line across two administrations. Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger yesterday signed Senator Stella Pekarsky’s (D-Fairfax County) follow-up school cell phone legislation, which had unanimously passed the Senate and overwhelmingly passed the House of Delegates.
Youngkin-led VDOE Backed Limits on Undocumented Students’ Program Access
Trump pressured states to limit undocumented high school students’ access to career education programs By Matt Barnum and Lily Altavena, Chalkbeat This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters Photo credit: Hannah Beier for Chalkbeat At least three states have taken steps to restrict undocumented high school students’ access to dual enrollment and career-technical education programs, according to documents reviewed by Chalkbeat.
Bipartisan Praise Greets New Superintendent at Board of Ed
by Todd Truitt State Superintendent Jenna Conway Photo credit: VDOE The Virginia Board of Education convened this week for its first meeting under the new administration of Governor Abigail Spanberger. The meeting represented a milestone for State Superintendent Jenna Conway, who presided over the Board for the first time in her new role. Rather than a reset, her first Board meeting as Superintendent signaled a steady, cohesive transition into the role.
Is it time for Virginia to cut back on studies and commissions? Lawmakers are weighing it.
Virginia lawmakers consider limiting state studies and commissions following similar actions in other states to streamline government, reduce bureaucracy, centralize oversight and cut regulatory barriers. by Nathaniel Cline The Virginia government is sponsoring around 200 interim studies and commissions created through various actions by the state legislature and governor’s office, and that number is expected to grow with pending legislation.
Virginia School Officials Should Not Be Their Own Regulators
by Todd Truitt As Virginia’s new Democratic Governor, Abigail Spanberger will soon shape the direction of public education statewide through five appointments to the Virginia Board of Education. Based on her longstanding focus on transparency and eliminating conflicts of interest, her administration can chart a different course with respect to a recent Virginia practice.
Excluding Social Studies from Accountability to Preserve Inquiry Is Mistaken
Created by Grok America’s Teachers Are “Drunk” on Inquiry-Based Learning: Why Virginia Should Include Social Studies in its Accountability Standards by Jamie Osborne I attended the recent National Council of the Social Studies (NCSS) annual conference in Washington, D.C., an event that draws thousands of educators from across the country. Unsurprisingly, inquiry-based learning dominated the agenda.
Senate Looks to Tighten School Cell Phone Ban
by Todd Truitt Created by Grok A Virginia Senate bill sponsored by Senator Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax County) would tighten the state’s school student cellphone ban law by replacing the word “restrict” with “prohibit,” a change supporters say is necessary after local school divisions — particularly Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) — interpreted the current statute more loosely than lawmakers intended.
After last year’s overhaul, Va. lawmakers consider tweaking K-12 assessment testing
Bills would address students’ final grade, administration of tests and retakes by Nathaniel Cline Less than a year after it was enacted, lawmakers will revisit a proposal that brought major changes to Virginia’s K-12 public school testing system, with the main debate centering on whether to keep or repeal a provision passed last year that requires assessments to count for 10% of students’ final grades.
Education Tax Credits In Virginia – A Win Win On the Politics? | Bacon's Rebellion -
You know who likes optionality? That’s right, politicians do. by Andrew Rotherham Let’s start with the high note. I came of age in the Mary Sue Terry and Douglas Wilder era of Virginia politics. Robert Frye, the first Black school board chair in Fairfax County, lived a few houses down from me. That first might not seem like a big deal now, but it was at the time. Abigail Spanberger becoming governor of Virginia this past weekend is another important—albeit, in my view, long overdue—first.
Senate Bill Grabs Political Third Rail of Diploma Exit Exams
Photo created by Grok by Todd Truitt Senator Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax County, is sponsoring a bill this legislative session that would require the Virginia Board of Education to develop and “implement alternative graduation pathways” that allow students to earn a Standard Diploma without passing the statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments.
Youngkin (Tries to) Take the Money and Run
The federal tax-credit scholarship program isn’t open yet, but Virginia’s already in line. by Chad Aldeman Republican Glenn Youngkin will leave office as governor of Virginia later this month. To his credit, he spent a lot of his tenure pushing for higher standards for public education. He revised the state’s accountability system to bring more transparency and urgency to school ratings.
Virginia’s New K-12 School Report Cards
In December 2025, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued new school report cards for the 2024-25 school year under the new school accountability system. The school report cards provide an overview of schools’ performance under the new system, as well as summarize such results into 1 of 4 summative ratings: Distinguished; On Track; Off Track; or Needs Intensive Support.
Commentary: How Virginia Democrats can reclaim the education issue
In 2021, Republican Glenn Youngkin was able to flip the K-12 education issue to pull off a victory by focusing on parents. This year, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger should learn from 2021 by embracing higher educational standards to reclaim the education issue. As has been shown nationally, typical Democratic proposals for higher teacher pay and increased funding alone are not sufficient. In fact, those were major planks of Terry McAuliffe’s 2021 education platform.
notes on the (Virginia) education press
by Todd Truitt If you were expecting any humility after the Virginia education press ran with the false claim for months that 70%+ of Virginia schools would be in the bottom two of four summative categories (Off Track, Needs Intensive Support) of the new accountability system–-when it was actually in the 30s—think again. The Washington Post is on the case this week with a 1,600+ word article, devoting substantial column space to instead implying that a government conspiracy occurred.
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