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More Virginia colleges make SAT, ACT exams optional
The University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Norfolk State University are among the dozens of schools in the commonwealth that have changed their policies to relax admissions exams requirements. The test-optional trend is growing as more than 1,800 accredited, four-year colleges and universities nationally have committed to offering ACT/SAT optional or test-free testing policies […]
Safety commission approves Metro plan to put more trains in service
Metro officials will be able to put more trains into service as passenger demand grows and rail cars are increasingly overpacked. On Tuesday, the transit agency was given the green light to operate more of its 7000-series trains after the latest phase of its return to service plan was approved by the Washington Metrorail Safety […]
National assessment shows significant drops in Virginia reading and math scores
With the results of a national educational assessment showing significant declines in both reading and math, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is directing the Virginia Board of Education to raise Virginia’s testing standards. On Monday, the National Center for Education Statistics released the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a nationwide look at […]
Board of Education delays review of history, social sciences standards again
The Virginia Board of Education on Thursday accepted a request from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration to delay the review of the state’s new history and social science standards until Nov. 17. The board will also receive a proposal of the curriculum framework at the same meeting. “Our commitment remains that we want all of Virginia […]
Stratford University closure followed several years of problems with accreditor
Many college students who were on track to graduate from Stratford University are realizing they will need to redo some of their studies or end them entirely following the recent closure of the for-profit institution. Mushiya Tshibaka, a former nursing student and mother of three, said she was only five classes shy of graduation when […]
Dulles to join Reagan as the most public transit-accessible Virginia airports
Washington Dulles International Airport is preparing to become one of Virginia’s most public transit-accessible commercial airports with the eventual opening of a Metrorail station for travelers. The Silver Line extension of the Metro system, which includes the station at Dulles, has been in the works for more than 15 years. Construction issues pushed back the […]
Cyclist groups seek to delay demolition of old Nice Bridge over Potomac
As Maryland prepares to demolish the historic Nice/Middleton Bridge that connects the southern part of the state with Virginia over the Potomac River, bicycle advocates are seeking to delay those plans until the completion of an impact study. The bicycle advocacy groups, which include Potomac Heritage Trail Association, Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Association and Oxon Hill […]
Virginia traffic deaths are back up again. Can road safety improvements help?
Transportation officials are spending millions on traffic infrastructure in Virginia in hopes of curbing an alarming increase in traffic fatalities from 2014 to 2021. In a rare move last month, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to appropriate $672.4 million to accelerate road safety improvements across the state. In 2021, Virginia recorded 968 total fatalities on […]
Youngkin, attorney general expect schools to follow transgender policies
As opposition to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s new policies on treatment of transgender students grows, Virginia still lacks an enforcement plan to have school divisions adopt them. Under new guidance published last month, schools are required to inform a student’s parent or guardian whether a student wants to change their name, nickname and/or pronouns from how […]
Virginia wants to move more goods through Port of Virginia by rail
Virginia plans to increase the use of freight rail to transport goods by partnering with the Port of Virginia, according to the draft 2022 Statewide Rail Plan published on Wednesday. Using freight services to transport goods is expected to help relieve traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions and yield annually $2.1 billion in benefits. “The fact […]
Accreditor’s loss of federal recognition puts three Virginia schools at risk
Unless they find another accreditor within 18 months, three higher education institutions in Virginia could lose their ability to offer federal aid after a recent decision terminated the federal government’s recognition of their accrediting agency. This August the U.S. Department of Education terminated the certification of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools after […]
Most Virginia schools remain fully accredited despite student testing declines
Few Virginia schools lost full accreditation from the state this year despite significant learning losses during the pandemic revealed by standardized tests, according to data released on Thursday by the Virginia Department of Education. Data show that the number of fully accredited schools in Virginia dropped from 92% in 2019-20 to 89% for the 2022-23 […]