The Virginia Board of Education on Tuesday approved a series of policies and regulatory changes the department and local school divisions will implement this summer and school year, including updated guidance on school-connected opioid overdoses, an expanded model policy on internet safety and changes to child-care subsidy regulations tied to the 2025 state budget.

Board members voted unanimously to waive first review and adopt the amended guidelines on school-connected overdose policies, response and parental notification after department staff said the revisions reflect bipartisan legislation passed in the 2025 General Assembly and extensive public feedback. The adopted guidance requires notification for both suspected and confirmed school-connected overdoses and includes newly added definitions and model language for division policies.

Also approved on final action were:
- Revisions to the model policy concerning internet safety, which add guidance on artificial intelligence tools, protections for student personally identifiable information and a requirement that divisions provide age-appropriate internet-safety instruction prior to student use of online systems.
- Final adoption of Virginia’s school accreditation report for school year 2024–25, and delegation of authority to VDOE staff to make technical edits.
- Changes to child-care subsidy regulations that implement budget directives effective July 1, 2025, including modest parent co-pay adjustments and prioritization rules intended to open slots for families actively working or training.
- Approval of updates to the department’s list of board-approved industry credentials and the addition of the high-school diploma Seal of Biliteracy as a credential for graduation purposes (per 2025 House Bill 2360).
- Revisions to the Virginia Public School Bus Specifications reflecting 2025 Acts of Assembly, including allowance for recruitment decals and guidance enabling smaller vehicles for rural divisions for two school years (per HB 2720).
- Approval of the New River Valley Governor School proposal to operate a half-day academic-year program on the Radford University campus serving Giles, Montgomery, Floyd, Radford and Pulaski divisions.
- Acceptance of the agency’s unified regulatory plan for FY 2026 and closure of a batch of periodic regulatory reviews, with targeted repeals or consolidations noted in the board item.

Most final actions were moved and seconded on voice votes with no recorded opposition. The roll-call pattern for the formal final actions recorded at the meeting was: Doctor Ackerman — aye; Mister Green — aye; Doctor Northern — aye; Mister Hansen — aye; Miss Ashton — aye; Mister Monk — aye; Chair Creasy — aye.

First reviews accepted at the meeting — to return for final action at a later date after stakeholder feedback and technical edits — included updated guidelines for policies on concussions in students, the CTE high-quality work-based learning implementation guide and draft 2025 expanded high-school science standards of learning.

The board also received a briefing from staff and from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) on JLARC’s ongoing review of Virginia’s new school accountability framework. JLARC told the board its report will be released publicly December 16, 2025 and that analysts plan to incorporate 2024–25 results into their final analyses.

Meeting participants repeatedly noted an interest in ensuring new guidance and regulations include clear implementation supports for local divisions — for example, VDOE staff told the board that the overdose and internet-safety items reflect extensive public feedback and include accompanying instructional resources and stakeholder lists.

The board paused briefly for a public-comment period during which representatives from regional arts programs and local educators urged continued support for music and fine-arts programs and for residential summer arts opportunities.

The Board of Education will reconvene later this summer for follow-up items and final reviews scheduled by staff. The department is expected to post the updated guidance documents and the recorded meeting materials to the VDOE website.

Votes at a glance (selected final actions taken)
- School-connected overdose parental-notification guidance (Item K): Approved (waive first review, adopt amended guidelines). Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded). Note: guidance requires notifications for suspected and confirmed overdoses.
- Model policy concerning internet safety (final revisions and instructional resources): Approved. Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded). Note: policy expands AI guidance and recommends divisions define authorized AI tools and provide PD for staff.
- Virginia school accreditation report, school year 2024–25 (final): Approved; staff delegated authority for technical revisions. Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded).
- Child-care subsidy regulation revisions (8 VAC 20‑7‑90): Approved (implements budget-directed changes effective July 1, 2025). Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded). Clarifications at the meeting: parent co-pay increases up to 5% for some families; very-low-income families may pay $5/month; program income eligibility noted at up to 85% of state median income for certain services.
- Board-approved industry credentials list (2025–26): Approved (addition: Seal of Biliteracy; removals: 24 credentials no longer offered by vendors). Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded).
- Virginia Public School Bus Specifications: Approved (revisions reflect HB 1993 and HB 2720). Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded).
- New River Valley Governor School proposal (Radford University; Giles, Montgomery, Floyd, Radford, Pulaski): Approved for final. Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded).
- Unified Regulatory Plan for FY2026 and closure of periodic reviews (multiple chapters): Approved. Vote: unanimous (7 ayes recorded).

Notes and next steps: Items accepted for first review will return to the board for final action after the department posts materials for public comment and completes technical edits. JLARC will publish its accountability-framework review to the General Assembly in December 2025.