Advisory committee urges clearer virtual‑learning website, better statewide reporting for governor’s appendix

Michelle Wallace, assistant superintendent of instruction at the Virginia Department of Education, and committee members spent significant time reviewing the virtual learning website and discussing the annual report to the governor about online courses and programs.

The committee’s problem statement guided breakout groups: Virginia schools must effectively leverage virtual learning and advanced courses to ensure student connectivity and provide online professional learning. Group members recommended reorganizing the virtual‑learning hub by audience (students, families, schools), simplifying page design, and adding quick links and success stories to help parents and educators find options quickly.

Why it matters: Committee members said the current site is wordy and not organized by user need, and several districts reported that locally provided virtual programs are not captured in the department’s annual appendix. “If we’re reporting on virtual learning to the governor and that legislation, you’re missing key data,” one participant said, noting large divisions such as Prince William and Fairfax supply substantial virtual programming that may not be reflected in the department’s current submissions.

Breakout sessions produced concrete suggestions. Group 2 recommended homepage navigation framed as “Why am I here?” with clear pathways for K–5, middle, high school, CTE and homeschooling audiences. They also suggested posting traits and practices of successful online learners and short video explainers aimed at parents. Group 3 (report to the governor) flagged data collection gaps: some local virtual programs operate as divisions’ internal programs and are not reported through the department’s systems unless coded as a virtual school with a school number. Group 1 urged more explicit guidance on what qualifies as a remote‑learning day and recommended a checklist or examples to improve fidelity in attendance and reporting.

Several districts described operational practices the committee viewed as models. Chesterfield County reported a multi‑year secondary program and a “FOCUS” model pairing a licensed online‑experienced teacher with a long‑term substitute to deliver online courses and build local teacher capacity. Members also raised attendance‑counting questions (seat time vs hours vs asynchronous measures) and suggested the department explore standardized guidance for reporting remote instruction.

Ending: VDOE staff said they will incorporate feedback into website updates and the governor’s appendix process and asked committee members for ongoing input as the department crafts guidelines, training packages and parent communications. The committee scheduled further fall discussion and an October working window for follow‑up materials.