Selected Virginia schools would use printed textbooks as main teaching materials

Virginia’s education department would select up to 10 school divisions through a competitive process. The requirement to use these main teaching materials would cover every enrolled student in participating school divisions. A student’s individualized education program, a special education plan, could call for a different approach. The education department would set rules for running the pilot and help participating divisions choose printed materials when they request help.

Virginia’s education department would award grants to participating school divisions to buy printed textbooks and other high-quality teaching materials. Participating school divisions would not have to provide matching local money to receive a grant. Grants would depend on money set aside for this purpose in the state budget. Grant money would add to, rather than replace, other state money for textbooks provided free to students.

Virginia’s education department would report to state lawmakers each year with help from participating school divisions. Reports would go to the leaders of the House and Senate committees responsible for education and state spending. Reports would be due no later than November 1 of each year the pilot runs.