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Perspective | Let’s remove local school districts’ power to block charter schools

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Perspective | Let’s remove local school districts’ power to block charter schools


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The Washington Put up printed not too long ago an intriguing commentary on schooling by Virginia Del. Nick Freitas and Individuals for Prosperity-Virginia deputy director Jacob Fish. Its title was “Rework Virginia’s schooling system to create alternatives for all.”

My political beliefs could differ considerably from theirs. However our nation has an extended historical past of nonpartisan efforts to enhance our faculties. This might occur once more with folks like Freitas (R-Culpeper) and Fish in a state I really like as a lot as they do.

My mom and her mom have been born in Virginia. My first job at The Washington Put up was protecting evening college board conferences within the Virginia communities of Arlington and Alexandria. I wandered off to assignments in China and California however realized by the Nineteen Nineties that I wished to write down about U.S. lecturers. Virginia at the moment was making some daring reforms.

Its Requirements of Studying exams raised the extent of instruction in methods different states envied. Northern Virginia districts have been additionally among the many first within the nation to open college-level Superior Placement and Worldwide Baccalaureate programs and exams to all college students who wished to take them.

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Opinion: Rework Virginia’s schooling system to create alternatives for all

Freitas and Fish rightly targeted their piece on giving dad and mom the ability to get their kids probably the most expert instructing. “College students shouldn’t be disadvantaged of the schooling that’s greatest for them due to their Zip code or their dad and mom’ monetary scenario,” they stated. They quoted Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) saying: “When dad and mom are empowered and engaged, a toddler’s life is enhanced.”

They highlighted concepts reminiscent of state cash to assist pay for tuition, charges, textbooks, tutoring and different certified bills at faculties dad and mom have chosen. They stated they wished college students to have the ability to attend any public college inside or exterior their college districts and enroll in apprenticeships and skills-based studying.

They overlooked, nonetheless, one essential issue. I agreed once they stated “dad and mom are greatest positioned to make academic choices for his or her kids.” However dad and mom need assistance discovering what works. The state ought to encourage ingenious educators to open new faculties, one thing Virginia has resisted and Freitas and Fish didn’t point out.

Public constitution faculties are run privately with tax {dollars}. They aren’t good, however lots of them have turn into inventive units for more practical instructing. Freitas and Fish point out charters however fail to level out that Virginia has solely seven of them. It’s because district college boards within the Outdated Dominion for years have been blocking new charters inside their borders. Virginia seems to be one in every of solely three states, the others being Maryland and Kansas, that give native college boards that unique energy. The Nationwide Alliance for Public Constitution Colleges has some good data.

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I stay in California. It doesn’t have such restrictions, regardless that it has robust lecturers unions which might be essential of charters as a result of most of them will not be unionized. County college boards or the state college board in California can approve new charters if the native board doesn’t. Unusually, the constitution authorization situation didn’t come up a lot in Virginia’s much-publicized furor over faculties in the course of the state elections final yr, although Youngkin has known as this yr for 20 extra charters within the state.

Considered one of Virginia’s greatest districts, Fairfax County, is without doubt one of the worst on this. It has rejected good constitution concepts not as a result of the state’s lecturers unions (weaker than in another states) oppose them, however as a result of many college leaders in prosperous Fairfax suppose charters are beneath them. Among the finest lecturers I do know tried to start out a constitution for low-income children in Fairfax County. He had robust help from specialists and group leaders however failed as a result of college officers cringed on the thought of doing one thing charter-rich Washington, D.C., was doing. I sense some college boards additionally resist charters as a result of they may present common faculties to be insufficient not directly.

Fairfax constitution college: An not possible dream?

To make good choices, dad and mom have to see the perfect concepts in motion. Within the Nineteen Nineties, two younger educators began a small constitution within the South Bronx. This was one of many first KIPP faculties, now the biggest constitution community within the nation. Many South Bronx dad and mom thought KIPP lecturers Dave Levin and Frank Corcoran have been out of their depth. However when phrase unfold about how a lot KIPP children have been studying, opinion shifted.

The KIPP center college used the fourth ground of an everyday public college within the South Bronx. The employees of that college tried to kick KIPP out of the constructing. The trouble collapsed when greater than 200 KIPP dad and mom appeared at a vital board assembly, chanting “KIPP, KIPP, KIPP, KIPP.”

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Freitas and Fish ought to push for an finish to giving native college boards unique energy over constitution authorizations. The truth that the difficulty hardly ever got here up within the final election could imply marketing campaign consultants didn’t contemplate it fascinating to voters.

That’s good. It may be precisely described as nonpartisan. All of us have variations with our neighbors, however many people, maybe begrudgingly, admit we’re happier when we’ve one thing on which we will agree.



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Virginia Tech vs. Miami sportsbook promos: $5K-plus available in bonus bets

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Virginia Tech vs. Miami sportsbook promos: K-plus available in bonus bets


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Read on to learn how these deals work, then apply as much as $5,900 in sign-up bonuses as you get your bets in for Ward’s first taste of ACC action.

Read more of Newsweek’s NCAAF Week 5 betting preview

Virginia Tech-Miami Sportsbook Promos: Take Home $5,900 in Bonus Bets

There are a range of markets available for the Hokies’ trip to South Florida, including the spread, total and various player props, like over-under yardage totals for Miami RB Damien Martinez and VT RB Bhayshul Tuten.

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State Fair of Virginia boss confident the event is safe for all: ‘We're secured’

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State Fair of Virginia boss confident the event is safe for all: ‘We're secured’


CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. — The State Fair of Virginia returns for 10 days at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell.

The fair opens Friday at 10 a.m.

Fair executive director Marlene Jolliffe told CBS 6 this is her 35th career state fair.

“We have a legacy. We have generational fairgoers who this is a tradition, and they keep coming,” Jolliffe recalled. “My grandchildren and my children have grown up in the fair industry because of me.”

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The State Fair of Virginia has been in operation since 1854 and Jolliffe said they’ve learned a lot since it moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009.

Last year, she invited contractors to visit the fairgrounds to study their procedures finding virtually no issues, but showed areas for improvement.

Crews installed metal detectors and upgraded cameras.

A security team holds meetings year-round before the fair and safety briefings every morning the fair is in operation.

The fair partners with the Virginia State Police for security. VSP declined an interview about this topic.

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Jolliffe said attendees can expect to see troopers across the park in addition to RMC Events employees in yellow shirts.

Those safety plans come on the heels of 300 people who were banned from nearby King’s Dominion due to fighting. Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Chesterfield County’s fair also saw groups fighting over the summer.

Community shares voices after large altercations mar community events, gatherings

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“Certainly I follow that and pay attention to it, but we don’t start changing what has worked so well for us just because an incident happens at another location,” Jolliffe explained.

The fair has not changed any policies since then and there is no chaperone policy, either.

Jolliffe described the 10 fun days as family-friendly, with dozens of school groups visiting during the day.

“We’re secured and partner with Virginia State Police. They are one of our most critical partners, and they’re here. They’re in the operation. They’re all over the grounds. They park, they get people off of the roadway from a parking standpoint, but they’re all over the main footprint of the property, securing,” Jolliffe said.

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State Fair of Virginia executive director Marlene Jolliffe

Among the highlights this year include new bathrooms built near the entrance.

After two years of dealing with soaking tropical storms, crews have installed a 17,000-square-foot tent with seating over their main stage.

New foods include the “Big Fatty” cinnamon roll rolled in bacon and “Hurricane Fries” topped with mac and cheese, fried chicken, and Yum Yum sauce.

The fair offers a new “Fast Lane” wristband to skip the lines at the rides, farm animal showcases for adults and youth, baking competitions, musical acts, a roving piano, a magician, and more.

“The beauty of what we do with the fair is we’re not all about entertainment. We’re also about the agriculture of things, the garden, the competitions, and having that nice mix of things makes it a little easier to be able to figure out how you program it,” Jolliffe said.

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The event has an overall regional economic impact of $41.5 million with 200,000 attendees over 10 days.

Do you know about a good news story happening in your community? Click here to email WTVR.com and the CBS 6 News team.

EAT IT, VIRGINIA restaurant news and interviews





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Chesterfield first responders deployed to southwest Virginia

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Chesterfield first responders deployed to southwest Virginia


CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) -Chesterfield first responders made their way to southwest Virginia Thursday to help areas forecasted to be the most affected by Hurricane Helene.

19 firefighters and EMS workers left Fire Station 17 in the morning to Wythe County.

The county expects several inches of rain, gusty winds and potentially downed trees and power lines.

The Chesterfield crews will be on standby to perform water rescues.

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They are also ready to deploy to neighboring states if necessary.

Another group of Chesterfield firefighters flew out to the Roanoke area earlier Thursday afternoon.



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