Dr. Lisa Coons resigned as Virginia‘s superintendent of public instruction in March after the Virginia DOE reportedly missed several deadlines to send reports to state legislators.
The Virginia Department of Education (DOE) also reportedly did not publish teaching materials for new history and social science standards in the Commonwealth.
“It has been an honor to serve Virginia’s students, families and educators. After careful consideration, I’ve decided to pursue new opportunities. I am grateful to the VDOE staff and educators who inspire me daily — Virginia’s children will always hold a special place in my heart,” Coons posted on X on March 14.
The day before, Coons re-shared a post by the Virginia Department of Education about her visit to Staunton to congratulate A.R Ware Elementary School first-grade teacher Karen Grady for being named the 2026 Virginia Regional Teacher of the Year for Region 5.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s second appointment in the role in four years, Coons replaced former superintendent Jillian Balow in March 2023, with a goal of helping Virginia address low student proficiency ratings in math and reading, as reported by The Virginian-Pilot. Coons would continue Youngkin’s directive of “restoring excellence” in Virginia’s public schools.
Chief Deputy Secretary of Education Emily Anne Gullickson assumed the role of acting superintendent of public instruction for Virginia Schools and now serves as the secretary of the Virginia Board of Education.
As superintendent of Virginia schools, Coons and Virginia‘s board of education worked to enhance regulations and practices for special education in response to complaints filed with the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. The complaints prompted a federal investigation.
Coons and the board also approved new laboratory schools in Virginia, lowered the teacher vacancy rate, overhauled the standards of learning (SOLs) and reduced regulatory barriers.
At the federal level, President Donald Trump wasted no time after his inauguration on January 20 to announce his intentions to gut and then eliminate the U.S. DOE. When he chose Linda McMahon as secretary of education, he did so while telling her he hoped she would work herself out of a job.
With uncertainty at the federal level of public school education, Coons’ sudden resignation makes education in Virginia shaky, if not uncertain.
“The last thing we need is a (state) Department of Education in flux while we’ve got all of this going on on the federal level. Educators around the nation are feeling anxious about the future of public education and now with Dr. Coons, we have even more reason to be anxious,” Krista Barton-Arnold, executive director for the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, told The Virginian-Pilot.
According to Barton-Arnold, the association worked closely with Coons. She saw Coons’ work to support new principals and to keep principals informed of department changes through events that would explain curriculum changes and measures to hold schools accountable for student success.
“Gov. Youngkin deeply values Dr. Coons’ dedication to Virginia’s students, parents and educators. As the administration moves forward with its education agenda, we are confident that Acting Superintendent Gullickson, with her experience in the Youngkin administration and her background as a teacher and advocate for students, will lead a seamless transition,” Youngkin spokesman Rob Damschen said.
Serving as superintendent of Virginia schools was an “incredible privilege,” Coons said in an announcement she sent to the agency upon her resignation.
“She has been visible in every region in the Commonwealth highlighting excellence in our public schools and her passion for literacy is only matched by her love for students. We wish her well as she pursues new professional opportunities,” Virginia Association of School Superintendents President Keith Perrigan said of Coons.
In March 2024, during a visit to Waynesboro, Coons visited Waynesboro Schools‘ education farm at Berkeley Glenn Elementary School, and the STEP Learning Lab and CTE near Waynesboro High School.
She returned to Waynesboro in August 2024 to discuss with school officials and community members instituting a cell phone ban in Virginia public schools.
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Virginia Superintendent Dr. Lisa Coons visits Waynesboro Schools’ farm, STEP Learning Lab, CTE
Virginia: School cell phone ban separates students from addiction
Staunton first-grade teacher is Virginia’s Region 5 2026 Teacher of the Year
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Rebecca Barnabi
