McAuliffe announces SOL Innovation Committee members

The McAuliffe Administration announced the members and first meeting date for Virginia’s Standards of Learning Innovation Committee.

Building on the work that began with legislation passed during the 2014 General Assembly Session, the Standards of Learning Innovation Committee will take a comprehensive look at Virginia’s Standards of Learning system. After an exhaustive review of stakeholder recommendations and applications, the Committee members were selected by Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton.  They will be charged with making recommendations to the Board of Education and the General Assembly on ways to further reform SOL assessments, student growth measures, and encourage innovative teaching in the classroom.

“Virginia’s education system is one of the best in the world, and continues to grow stronger every day. I am proud that during the 2014 legislative session, my administration and the General Assembly worked together in a bipartisan way to make significant progress on one of my top priorities-reforming the Standards of Learning.  This is the first step in ensuring that our education system works for Virginia’s students, teachers and families,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “While we have already reduced the amount of SOL tests, the real work begins with enacting reforms to our educational system that will prepare our students for jobs of the 21st Century. I look forward to working with this group to make Virginia a leader in creativity and innovation in the classroom.”

“This Committee has the opportunity to truly shape the next generation of Virginia’s Standards of Learning,” said Holton. “The membership represents diverse perspectives from around the Commonwealth. I am confident that the Committee will develop both short-term and long-term recommendations to better align our education system with the needs of the 21^st century economy.”

The first meeting of the Committee will be held in Richmond on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

Members of the Committee are as follows:

• Dr. Shawnrell Blackwell of Chester, Director of School Improvement, Petersburg City Public Schools
• Kelly Booz of Alexandria, Member, City of Alexandria School Board
• Jeffrey Bourne of Richmond, Member, Richmond City School Board
• Terri Breeden of Fairfax, Assistant Superintendent, Fairfax County Public Schools
• Dabney Carr of Richmond, Partner at Troutman Sanders Law Firm
• Dr. Jared Cotton of Henry County, Superintendent, Henry County Public Schools
• Karen Cross of Washington County, Teacher, Bristol Public Schools
• Veronica Donahue of Essex, Teacher, Essex County Public Schools
• Dr. Jenny Sue Flannagan of Virginia Beach, President-elect, Virginia Association of Science Teachers
• Deborah Frazier of Spotsylvania, Principal, Spotsylvania County Public Schools
• Sarah Gross of Richmond, Parent, Richmond City Public Schools
• Meg Gruber of Prince William, Teacher, Prince William County Public Schools
• Dr. Roger Hathaway of Norfolk, Head of Education, NASA Langley Research Center
• Lillie Jessie of Woodbridge, Member, Prince William County School Board
• Dr. Tarannum Lateef of Manassas, Parent, Prince William County Public Schools
• Dr. Susan Magliaro of Blacksburg, Director of VT-STEM, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Dr. Brian Matney of Virginia Beach, Principal, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
• Laurie McCullough of Charlottesville, Director, Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• Dr. Stewart Roberson of Mechanicsville, Chairman, Moseley Architects
• Dr. Alan Seibert of Salem, Superintendent, Salem Public Schools
• Karen Thomsen of Bridgewater, Principal, Rockingham County Public Schools
• Dr. Christine Walther-Thomas of Midlothian, Professor and Dean, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education
• Jeion Ward of Hampton, retired teacher, Hampton City Public Schools
• Dr. William White of Williamsburg, Vice President, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
• Wade Whitehead of Roanoke, Teacher, Roanoke City Public Schools
• Benjamin Williams of Roanoke, Director of Testing, Roanoke County Public Schools
• Sanford Williams of Manassas, Member, Manassas City School Board
• Renee Zando of Henrico, Guidance Counselor, Henrico County Public Schools

Additionally, the Committee will have representation from the General Assembly. Four members of the House of Delegates will be appointed by the Speaker of the House and two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate.

Members of the Virginia House of Delegates are as follows:

• Delegate Thomas A. Greason
• Delegate Roxann Robinson
• Delegate Jim LeMunyon
• Delegate Rob Krupicka
• Members of the Senate of Virginia are as follows:
• Senator Creigh Deeds
• Senator John Miller

Dr. Steven Staples, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction; Christian Braunlich, President of the Board of Education; and the Secretary of Education will serve as exofficio members.