Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: January 6, 2021
Contacts: Office of the Governor: Alenaa Yarmosky, Alena.Yarmosky@governor.virginia.gov | Virginia Department of Education: Charles Pyle, Charles.Pyle@doe.virginia.gov

Governor Northam Announces Advisory Committee on Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices

Inaugural meeting takes place today

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced the leadership and members of a new advisory committee charged with making recommendations on culturally relevant and inclusive education practices in Virginia’s public schools.

The Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee, which will hold its first meeting today, Wednesday, January 6, was established under House Bill 916, sponsored by Delegate Mark D. Sickles, and Senate Bill 853, sponsored by Senator Jennifer Boysko during the 2020 General Assembly session.

The legislation directed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to select the committee’s members, and tasked the advisory panel with reporting its recommendations to Governor Northam, the Board of Education, and the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and Senate Committee on Education and Health, by July 1, 2021.

“Inclusive and culturally relevant learning environments are vital to creating equitable pathways to success for all Virginians,” said Governor Northam. “The work of this committee will advance our ongoing efforts to tell the complete and accurate story of Virginia’s complex past, improve our history standards, and give educators opportunities to engage in important conversations and lessons with their students.”

“When we teach an honest narrative of our past, students better understand their place in history and are equipped to work toward a better society,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “This committee will build on the work of the Commission on African American History Education to ensure the content taught in Virginia classrooms is accurate and inclusive of perspectives which have been historically marginalized.”

The committee will be led by three co-chairs: Senator Boysko, Arlington County Superintendent and Board of Education Member Francisco Durán, and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education Dean Andrew Daire.

Other committee members are as follows:

  • Chief Ken Adams, Virginia Tribal Education Consortium, Chief Emeritus, Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe
  • Kathryn Adkins, High School History Teacher, Henry County Public Schools 
  • Elena Baum, Director, Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
  • Seyoum Berhe, State Refugee Coordinator, Department of Social Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Kristin Bolam, Elementary School Principal, York County Public Schools 
  • Maria Burgos, Supervisor of Global Learning and Culturally Responsive Instruction, Prince William County Public Schools and Member, African American History Education Commission
  • Angela Byrd-Wright, Mathematics Curriculum Leader, Hampton City Public Schools
  • Steven H. Cregger, Elementary School Art Teacher, Washington County Public Schools 
  • Amaarah DeCuir, Professor, American University School of Education
  • Colleen Eddy, History and Social Science Content Coordinator, Fairfax County Public Schools 
  • Veleka S. Gatling, Director of Diversity Initiatives and Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University
  • Rachel Gomez, Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education
  • Jennifer Goss, Teacher, Staunton City Public Schools; Teacher Fellow, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; and Alfred J. Lerner Fellow, Jewish Foundation for the Righteous 
  • Tameshia Grimes, Superintendent, Nottoway County Public Schools and Member, African American Superintendents Advisory Council 
  • Austin Houck, Student, University of Virginia and LGBTQ+ Activist, Homoglobin 
  • Hyun Lee, Member, Virginia Asian Advisory Board and Adjunct Professor, IGlobal University
  • Steve Legawiec, Coordinator of Social Studies, Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
  • Divya Lobo, Student, Dominion High School and the Academy for Engineering and Technology
  • Deborah March, Division Administrator, Fairfax County Public Schools 
  • Herbert Monroe, Assistant Superintendent, Caroline County Public Schools 
  • Jared A. Morris, Division Curriculum Innovation Lead, Madison County Public Schools 
  • Jessica Morris, Director of Special Education, Giles County Public Schools 
  • Monica Motley, Member, Virginia African American Advisory Board
  • Kirk Moyers, Social Studies Coordinator, Harrisonburg City Public Schools and Co-Chair, Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium
  • Brenda Muse, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Franklin County Public Schools 
  • Ilham Nasser, Senior Researcher and Director, International Institute of Islamic Thought
  • Megan de Nobriga, Director of Special Education, Bristol Virginia Public Schools
  • Carla Okouchi, Education Subcommittee Chair, Virginia Asian Advisory Board
  • Monica Robinson, K-12 Academic Support Programs Coordinator, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
  • Lyons Sanchezconcha, Spanish Teacher, Richmond Public Schools and Member, Virginia Latino Advisory Board
  • Jennifer Santiago, Director of Equity and Excellence, Falls Church City Public Schools 
  • Patty Smith, English Teacher, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology
  • Monica Starkweather, ESL Teacher, New Kent County Public Schools and Member, Virginia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • Ghassan Tarazi, Independent Consultant; Member, Virginia Coalition for Human Rights; and Retired, Fairfax County Public Schools
  • The Honorable Schuyler VanValkenburg, House of Delegates and High School History Teacher, Henrico County Public Schools 
  • Emma Violand-Sanchez, Retired Administrator, Arlington County Public Schools 
  • Carolyn Waters, ESL Teacher, Chesterfield County Public Schools 
  • Thelma Williams-Tunstall, Retired Content Specialist, Richmond Public Schools

Specifically, the Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Practices Committee will develop:

  • Recommendations to VDOE for consideration by the Board of Education during the 2021-2022 review of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning;
  • Recommendations for the development of Board of Education guidelines for local school division staff, including teachers and school counselors, on age-appropriate anti-bias education for students; and
  • Recommendations on professional development for school personnel related to culturally relevant and inclusive education practices, including, but not be limited to, considerations for:
    • Policies and regulations governing teacher preparation programs; and
    • Policies and regulations governing teacher licensure and professional development requirements for licensure renewal.

“The instructional, policy and equity staff of the department and I look forward to supporting the committee during the next six months,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James Lane. “I am grateful to all of the educators and community leaders who graciously agreed to make this substantial commitment of their time and expertise to helping the commonwealth develop standards, practices, policies, and school cultures that support all learners.” 

The committee’s first meeting will take place virtually on Wednesday, January 6 and will be livestreamed on the VDOE You Tube channel, beginning at 2 p.m.

The agenda includes an opportunity for public comment. Members of the public who wish to comment must register in advance online. Speakers will be limited to two minutes each to ensure adequate time for all registered speakers to provide public comment.

Additional information about the committee and meeting materials can be found on the Virginia is for Learners website.

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