Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University

Imagine walking into a busy preschool classroom where blocks are crashing, and children are laughing. In the center of it all stands four-year-old Levi, staring at a shelf of art supplies; though he wants to draw, he hesitates, waiting for an adult to tell him what to do next. This moment highlights that building independence […]

How many students actively participate during a typical lesson? While some students eagerly raise their hands, many others remain silent, waiting for someone else to respond. Increasing the number of students who actively participate in instruction is an effective way to improve student engagement and learning. High Leverage Practice 18 encourages teachers  to use instructional […]

Designing meaningful instruction for students with extensive support needs requires balancing high expectations with individualized access. For students eligible to participate in the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP), the Virginia’s Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) provides the roadmap for reading, mathematics, and science content. Educators then design the supports students need to engage with that […]

Classrooms are more than academic spaces; they are places where trust, safety, and connection grow. The physical environment communicates a sense of belonging through its layout, color, and materials, shaping how students feel and engage with the space. When those environments intentionally invite creative expression, research shows they strengthen student wellbeing by helping learners process […]

For parents, navigating the transition from high school to adulthood for students with significant disabilities can be unnerving. Questions may arise, such as: Where will my child live, work, play, or go to school? How will my child with significant disabilities maneuver complex life decisions? Moreover, ultimately, where do I go for support? These simple […]

Although educational laws require schools to involve families as equal partners in the Assistive Technology (AT) process, many families report being limited in their involvement. Research by Dr. Angel Morgan and the Center on Inclusive Technology Education Systems (CITES) found that only 38% of families reported being asked about their technology goals and planning, and […]

Adaisha Gibson is thrilled to share a bit about her journey in education, literacy, and community with everyone. Her career with Sussex County Public Schools began in 2015 as a fifth grade teacher before she transitioned to teaching 11th grade English. In 2020, she stepped into her current role as the division Reading Specialist, where […]

Madelyn Leigh joins the TTAC at VCU team as a Program Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and French Studies from Wake Forest University and a Master of Science in Instructional Design from Grand Canyon University. She began working in Chesterfield County Public Schools as a Kindergarten […]

For decades, K–12 mathematics education has been framed as a debate between procedural fluency and conceptual understanding. However, effective mathematics instruction is not an either-or proposition. Evidence-based teaching intentionally connects concrete experiences, visual representations, and strategic problem-solving to build both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency (Witzel et al., 2008; Powell & Fuchs, 2018). While there […]

The current Standards of Learning in the core content areas have become increasingly rigorous and focus on student sensemaking. As teachers, we should be helping students see themselves and their peers as the “doers” of math, science, social studies, and English/Language Arts. Another term for “doing” is sensemaking. Advance organizers, concept mapping, and high-level questions […]