Adapting to Meet Your Needs

Virginia Ed Strategies is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on partnerships and programs that help ensure a strong K-12 educational system, a prepared future workforce, and a thriving global economy for Virginia. Originally established in 2007 as “Virginia Advanced Study Strategies,” our first several years were dedicated to administering the National Math and Science Initiative’s Advanced Placement (AP) teacher training and student support program that significantly increased the number of students taking and passing AP math, science, and English courses across the Commonwealth. More recent signature projects include the Rural Math Excel Partnership and the Rural Math Innovation Network – both funded by United States Department of Education Investing In Innovation (i3) grants to develop innovative models of national significance with potential for large-scale replication.

Over the years, we have broadened our reach and mission to cultivate a variety of best practices that align K-12 education with employer and community needs. To date, Virginia Ed Strategies has garnered over $33 million in public and private funding to support statewide initiatives that have impacted more than 200,000 Virginia students.

In 2019, we became a sponsored organization of James Madison University, and our staff became A&P faculty members of the College of Education and the Professional and Continuing Education. As a nonprofit affiliated with a major university, we have the best of both worlds – independence to set and follow our own agenda while benefiting from the resources and credibility of one of the best institutions of higher education in the nation. Our role in addressing the challenges of K-12 education and employer needs is consistent with the research and outreach roles of JMU, and our work is strengthened by our connection with the university.

Also in 2019, we changed our name and rebranded to demonstrate our commitment to K-12 education and business alignment and to set ourselves apart as the premier intermediary organization focused on strengthening Virginia’s talent pipeline. The maze and highlighted path in our logo symbolizes our desire to be a GUIDE for our partners in setting a course to ensure excellence in our future workforce. We are passionate about collaboration because it is so critical to understanding the challenges, innovating best practice solutions, and continuously improving in ways that make the most impact. In short, we don’t just spend our time thinking and learning – we put our hearts and minds into DOING.

Read more on how they are impacting education for K-12 students in the links below:

Working through a Pandemic: President and CEO, Jennifer Stevens highlights how Virginia Ed Strategies has adapted under COVID-19.

Engaging the Community in partnership with Halifax County Public Schools

Commonwealth Learning Partnership: Created to connect professional learning organizations and higher education schools of education in Virginia in ways that we would become "better together."