Bacon's Rebellion - Virginia Pushes Accelerated Math Enrollment

Mar

2025

PRESS RELEASE

Bacon's Rebellion - Virginia Pushes Accelerated Math Enrollment

Virginia will have a new law taking effect next school year requiring high-performing students to be automatically enrolled in accelerated or advanced mathematics. This new law complements another recent state action by Virginia to increase enrollment in accelerated middle school math courses via changes to its accountability system.

As a result, Virginia is likely the leading state in the nation to use state-level actions to encourage local districts to offer accelerated math opportunities to middle school students who are academically ready.

Virginia’s New Advanced Math Auto-enrollment Law

Virginia’s autoenrollment law applies to students in Grades 5 – 8 who score in the top 25^th percentile statewide on its standardized math exam, with the opportunity for parents to opt their child out.

The autoenrollment bill was sponsored by Virginia House of Delegates Democratic member Katrina Callsen, a former middle school math teacher, and approved by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the Virginia legislature. Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed it into law this past week.

Virginia joins North Carolina and Texas with auto-enrollment laws targeted at advanced middle school math. Indiana’s legislature is currently considering a similar auto-enrollment bill. Illinois and Washington state have auto-enrollment laws for advanced high school classes.

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