The ACLU of Virginia has filed a complaint in Hanover County Circuit Court against the Hanover County School Board on behalf of five parents of transgender Hanover students who say that the board's November action - in which it voted 4-3 not to approve policies that allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that conform to their preferred identity - knowingly violated Virginia law.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - The state will not mandate COVID-19 vaccines in schools for employees or students, at least for now. The Virginia Department of Health made the decision this week after a months-long process. Some Virginia school districts, like Richmond Public Schools, took the lead and required vaccines for employees, but no decisions have been made on the state level until now.

After months of study, the Albemarle County school division has a plan to free up space at Mountain View Elementary - building a new school - but whether that project will be funded is uncertain. The school system hasn't built a new school since 2002 and is now eyeing the construction of two new buildings to address overcrowding and student enrollment growth.

Henrico Schools officials will host another "Drive the Bus" event Saturday, Dec. 11 at Richmond Raceway, in an effort to hire more bus drivers. The event is a hands-on chance for potential drivers to take a bus for a spin around a large driving course. The event will take place from 10 a.m.

"There is no county that is fully staffed. I saw it with my own eyes at a conference recently," Dr. Snead said. Currently there are eight professional positions and 19 support staff positions vacant in the Orange County school system. To pay for the bonuses, the board is using the funds budgeted for the vacant positions-more than $1.1 million.

STAUNTON, Va. (WVIR) - It's been a challenging year for schools across the nation. Whether it's COVID-19, negative social media influences, or staffing shortages, it's been tough for many. Staunton Schools Superintendent Garett Smith says the district is determined to make the school environment as positive and uplifting as it can be with the Staunton Kindness Challenge.

CHRISTIANSBURG - The Montgomery County School Board approved a measure on Tuesday to offer stronger protections to transgender students who still have fears about disclosing their status to their parents. The board, on a 5-2 vote, passed a tweak to the still relatively new division policy on the treatment of transgender students.

Liberty High School's campus closed Thursday and will remain so on Friday after a COVID-19 outbreak, school officials officials. The decision was made in consultation with the Virginia Department of Health. "Several factors have contributed to this decision, most significantly the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, known school transmissions, and the volume of individuals placed in quarantine.

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A Virginia lawmaker is calling on elected leaders to do something to better support students who may be battling mental health challenges. This comes after a rise in school threats across central Virginia, prompting some districts to cancel in-person classes and others to hold emergency meetings to figure out how to handle the problem.

The 13 candidates seeking appointment to a vacant seat on the Loudoun County School Board took turns fielding an array of questions Tuesday evening as they sought to convince the eight current members as to why they deserve a place on the dais.