Bipartisan Praise Greets New Superintendent at Board of Ed
Virginia — The Virginia Board of Education convened this week for its first meeting under the new administration of Governor Abigail Spanberger. The meeting represented a milestone for State Superintendent Jenna Conway, who presided over the Board for the first time in her new role. Rather than a reset, her first Board meeting as Superintendent signaled a steady, cohesive transition into the role.
Conway had already spent seven years at the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), most recently serving as a deputy superintendent overseeing early childhood care and education initiatives and receiving national recognition for those efforts.
Before arriving at the VDOE, Conway worked in early childhood at the Louisiana Department of Education during a period of sweeping, high-impact reforms—alongside neighboring states, like Mississippi—in which those states began implementing literacy reforms and raising academic standards to drive significant academic gains as part of the so-called “Southern Surge.” Some have credited those states’ improvements in early childhood programs as having been also crucial to their subsequent K-12 success.
Gov. Spanberger’s promotion of Conway as the VDOE’s chief executive elevated a leader from within the VDOE’s ranks rather than bringing in an outsider. Her continuity is especially significant given the leadership turnover under former Governor Glenn Youngkin, during which Virginia had three state superintendents in four years (all of whom were outside hires).
At this week’s Board meeting, Conway was already well known to the incumbent Board members appointed by former Gov. Youngkin. Several offered glowing praise for Conway.
Board member Bill Hansen, who served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush during the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, stated:
“I just wanted to…recognize and congratulate Superintendent Conway and just appreciate getting to work with you these last couple of years…[I am] just grateful for your leadership and vision. I know the students, parents and teachers and leadership will be very much blessed by your tenure here.” (emphasis added)
Board member Debbie Kilgore, a former teacher of 36 years in career and technical education (and wife of Virginia Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-Southwest Virginia)), stated:
Source credibility: Bacon’s Rebellion provides reliable reporting with a focus on Virginia’s educational landscape.
Published: March 27, 2026 11:30 AM
Source: Bacon’s Rebellion — https://go.noligarchy.us/J4LxDu