RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Lisa Coons’ sudden resignation from her role as Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction is prompting concerns about the stability of the state’s education system.
In a message shared on X on Friday, March 14, Coons said that she has decided to “pursue new opportunities” after serving in the role for nearly two years.
Coons was appointed to the role by Gov.Glenn Youngkin on March 22, 2023, according to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). She replaced former superintendent Jillian Balow, who also chose to step down from the role.
During her tenure, Coons was tasked with addressing low student proficiency levels in math and reading, under Youngkin’s order of “restoring excellence” in Virginia’s public schools.
8News previously reported that math and reading scores for Virginia fourth and eighth graders did not show a significant change from 2022 to 2024 based on a nationwide exam known as the Nation’s Report Card.
In reaction to Coons’ resignation, Sen/Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) said the lack of educational progress coupled with the sudden shift in leadership is a cause for concern.
“It is particularly concerning that we are seeing a destabilization here in the state’s administration of the Department of Education,” Hashmi saod. “We have seen a loss of progress where other states were able to take critical funding and the lesser dollars that came during the post-pandemic recovery period. They took those dollars and applied them appropriately to strengthening tutoring programs and summer accelerated programs to help their students, get on track again.”
On Friday, the Virginia School Boards Association released a statement praising Coons’ leadership, saying, in part, that Coons had “demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all students in Virginia have access to a high-quality education.”
“We greatly appreciate her focus on student achievement, workforce readiness and ensuring that our schools are equipped with the necessary resources to thrive,” the association said.
The Governor’s Office has named Deputy Secretary of Education Emily Anne Gullickson as the acting state superintendent.
