In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly replaced one eighth-grade social studies Standards of Learning (SOL) exam with three required middle school SOL tests. In 2009, Virginia’s state superintendent proposed eliminating the third-grade social studies SOL exam, but backed off after opposition from members of the General Assembly. My. What a difference a...

7/17/2014 — The recent state court ruling that the Opportunity Educational Institution (OEI) is a violation of the Virginia Constitution leaves thousands of Virginia schoolchildren consigned to schools with decades-long records of failure. Passed with bipartisan approval last year, OEI sought to provide all students – regardless of what school they...

Executive Summary A Time for Reform The state of Virginia is blessed with one of the finest systems of public colleges and universities in the nation. And yet, for these institutions to continue to thrive, they need the authority, expertise, and resources to govern themselves—to attract and keep the best faculty,...

The Road to Deregulation, Real Accountability, and Renewed Citizenship in Virginia’s System of Higher Education Eric Cohen Managing Editor Public Interest February 2000 Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy is anon-partisan research and education organization devoted to improving the lives of the people in Virginia....

This column is a condensed version of “Foreclosures Dampen the Economic Recovery — The 2010-2011 Economic Forecast” written for and soon to be published by the Thomas Jefferson Institute. 6/9/2011 – Home prices took a turn for the worse in the nation and in the Richmond area earlier this year. Prices fell 5.5...

I want to bring you up-to-date on the activities of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, Virginia’s premier independent public policy foundation, and the impact we are having on public policy As I have said before, this public policy foundation is more accurately defined as a “solutions tank” rather than a “think tank.”...

RICHMOND — The bi-partisan Cost Cutting Caucus of the Virginia House of Delegates and the non-partisan Thomas Jefferson Institute today announced the Jefferson Institute’s Center for Legislative Analysis and Government Reform will provide independent research, analysis, and counsel to members of the Caucus on ways to make state government more efficient. The Thomas Jefferson...

Car Tax Cuts How Should Localities be Reimbursed? Foreword This Issue Paper is another in a series of thought provoking essays published by the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and distributed to the Executive Branch, General Assembly, media and other leaders in Virginia. These Issue Papers cover important topics of...

The Thomas Jefferson Instit ute for Public Policy is a non-partisan research and education organi zation de voted to improvi ng the lives of the people in Virginia. The Institute wa s organized in 1996, and was the only state and local govemm ent focused pub lie policy foundation in Virgi nia based...

You are invited! Cap and Trade Conference May 20, 2009 Richmond, Virginia The Thomas Jefferson Institute is pleased to announce a conference on issues associated with Cap and Trade and a possible carbon tax. This conference will focus on real issues: •    It will hone in on these two issues...