Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Virginia Office of the Secretary of Education, 2006-2014 (bulk 2009-2013), Accession 51121. State Records Collection, Library of Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Office of the Secretary of Education, Patrick Henry Building, 1111 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219. Accession 51121 transferred and accessioned on 12 January 2010.

Processing Information

Original arrangement by folder name based on subject matter maintained by archivist, however processing archivist imposed a general series order given absence of usable order.

Biographical/Historical Information

The Secretary of Education assists the Governor of Virginia in the development and implementation of the state's education policy. The secretary provides guidance to 16 colleges and universities, the Virginia Community College System, five higher education and research centers, the Department of Education, the state-supported museums, and other agencies in the Education Secretariat. All secretaries are appointed by the governor.

This collection includes material from the Secretary of Education during the administrations of Governors Robert F. McDonnell (2010-2014) and Timothy M. Kaine (2006-2010). The bulk of the material stems from the former. The Secretariats of Education directed policy for education programs that involve multiple agencies including: Department of Education, Library of Virginia, Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Gunston Hall, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Science Museum of Virginia and Virginia Commission for the Arts. While Virginia's Colleges and Universities are semi-autonomous, the Secretary of Education also plays a role in directing state policy for: Virginia Community Colleges, Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Longwood University, Mary Washington University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, Richard Bland College, University of Virginia, Commonwealth University, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, College of William and Mary, Roanoke Higher Education Center, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and State Council of Higher Education.

Some of the major education initiatives of the Governors secretariats during these years were: early childhood initiatives, K-12 Education reform, the All Students program, charter school initiatives, gubernatorial transition commissions, Race to the Top Federal Funding, and teacher quality. On March 26, 2010, for example, Governor Bob McDonnell signed Executive Order number nine establishing the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation, and Investment; charging it with setting forth, "a comprehensive strategy for increased education attainment, skills development, and lifelong learning that will equip Virginians to succeed at the highest levels of global economic competition".

Governor Tim Kaine had named Dr. Thomas Morris as Secretary of Education on January 6, 2006. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Morris served as the president of Emory and Henry College for 13 1/2 years. A distinguished Constitutional scholar and political scientist, Dr. Morris' career at the University of Richmond spanned 21 years. For more on Secretary Morris, see the finding aid for the Secretary of Education, 2001-2010 .

Governor Bob McDonnells tenure saw three different Secretaries of Education in office: Gerard Robinson (2010-2011), Laura Fornash (2011-2013), and Javaid Siddiqui (2013-2014).

Mr. Robinson was the president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), a national nonprofit organization. Prior to his position at BAEO, he served as   a senior research associate for the School Choice Demonstration Project at the University of Arkansas from 2006 to 2007, and as a senior fellow at the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University from 2004 to 2006. As a senior fellow, he assisted in reform efforts related to Milwaukee's private and public school choice programs and provided testimony before a Wisconsin legislative hearing on "Closing the Achievement Gap." Mr. Robinson sat on the board of the following organizations: the Policy Advisory Council at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools; the Advisory Committee for the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University; and the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program.

Laura W. Fornash was appointed Secretary of Education by Governor Bob McDonnell on August 23, 2011. She had served as Deputy Secretary of Education and as the Executive Director of the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation, and Investment prior to said appointment.

Before joining the McDonnell administration, Mrs. Fornash spent 20 years with Virginia Tech in a number of different divisions including student affairs, continuing education, distance learning, and government relations. She was the school's Restructuring Project Director with the responsibility of managing Virginia Tech's implementation of the 2005 Restructuring Act that created new levels of operational autonomy for all public higher education institutions in exchange for meeting certain academic performance measures. She was Director of the Virginia Tech Richmond Center, an extended campus center, where credit and non credit programs were offered to working professionals. In 1998, as the Director of Information Technology Programs, Mrs. Fornash launched an innovative web based interdisciplinary masters degree program to help transition professionals into the information technology field as result of research conducted for the International Technology Association of America.

Mrs. Fornash received her undergraduate and masters degree from Virginia Tech. She is native of Chesterfield, Virginia and a graduate of Virginia public schools.

Javaid Siddiqi was appointed Secretary of Education by Governor Bob McDonnell on November 18, 2013.Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Secretary of Education focusing his efforts on teacher quality and improving educational outcomes for all students.

Before joining the McDonnell administration, Javaid Siddiqi spent 12 years with Chesterfield County Public Schools. During his time in Chesterfield, Dr. Siddiqi served as a high school teacher, assistant principal, and as principal of Robious Middle School where he led the implementation of Expeditionary Learning, school reform model.

Siddiqi received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his masters degree from Virginia State University, before receiving his doctorate in educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a native of Chesterfield and is a graduate of Virginia public schools.

Scope and Content

The Records of the Virginia Secretary of Education are housed in fifteen (15) boxes. The collection is arranged into six (6) series, as closest to original general order of material received by the Library of Virginia. Series have been designated for: I. Governor Timothy M. Kaine/Secretary Thomas R. Morris Papers, 2006-2010; II. Special Projects and Studies, 2010-2014; III. Correspondence and Supporting Documentation, 2010-2014; IV. Legislative Files, 2010-2014; V. Budget and Planning, 2010-2014; VI. Decision Briefs and Supporting Documentation, 2010-2014.

These records include agendas, articles, briefings, correspondence, e-mails, grants, handouts, legislation, lists, memorandums, minutes, notes, presentations, press releases, reports, speeches, studies, surveys and files by subject matter or initiative title. These records document the work of the Secretary of Education for Governor Bob McDonnell as well as Governor Tim Kaine before him. The most significant and voluminous material documents the development and implementation of the various educational initiatives of the McDonnell Administration (Series II: Special Projects and Studies) including: Re-Entry programs, P-16, Gubernatorial administration transition, the work of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and K-12 education reform. When possible and appropriate, the files in each series are arranged alphabetically within.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Related Material

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-TIM KAINE

A Guide to the Governor Timothy M. Kaine Administration Electronic Files, Email, 2002-2010 (bulk 2006-2009).

The Library of Virginia Email Project - Governor Tim Kaine Portal provides access to the Kaine email collection and includes guides to other Kaine administration records.

The Governor Tim Kaine Administration Web Archive Collection, 2006-2010

The Timothy M. Kaine Administration (2006-2010) Cabinet Weekly Reports Digital Collection

The Executive Orders Digital Collection

A Guide to the Governor Timothy M. Kaine, Policy Office, Records, 2002-2010 (bulk 2006-2009).

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-ROBERT F. MCDONNELL

The Governor Robert F. McDonnell Administration Web Archive Collection, 2006-2010

The Constituent Correspondence of Governor Robert F. McDonnell Collection

The Correspondence and Supporting Documentation of the Executive Office of Governor Robert F. McDonnell Collection

The Records of the Executive Mansion of Governor Robert F. McDonnell Collection

The Records of Governor Robert F. McDonnell's Secretary of Transportation Collection

The Records of Governor Robert F. McDonnell's Governor Robert F. McDonnell, Executive Office-Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Conrad, Records, Collection