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Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction

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General information
Office Type:  Nonpartisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $204,587
2026 FY Budget:  $28,720,506,760
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   Serves at the pleasure of the Governor
Authority:  Virginia Code, Title 22.1, Chapter 3, Section 1
Selection Method:  Appointed by Governor
Current Officeholder

Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons
Nonpartisan
Assumed office: April 17, 2023

Other Virginia Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction is an appointed position in the Virginia state government. The superintendent is the chief education officer in the commonwealth and serves as secretary of the Board of Education.

Current officeholder

The current Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction is Lisa Coons (nonpartisan). Coons assumed office in 2023.

Authority

The position of superintendent is created in Title 22.1, Chapter 3 of the Code of Virginia.[1]

Title 22.1, Chapter 3, Section 1:

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be appointed by the Governor, after consultation with the Board of Education among others, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, for a term coincident with that of the Governor making the appointment. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be an experienced educator.

Qualifications

Under state law, the "Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be an experienced educator."[2]

Appointments

Virginia state government organizational chart

Title 2.2, Chapter 4, Section 200 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the governor to appoint the superintendent. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Virginia General Assembly.[3] The governor must also consult with the State Board of Education before making an appointment.[2]

Vacancies

Any vacancies in the office of superintendent shall be filled in the same manner as an officeholder is appointed: the Governor of Virginia consults with the State Board of Education and appoints a successor, subject to confirmation from the Virginia General Assembly.[2]

Duties

According to Title 22.1, Chapter 3 of the Code of Virginia, the superintendent of public instruction shall:[4]

“
  1. Serve as secretary of the Board of Education;
  2. Provide such assistance in his office as shall be necessary for the proper and uniform enforcement of the provisions of the school laws in cooperation with the local school authorities;
  3. Prepare and furnish such forms for attendance officers, teachers and other school officials as are required by law;
  4. (Expires July 1, 2015) At least annually, survey all local school divisions to identify critical shortages of teachers and administrative personnel by geographic area, by school division, or by subject matter, and report such critical shortages to each local school division and to the Virginia Retirement System;
  5. Along with the State Health Commissioner, work to combat childhood obesity and other chronic health conditions that affect school-age children; and
  6. Perform such other duties as the Board of Education may prescribe.[5]
 ”

State budget

See also: Virginia state budget and finances

The budget for the Office of Education in Fiscal Year 2026 was $28,720,506,760.[6]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $204,587, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $185,567, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

2021

In 2021, the superintendent received a salary of $176,730, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2020

In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $176,730 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2019

In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $235,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2018

In 2018, the Council of State Governments did not report a salary for the superintendent.[12]

2017

In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $206,467 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2016

In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $206,467 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2015

In 2015, the superintendent received a salary of $202,419 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

2014

In 2014, the superintendent was paid an estimated $180,796 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

2013

In 2013, the superintendent was paid an estimated $175,467 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

2011

In 2011, the superintendent was paid an estimated $167,111 according to the Council of State Governments.[18]

Historical officeholders

There have been 27 Virginia superintendents of public instruction since 1870.[19]

List of officeholders from 1870-Present
# Name Tenure
1 William Henry Ruffner March 6, 1870 - March 15, 1882[20][21]
2 Richard Ratcliffe Farr March 15, 1882 - March 15, 1886[21]
3 John L. Buchanan March 16, 1886 — January 1, 1890[21]
4 John E. Massey January 1, 1890 — March 15, 1898[21]
5 Joseph W. Southall March 15, 1898 - February 1, 1906[21]
6 Joseph Dupuy Eggleston Jr. February 1, 1906 - January 1, 1912[21][22]
7 Reaumur C. Stearnes January 1, 1912 - February 1, 1918[21]
8 Harris Hart February 1, 1918 - January 1, 1931[21]
9 Sidney Bartlett Hall January 1, 1931 - August 31, 1941[21]
10 Dabney Stewart Lancaster September 1, 1941 - June 15, 1946[21]
11 George Tyler Miller June 15, 1946 - August 31, 1949[21]
12 Dowell J. Howard September 1, 1949 - February 25, 1957[21]
13 Davis Young Paschall March 15, 1957 - August 15, 1960[21]
14 Woodrow W. Wilkerson August 16, 1960 - 1975[21]
15 Walter Eugene Campbell 1975 - June 1979[23]
16 Spear John Davis 1979 - January 1990[24]
17 Joseph A. Spagnolo 1990 - 1994[25]
18 William C. Bosher Jr. 1994 - 1996[26]
19 Richard T. LaPointe 1996 - 1998[27]
20 Paul D. Stapleton March 1998 - December 9, 1999[28]
21 Jo Lynne DeMary June 1, 2000 - January 1, 2006[29]
22 Patricia I. Wright* January 1, 2006 - April 12, 2006[30]
23 Billy K. Cannaday Jr. April 12, 2006 - October 1, 2008[30][31]
24 Patricia I. Wright 2008 - May 2014[32]
25 Steven R. Staples May 2014 - December 31, 2018[32]
26 Steven M. Constantino* January 1, 2018 - June 1, 2018
27 James Lane June 1, 2018 - January 3, 2022
28 Rosa Atkins* January 3, 2022 - January 16, 2022
29 Jillian Balow January 16, 2022 - Present
*Denotes Acting
**Denotes Interim

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Virginia Superintendent Public Instruction. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction - Google News

Contact information

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218

Physical Address:
James Monroe Building
101 N. 14th Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: (800) 292-3820

See also

Virginia State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Virginia Legislative Information Services, "Code of Virginia," accessed January 28, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Code of Virginia, "Title 22.1, Chapter 3, Section 1: Appointment and qualifications," accessed January 28, 2021
  3. ↑ Code of Virginia, "Title 2.2, Chapter 4, Section 200: Appointment of governor's secretaries; general powers; severance," accessed February 8, 2012
  4. ↑ Code of Virginia, "Title 22.1-23: Duties in general," accessed January 28, 2021
  5. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. ↑ Commonwealth of Virginia, "Budget Bill - HB30," accessed January 23, 2025
  7. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
  8. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  9. ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
  10. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 28, 2021
  11. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 28, 2021
  12. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 28, 2021
  13. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 28, 2021
  14. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  15. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  16. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 8, 2014
  17. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 31, 2014
  18. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected state administrative officials: Annual salaries by region," accessed February 1, 2012
  19. ↑ Virginia Department of Education, "About the Superintendent," accessed January 28, 2021
  20. ↑ Encyclopedia Virginia, "William H. Ruffner (1824-1908)," January 15, 2015
  21. ↑ 21.00 21.01 21.02 21.03 21.04 21.05 21.06 21.07 21.08 21.09 21.10 21.11 21.12 21.13 Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the Commonwealth of Virginia, December 1971
  22. ↑ Encyclopedia Virginia, "Joseph D. Eggleston (1867–1953)," May 28, 2014
  23. ↑ Bonnie S. Ball, RootsWeb, "Some prominent Lee County educators: Walter Eugene Campbell," accessed October 5, 2015
  24. ↑ Washington Post, "Va. chief of schools to resign," May 26, 1989
  25. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "New state school superintendent likes to learn from teachers," June 2, 1994
  26. ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, " Longtime educator William C. Bosher Jr. dies at 68," December 1, 2014
  27. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Finalists announced for state schools superintendent," May 18, 2009
  28. ↑ Washington Post, "Virginia school chief to resign," December 9, 1999
  29. ↑ Virginia Department of Education News, "Superintendent of Public Instruction Jo Lynne DeMary announces retirement effective January 1, 2006," September 2, 2005
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Daily Press, "Ex-Hampton school chief gets state post," April 13, 2006
  31. ↑ UVAToday, "Billy K. Cannaday Jr., current state K-12 superintendent, appointed dean of U.Va.'s School of Continuing and Professional Studies," July 18, 2008
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Steve Staples named new Virginia superintendent of public instruction," April 1, 2014
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