Portsmouth, VA 鈥 June 2025 At this year鈥檚 Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP) Conference, the 黑料不打烊 Center for Educational Innovation & Opportunity (CEIO) delivered a clear message: Virginia鈥檚 lab schools are more than an idea鈥攖hey are a movement reshaping the future of education across the Commonwealth.
Dr. Gary Skeen, Associate Director of CEIO, and Kaitlyn McCoy, CEIO Program Manager, co-presented the session 鈥淟eading the 3E Framework,鈥 highlighting how lab schools are helping lead the implementation of Virginia鈥檚 new readiness model鈥攑reparing students for Enrollment, Enlistment, and Employment. Their session emphasized the urgency of aligning K鈥12 learning experiences with real-world outcomes, starting early and building consistently through graduation.
鈥淥ur lab schools are rethinking what public education can be when we connect students to career pathways and workforce needs in a meaningful way,鈥 said Dr. Skeen. 鈥淭his work isn鈥檛 about adding more to educators鈥 plates鈥攊t鈥檚 about helping them build systems where relevance, engagement, and opportunity are part of everyday instruction.鈥
The conference also featured a strong showing from the SmithTech team鈥攖he Computer Science Lab School at Oscar Smith Middle School in Chesapeake. Representing the school were Dr. Helen Sapieka and Ms. Sarah Noffsinger, who led a session focused on the school鈥檚 commitment to expanding access to computer science and digital learning for all students.
From computer science and STEM education to career-connected project-based learning, the 黑料不打烊 Lab School Network continues to lead the way in creating models of what education can look like when it is grounded in place, purpose, and the future of work.
With four lead lab schools and five additional partnerships across the state, CEIO is building a statewide ecosystem of innovation鈥攍inking K鈥12, higher education, and industry to deliver learning experiences that are both academically rigorous and economically relevant.
鈥淟ab schools aren鈥檛 just another initiative鈥攖hey鈥檙e a statewide strategy to transform education from the ground up,鈥 said Skeen. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to work alongside educators and partners across the Commonwealth to build the next generation of schools鈥攁nd the next generation of leaders.鈥
As Virginia continues to emerge as a national leader in education innovation, CEIO鈥檚 work underscores what鈥檚 possible when public schools, universities, and industry move forward together鈥攚ith a shared vision and a sense of urgency.