Kaine speaks to Va. board of education

RICHMOND, Va. – (AP) Gov. Tim Kaine is commending the Virginia Board of Education for its efforts to improve education for the state's 1 million-plus students.

Kaine met with board members at their monthly meeting on Tuesday to talk about the panel's work during his term. That work included improving graduation rates, expanding pre-K and creating career and academic plans starting with every seventh-grader.

Pre-K and the career and academic plans were among Kaine's education priorities. He says the number of children in pre-K classes has expanded by nearly 40 percent. But he says if Virginia did not bar governors from serving consecutive terms, he would have pushed to expand the program.

Kaine also commended efforts toward offering a more personalized education for students.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.timesdispatch.com