The Virginia state constitution gives the state legislature, the Virginia General Assembly, the primary governing role over public education in the state.
[1] Thus, the state board of education is merely an administrative agency which carries out the laws, policies, and programs established by the legislature.
The board is composed of nine members, who are appointed by the Governor of Virginia and must be confirmed by the General Assembly.
[2] The board's duties include:[2] The Virginia State Board of Education was founded in 1810 when the state of Virginia established a "literary fund" (designed to fund public education throughout the state) and the board of education (at the time, called the Board of Trustees of the Literary Fund) placed in charged of it.
[5] In 1910, local agricultural schools were placed under the board's control.