The Hunt Institute

08/17/2026

The Hunt Institute is proud to announce the second cohort of the Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows. This bipartisan initiative brings together local leaders, including mayors, county supervisors, city council members, and school board chairs, from across the Commonwealth to tackle pressing education challenges from cradle to career.

Through cross-party dialogue, policy breakouts, and expert-led sessions, these Fellows are gearing up to drive meaningful, lasting change for Virginia's students, families, and educators.

Read the full press release and meet the 2026 cohort: https://hunt-institute.org/news/the-hunt-institute-names-second-cohort-of-the-virginia-hunt-state-policy-fellows/

08/17/2026

Bipartisan leadership in action. The Hunt Institute was proud to host Cohort 12 of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows for their second session. Senior elected officials from across the country came together to tackle some of our nation's most pressing education challenges, from strengthening the teaching workforce to making higher education more accessible and aligned with economic needs.

When leaders put politics aside to focus on what works best for students, real progress happens. Read the full press release to learn more about the convening's impact and this year's cohort: https://hunt-institute.org/news/bipartisan-senior-elected-officials-convene-to-tackle-nations-most-pressing-education-challenges/

08/14/2026

Thank you again to The Hunt Institute for such a wonderful first session.

08/14/2026

Thank you for sharing, Supervisor Jordan Stewart, District 5 Supervisor! We appreciate you joining us and being a part of Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows Cohort 2. We look forward to seeing you at Meeting 2!

I’m pleased to share I’ve been selected for The Hunt Institutes Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows Program. This bipartisan program brings together local elected officials from across the Commonwealth to engage in dialogue around education policy.

We’ve just finished the first in person session and I’m already seeing the tremendous value of the program. It is exciting to have New Kent County in the rooms for this dialogue, and I’m looking forward to bringing back what I learn.

08/12/2026

Today we had our quarterly staff meeting where our team got together to discuss what we have accomplished in the past few months and what's to come in the months ahead. We also celebrated our colleagues' Hunt anniversaries, recognizing and acknowledging their hard work, commitment, and loyalty.

Congratulations to our 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year recipients!

08/12/2026

We are glad that you are a part of Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows Cohort 2, Courtney Howard. Thank you for joining us at Meeting 1. We look forward to seeing you at Meeting 2!

We were up and at ‘em early this morning for the second day of the Virginia Hunt Institute State Policy Fellows session. A lot of great info about K-12 funding and assessments and legislation.
I rushed back home, a 3 hour drive with no breaks, to get back in time for Open House and the power was out due to the storm so everyone was leaving as we pulled into the school parking lot. Not sure if that’s actually ironic or if I’m just exhausted. 😂

I look forward to the next two Hunt Institute sessions via zoom and the final in-person session in November. Thank you to everyone within the 2nd cohort, we had such meaningful and civil discourse and I believe we all learned a great deal. Also, thank you to all of The Hunt Institute staff for all of their hard work preparing and arranging and keeping us on schedule. Finally, thank you to all of the guests who spoke, from legislators to early childhood caregivers and other experts, the information you provided was invaluable and you were able to answer so many questions in such great detail!

08/12/2026

Thank you for sharing, Mayor Holmes! We enjoyed having you be a part of our inaugural cohort last year. We are glad to have Councilwoman Alex Littleton as part of the Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows Cohort 2.

Congratulations to Councilwoman Alex Littleton on being selected as a member of The Hunt Institute’s State Policy Fellows Second Cohort!

The Hunt State Policy Fellows program develops elected officials and policymakers into education-focused leaders. This bipartisan program, named for renowned education governor Jim Hunt (D-NC | 1977-1985; 1993- 2001), equips local leaders in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina with critical insights into the challenges and opportunities in education and the spark needed to develop thoughtful policy positions.

I had to opportunity to take part in the program last year and it was an incredibly eye-opening and educational experience. I know Councilwoman Littleton will gain a lot from her time there and I look forward to seeing what she brings back to Bristol!

08/11/2026

Policy changes are one thing, but bringing them to life in the classroom is where the real work happens. How can state math policies lead to actual student success?

Don't miss tomorrow's session of Homeroom with Education Leaders: Math Policy and Practice, hosted by The Hunt Institute. We're taking a dive into closing the gap between lawmaking and everyday teaching realities.
Meet our expert panel:
✔️ Jenny Hanson (Curriculum Associates) – Moderator
✔️ Dr. Robert Q. Berry, III (Indiana University Bloomington)
✔️ Lindsey Henderson (ExcelinEd)
We'll be discussing strategies like updating curriculum materials, empowering teachers through professional development, and ensuring access to math for all students.

📅 Date: Tomorrow — Wednesday, August 12, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM ET | 1:00 PM CT | 11:00 AM PT
📍 Location: Zoom (Virtual)
🔗 Save your seat before tomorrow: https://bit.ly/4fdlypJ

08/10/2026

Thank you for joining us Lt. Governor Michelle Strinden, and for being a part of Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows Cohort 12!

Grateful to graduate as a member of Cohort 12 of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellow Program. Connecting with elected leaders across the country, learning from experts about education policy for our youngest citizens all the way through higher education, it was a privilege to engage in meaningful dialogue about prioritizing education.

Thank you to The Hunt Institute for this opportunity.