The Virgin Islands Board of Education has the authority to recommend the establishment of public schools, prescribe general regulations, adopt curricula and courses of study, propose laws and amendments, recommend necessary appropriations for school and Department of Education operations, and generally oversee the establishment, maintenance and management of public schools in the Virgin Islands.
Act No. 8717 redefined the responsibilities of the Virgin Islands Board of Education (VIBE) concerning preventive and long-term maintenance as well as the oversight of school facilities. The responsibility for assessing public school facilities was transferred to the Bureau of School Maintenance, while the V.I. Board of Education retained jurisdiction over evaluating and assessing school curricula, instructional practices and administrative procedures.
The Virgin Islands Board of Education also has the responsibility to ensure that learning environments comply with health and safety regulations as these environments are critical to students’ academic, emotional, and social success. Learning environments encompass intellectual, social, emotional, physical and virtual aspects of schools.
Research indicates that health and safety factors—such as risk assessments, the need for repairs to electrical, plumbing, ventilation, technology and landscaping systems, monitoring treated water, nutritional preparation and waste disposal—are integral to effective teaching, instruction and learning.
