Welcome back to Extra Credit, a weekly roundup of education-related news from across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
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Appalachian School of Law welcomes incoming class
The Appalachian School of Law welcomed 115 first-year law students last week, a milestone for the financially struggling school.
Located in Grundy, this incoming group marks the institution’s largest class since 2011 and a 39% increase in class size compared to the 2025 incoming class, according to a news release.
“This enrollment surge is a powerful testament to the resilience, mission, and academic excellence of ASL,” said David Western, president and dean of the law school, in a statement. “Our record-breaking numbers demonstrate that our strategic vision is working, attracting students who recognize the immense value of an ASL education.”
Efforts are underway to potentially merge the school with the University of Pikeville, a Kentucky school located just over the state line.
The law school has struggled financially in recent years, due in part to low enrollment. Western told Buchanan County officials in 2025 that the school needed to increase enrollment to at least 300 students to remain financially sustainable. Last school year, 186 students were enrolled. This year, Western expects the school to have about 238.
The merger, which some local officials have said they oppose, would make the school part of Pikeville’s portfolio but keep it in Grundy, Pikeville officials have said. The school was founded in 1994 in part to boost the county’s economy and develop a pipeline of attorneys for rural Southwest Virginia and Central Appalachia.
Western credited recent investments from the county and the town of Grundy’s Industrial Development Authority with allowing the school to scale up marketing and recruitment efforts in order to attract such a large class of students.
“The surge in applications and accepted students underscores the vital relationship between the law school and its local stakeholders,” he said in the statement.
“We are deeply committed to sustaining this momentum by expanding our innovative legal programs, investing in student-centered resources, and ensuring our graduates are uniquely equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing legal landscape. Beyond the classroom, this growth also provides a direct boost to our local economy, filling regional housing, supporting small businesses, and driving community development right here in Buchanan County,” Western said.
Talks continue between the county, law school officials and Pikeville leaders regarding the merger.
New Lynchburg City Schools program looking for mentors
Catherine Bragg, an assistant principal at Sandusky Middle School in Lynchburg, is launching “CLEAR Pathways,” a new mentorship program for students.
The program aims to connect local businesses, professionals and students to build meaningful relationships and share skills, according to Bragg.
The program is looking for mentors for the upcoming school year. Mentors will commit to meeting one hour per week with a student during the school year with the goal of teaching them a skill and encouraging confidence, belonging and aspirations.
Skills can include cooking, music, dancing, photography, coding, entrepreneurship, public speaking or leadership.
The program is part of Bragg’s capstone project for her graduate degree at the University of Lynchburg.
She’s spent over a decade working in Lynchburg City Schools and said she is inspired to help expose students, particularly those who come from economically disadvantaged families, to future opportunities.
“A trusted adult can change the trajectory of a child’s life,” Bragg said in a news release. “Research consistently shows that students who feel connected to caring adults are more engaged in school, attend more regularly, and are better prepared for lifelong success.”
To learn more about CLEAR Pathways or to volunteer, contact Bragg at 757-647-6218 or braggce@lcsedu.net.
High schools now required to offer the SAT during the school day
This year, Virginia schools will be required to offer high school juniors the opportunity to take the SAT at their own school during the school day.
The initiative, called “SAT School Day,” was created through the passage of HB 410 during this year’s General Assembly session. It is “designed to help more students take the SAT and connect their results to college and career pathways,” according to a news release from College Board, which administers the SAT.
In the past, many students have had to take the test, used in college admissions, on a weekend and travel to an outside test center. Now, students will have the opportunity to take it during fall or spring testing windows in October, March and April.
“House Bill 410 reflects a simple principle: opportunity shouldn’t depend on a student’s ability to attend or travel around the state on a Saturday,” said Jenna Conway, state superintendent of public instruction, in a statement. “By bringing the SAT directly into our school days for our juniors and seniors, we’re giving every Virginia student a fair chance to show what they know regardless of background or life experience.”
The SAT is a digital standardized test that is used by colleges and universities to evaluate a high school student’s readiness for college-level work and compare applicants from different schools. While the SAT was once a required part of college applications, some higher education institutions have made the scores optional in recent years.
