Virginia teachers are leaving the field at a significantly higher rate than before the pandemic, while the number of new educators entering the profession continues to decline, the state's nonpartisan watchdog agency found in a new report.

Why it matters: The report, from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, shows a critical and growing lack of qualified educators and support staff for Virginia schools, and comes on the heels of steep math and reading test score declines for students.

Driving the news: Teacher resignations increased by 12% for the 2020-21 school year over pre-pandemic averages, while licenses for new educators dropped by 15% for the 2021-22 school year, per the report.

• The full data on teacher departures for the 2021-22 school year won't be available until February, but early numbers indicate continued high quit rates.

Meanwhile, the number of Virginia students studying to become teachers declined by 32% from 2011 to 2020, per the report.

Overall, the state's teacher gap — that is, teachers leaving versus new ones starting — has nearly tripled since before the pandemic.

Larger class sizes, teachers with provisional licenses and educators teaching subjects they weren't trained for are a few of the ways Virginia schools have made do, the report found.

• But these concessions have created a morale issue for existing teachers, and 15% of those surveyed by JLARC said they're definitely or "likely to leave" the profession at the end of this school year.

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That trademark red vest might not be as valuable as Gov. Youngkin thought.

What's happening: He campaigned for 15 gubernatorial candidates around the country, handing out embroidered fleeces along the way.

• But only five of those candidates notched wins, three of which came in bright red Republican strongholds.

Driving the news: The AP called Arizona's gubernatorial race for Democrat Katie Hobbs on Tuesday.

• Youngkin had campaigned with her opponent Kari Lake, an election-denying devotee of Donald Trump.

Why it matters: It was a lot of political capital to spend without a lot of payoff.

• And there was no shortage of grumbling back in Virginia, with the top Republican in the state Senate, Minority Leader Tommy Norment, quipping in August that he hoped the governor would "intensify his focus on the commonwealth's issues."

What they're saying: Youngkin has downplayed losses.

• "Many of them were in very tough states, blue states, and in very tough races," Youngkin's political strategist, Kristin Davison, told the Washington Post. "And I believe the governor's efforts helped put a lot of those on the map."

The other side: "Youngkin hoped his extensive out-of-state travels would create a big buzz and real momentum for a presidential bid. But the GOP flopped, Youngkin is at 0% in the presidential polls, and his bandwagon has barely moved," UVA political scientist Larry Sabato told the Post.

Classes are scheduled to resume today at UVA following Sunday's fatal shooting. (WSET)

• The school's football team is still trying to decide whether to play its next scheduled game Saturday.

A student on the UVA class trip that preceded the attck said the alleged killer kept to himself, barely speaking to other students. (Washington Post)

🏗️ Officials in Richmond say they've cleared a backlog of building permits that was causing months-long construction delays for businesses and residents. (Times-Dispatch)

🚌 Henrico County led the state in school bus crashes last school year, with 10 buses involved in wrecks. (Henrico Citizen)

A rash of closings hit Richmond's dining scene, but new options are here or on the way to keep us sated.

🥄 Spoonbread Bistro Deux, the Short Pump outpost of the Fan restaurant that closed during the pandemic, is closed after four years, and all the furniture has been removed from the restaurant.

• Celebrated chef Michael Hall opened both restaurants, but said in 2020 that investors took back both locations from him.

🍕 Pies and Pints Pizzeria on Broad in the Fan closed abruptly yesterday after four years in business. The location has been removed from the pizza chain's website, and staffers at the restaurant confirmed the closing to Axios.

🍺 23rd & Main Taproom in Shockoe Bottom closed at the beginning of the month after more than a decade in business.

🥩 Rio Brazil Steak House — a high-end steakhouse — is now open nightly for dinner and weekend lunch on Washington Highway in Glen Allen.

🌮 Juan More Taco — a Fredericksburg Honduran and Latin American restaurant — is opening a Richmond location at 304 N. Robinson St. in the Fan.

🍷 Penny's, a wine and tapas spot from the founders of RichWine, is in the works for a February opening at 405 Brook Road in Jackson Ward, Richmond Magazine reports.

And we're still waiting on opening dates for a slew of coming-this-fall spots, including: The Park at RVA, Brick House Diner in the Kitchen 64 space, Sprezza, Botanya Restaurant, Eazzy Burger, Kismet Modern Indian and Acacia.

⚽️ Get the ball rolling. Check out these openings from our Job Board.

1. Senior Associate, Functional Resource Management at KPMG.
2. Senior Director Analyst, Emerging Technologies & Trends – Identity & Access Management at Gartner.
3. Director, Client Engagement at Icon.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

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Richmond is one of a dozen cities travelers should visit in 2023, says Southern Living Magazine.

Why it matters: Richmond is awesome, and tourism helps support the region's restaurants, hotels and cultural attractions.

What they're saying: "A city that doesn't shy away from thought-provoking conversation (as evidenced by provocative public artwork and storytelling), visitors are welcome to join in, listen, and contribute their own ideas," per the piece.

What they recommend: A Monumental Conversations virtual tour of Monument Avenue, year-round Kings Dominion, Lewis Ginter's "Incanto: An Oasis of Lyrical Sculpture" (which opens in April), and R.L. Stine and Nnedi Okorafor at the Poe Museum.

📫 But tell us, Richmond, what are your must-show attractions for visitors? Just hit reply.