Henrico County School Board is considering major changes to its homework policy, including capping the amount teachers can assign and reducing the effect it can have on grades.

Why it matters: Our former school-age selves are rejoicing.

The big picture: Henrico's proposal reflects a shift away from homework that's playing out across the country as educators grapple with students' post-pandemic mental health needs and the rise of AI, Axios' April Rubin reports.

State of play: The proposed policy — which the board introduced at its recent work session — shifts the role of homework in Henrico from obligatory, nightly assignments to an optional tool teachers can use to enhance classroom learning.

• Under the revised guidelines, homework cannot count for more than 15% of middle and high school students' final grade.
• For elementary school students, it can't be graded at all.

The intrigue: The amount of time students have after school to complete homework is given specific attention in the new policy, which is designed to ensure homework is "purposeful" and that students aren't overloaded.

• As such, the new policy caps the amount of time homework should take. That's a change from the current policy, which presents homework time allotments as nightly targets.
• Middle schoolers get the biggest break, with assignments to not exceed 20 minutes, as opposed to 30 minutes now.
• Kindergarteners, who currently have no time allotment, are capped at 20 mins.

Zoom in: The rest of the grades stay the same, but the proposal makes it clear that assignments are optional for teachers.

• AP and IB courses are exempt.

Context: Henrico's proposed policy had already been through the district's full review process before it was introduced.

• The board is scheduled to vote on it on June 11.

What we're watching: How many Richmond and Chesterfield students start house hunting for their parents in Henrico.

Go deeper

Democrats spent the weekend scrambling after the Virginia Supreme Court struck down the voter-approved redistricting plan, killing a congressional map that could have favored Democrats in 10 of the state's 11 districts.

Why it matters: State Democrats responded yesterday with an emergency request to the U.S. Supreme Court to pause the ruling, while some in the national party floated more aggressive options — including forcing the entire Virginia high court into retirement.

The big picture: Virginia Democrats' official way of fighting back is to argue that the state justices misread federal election law and Virginia's constitution.

• Meanwhile, Virginia's congressional Democrats and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reportedly discussed going further during a private Saturday call, according to the New York Times.
• How: Lower the retirement age for Virginia judges from 73 to 54 and install new justices to rehear the case.

Reality check: It requires support from state Democrats that congressional Democrats don't seem to have.

• Virginia House Majority Leader Scott Surovell told Virginia Scope yesterday that the "drastic measures" aren't going anywhere.
• And Virginia Elections Commissioner Steven Koski has warned that changes made after today would throw the Aug. 4 primary into chaos, risking ballot errors, voter confusion and election delays.

Keep reading for their other idea

⚡️ Dominion Energy plans to spend $1.1 billion over the next few years to upgrade the grid to accommodate solar generators and higher demand — plus reduce power outages, per its SCC filing. (Times-Dispatch)

• Yes, but: The filing didn't disclose how much customers' bills will rise. Dominion will do that in a later filing.

👀 Richmond schools canceled all after-school activities yesterday "due to insufficient personnel," per the district. (The Richmonder)

🥗 Roots Natural Kitchen is coming to the former Noodles & Co. space at 4101 Dominion Blvd. in Innsbrook. It should open next month. (BizSense)

🎸 Country singer Brad Paisley will play Allianz Amphitheater on Sept. 26. (News release)

A new exhibit at The Branch Museum of Design explores how the "radical design" of Richmond-based Best Products helped reshape the national retail landscape.

Why it matters: Generations of Richmonders grew up with these stores — and Best's catalogue.

State of play: Richmond couple and contemporary art collectors, Frances and Sydney Lewis, founded Best Products in 1957, opening their first showroom near Willow Lawn.

• By the mid-1980s, they had 200 in 23 states, but Best is perhaps most known for the experimental, architectural design it showcased on a handful of stores in the 1970s.
• Those included two in Richmond — on Midlothian and Quioccasin.

Zoom in: The new exhibit at Branch — "Imagining Best Products" — lets visitors explore the architectural drawings, photos, sketches and more that helped shape these iconic stores.

Fun fact: Best Products closed in 1997 and, per Richmond Magazine, only one of its experimental design stores still stands: The one on Quioccasin.

• It's now a church.

Tell a native Richmonder

A giraffe at the Metro Richmond Zoo welcomed a baby right before Mother's Day.

Why it matters: The birth video is going viral because some people didn't know giraffes give birth standing up, which means a calf's intro to the world is a six-foot drop.

• Disclaimer: Watch at your own risk.

The big picture: The six-foot fall is a normal part of delivery, and the unnamed female calf is healthy, zoo officials say.

Yes, but: "If she dropped me on the ground straight out the womb and tried to get me to start walking immediately, I might not be so quick with the whole happy mother's day thing," one commenter wrote.

• How the zoo clapped back: "Good thing you're not a giraffe."

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