The '''Sydona''' or the '''Sydona Islands''', officially the '''People's Republic of Sydona''', is a [[Kiravian Federalism#Themes|theme]] and semi-autonomous province within the [[Kiravian Collectivity]] comprising a roughly triangular archipelago of {{wp|continental island|continental islands}} off the southern coast of [[Sarpedon|Continental Ixnay]] in the [[Pelian Sea|Pelian Ocean]]. The islands have a long and convoluted history, having come under the rule of many different nations and empires over the course of the centuries. Incorporation of Sydona into the Kiravian sphere of influence began during the [[Crusades]] and was complete by [YEAR]. Sydona is known for its cultural diversity and rich heritage, and for its valuable natural resources.
The '''Verona Department of Education''' ('''VDOE''') is a branch of the [[Government of Verona|state government]] of [[Verona]] in [[Cartadania]] responsible for the regulation of public education. The agency is headquartered in Verona Frond Six Building in Downtown Aurimá, along with various other branches and offices of the state government. Formed in 1906 to centralize the state's education system and authority, the Verona Department of Education has the largest education responsibility in the country, second only to the federal equivalent. It apportions funds and sets standards for the education of it's 12.1 million students, a figure larger than the population of twenty-five individual states, and the eight smallest states combined.
==Etymology==
Gabriel Figueiredo, a member of the [[Jupiter Independent School District]]'s board of trustees, was appointed Superintendent of Education by [[Governor of Verona|Verona Governor]] Alícia Rosa on 8 February 2026.
The name ''Sydona'' is a contraction of a twenty-two syllable [[High Coscivian]] compound word meaning "the land where beer does flow and men chunder". This is understood to refer to the wild drinking parties among celebrating Coscivian sailors after completing the long and arduous sea voyage to Sydona.
==History==
== History ==
<!--** well Kirav, it could have been part of "Recepistan" from late 800's to whatever time year 20385 is kirav BREAK well kirav, would you mind Sydonia being "loosely" my territory but influx of Coscivian settlers eventually made the islands a joint dependency of ours until you snatch it? Like a mix how California was lost from the Mexicans and Anglo-Egyptian Sudan BREAK but for some time being a joint protectorate, until your navy kicks breaks my balls and takes over BREAK or as said , anglo-egyptian sudan but Sydonas in my case; although being de jure mine territory until early 1300's the rule was loose as the locals had high autonomy kirav. Kiravian settlers eventually starting to cause problems. We only have to agree on the time the condonimium might || Slak says: "hey mate, wanna talk about Sydona. The condonimium temporarily ceased at 32 in a surprise attack and removing the Kiravian authorities. After the Great War in treaties signed you are given Sydona in full control" ** -->
The Department of Education was established on 3 September 1906 following the need for a centralized educational authority. Prior to the creation of the department, education was overseen by county education boards or multi-county organizations. The government conducted a survey of needs throughout the commonwealth and set out to develop a set goal and basic curriculum that each school district was required to follow. This survey resulted in the creation of the department to be responsible for maintaining these objectives and the office of Superintendent of Education was created, with the superintendent being an official appointed by the Governor.
<br>
[Diverse history and heritage. Pelian and Slakko-analogue main native ethnic groups]<br>
[Crusades]<br>
[100 years of jackshit]<br>
[Kirosocialism]<br>
[Reintegration]<br>
[Present day]<br>
===Reintegration===
In 1938, the Commonwealth Board of Education was merged into the Department of Education. Together, they introduced a precursor to the legislative bill that would separate school districts from the county and city governments. They also sought to solve the issue of ghost districts, those with no enrollment or active schools. Prior to the late 1940s, many school districts in Verona did not operate schools but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In the late 1940s state lawmakers passed another bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation.
By 21184 the Kirosocialist administration in [[Great Kirav]] was spiralling toward collapse, struggling in vain to reverse the implosion of its economy and stave off emboldened opposition movements. In Sydona however, despite the presence of various increasingly visible opposition movements, the Kirosocialist status quo remained reasonably popular. Sustained demand for Sydona's energy resources and the semi-autonomy afforded to the antipodean republic in economic planning sufficiently insulated Sydona from the mainland's mounting economic crisis, and its public ration-distribution system had always performed better than the mainland's due to less cross-regional inefficiency and a smaller disparity between supply and demand. In addition, many in the Coscivian population and certain minority groups who might have been otherwise uncommitted to socialist ideology were wary of deviation from the status quo, fearing that an overthrow of the established régime and the decidedly pan-ethnic socialist formulation of Sydonan identity that it sponsored would open the door to ethnic unrest and radical movements such as the Apocatasarpedians, who sought to turn Sydona away from Coscivian civilisation and towards a Sarpedon-centric cultural ethos and geopolitcal alignment.
[[File:Tartus, night time.jpg|thumb|Tartkart, site of the Tartkart Massacre by security forces in 21184]]
In 1956, the General Assembly authorized the creation of the University System of Verona, a pan-system organization that encompasses the four-system schools throughout the state. It serves as a regulatory authority and reports directly to the state.
In the (southern hemisphere) autumn of 21184, just after [[Élív]], word began to filter through the Party nomenklatura that Chairman Ástūkétra and the Politburo had fallen into defeatism and were considering transition negotiations with the [[Kiravian Remnant|Æonara authorities]] in the hope of arriving at some sort of power-sharing agreement that would accomplish Kiravian unification under a Two Systems in One Nation (''Yulentun Þuğudrē'') framework and move toward {{wp|market socialism}} on the mainland. These rumours (now known to be true) alarmed Kirosocialist hardliners in across the Kiravian Union and precipitated a wave of overt pushback against the central leadership from regional soviets and delegates to the Supreme Soviet, the likes of which had not been seen since the consolidation of single-party rule. The Destransar Soviet was particularly ardent in its opposition, passing a resolution condemning the rumoured negotiations and, should the rumours prove true, denouncing the revolutionary legitimacy of any officials involved. The resolution pledged to maintain the socialist path and the comprehensive leadership of the Socialist Party in Sydona no matter what.
In 1961, the Verona Department of Education, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Revenue Board and General Assembly, granted school districts the power to tax residents. Prior to this, Verona school districts were allocated funding from the localities they served. The new configuration removed the municipalities' oversight of funding and use, giving the school districts more control.
[Unclear what happens in the middle here]
In 2002, the Verona education system underwent a major revision, known as the Verona Instructional System Alignment (VISA), that restructured the grading system, instructional timeframe, curricula, and pipeline for primary and secondary education. The changes went into effect on 3 January 2002, in preparation for school systems to migrate to this model when school begins (typically the third monday in January), but were authorized in January 2000. Alongside VISA was the Verona Post-Secondary Alignment (VAPSA), which only established a system by which schools can admit students on an academic basis and simultaneously eliminated the cost of attendance for baccalaureate programs, the cost of which shifted to a tax-funded model with funding from the federal government. VAPSA also reinstated the mandatory requirement that all teachers have a masters degree, which is now funded by the state as well.
Although some, such as Tragran Folestrin, insisted that distant Sydona not be allowed to single-handedly obstruct Kiravian unification when completion of the multi-generational project was so near at hand, National Renewal Movement recognised the importance of the archipelago, not only due to its energy resources and the considerable symbolic cost of abandoning such a populous and important overseas region, but also due to fears that the islands would become a "Red Æonara" acting as a haven for socialist hardliners and compromising the unification effort by keeping the torch of Kirosocialism alight and challenging the legitimacy of a restored government. After the [event that totally happened] dashed any realistic hope of a Two Systems in One Nation arrangement for Great Kirav, the NRM began preparing for a full Federalist restoration while the Destransar Soviet prepared to assume independence. As a last-ditch effort, the Reunification Council presented a version of the Two Systems proposal to Sydona:
== Duties ==
The Verona Department of Education is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Verona, involving both the over 100 individual school districts in the state as well as private schools. It is also responsible for the safety of students. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over parochial schools (whether or not accredited), and unlike in a few other states and several countries, home schooling is illegal. All schools are, however, required to follow the states basic curriculum, the Verona Education Standards.
*Sydona would accept the sovereignty of the Kiravian Federacy but would not revert to its pre-Kirsok constitutional status, instead becoming a ''sui iuris'' overseas entity with a high degree of autonomy within the Kiravian Collectivity.
Although school districts are independent governmental entities, VDOE has the authority to oversee a district's operations (either involving an individual school or the entire district) if serious issues arise (such as poor performance, financial distress, or reported mismanagement). This can be in the form of requiring the district to submit corrective action plans and regular status reports, assigning monitors to oversee operations (including the authority to assign a management board, which essentially replaces and performs the duties of the elected school board), and in extreme cases closure of a school campus or even the entire school district.
*No market reforms would be imposed from above. Bilateral ground rules for energy, commerce, and travel would be negotiated.
*Sydona must come into compliance with the Statute of Liberties, and Sydonans would have recourse to the federal judiciary in matters of civil rights. Sydona and its officials would be exempt from the jurisdiction of any {{wp|transitional justice}} tribunals.
*The Socialist Party of Sydona must nominally disaffiliate itself from the Socialist Party of Kiravia (expected to be dissolved and banned), but would be allowed to persist as a standalone party and maintain single-party rule for a period of 7 years, after which multiparty elections were to be held in which the SPS would be free to compete. No further constitutional changes would be required.
==Geography==
In addition to primary and secondary education, VDOE has oversight duties with respect to driver's education courses (initial permits) and defensive driving courses (used to have a ticket dismissed and/or for lower insurance premiums). VDOE also manages the commonwealth's higher education system, including its three university systems, the community college system, and the 6 independent public universities.
There are over 20 natural and currently 3 artificial islands in the Sydona archipelago. The five largest islands are Érdoran (''Yerduran'', also known as ''Lordasydona'' or "Grand Sydona"), [[Fauda Island|Fauda]], Manētuva, Teğer, and Mar-Kśaver. Érdoran comprises over 35% of the state's land area and is home to just over half of its population.
The archipelago lies entirely within the temperate belt, with a broadly {{wp|Trewartha_climate_classification#Group_C:_Subtropical_climates|humid subtropical climate}} (Trewartha ''Cf''), with ample rainfall and a narrow, moderate annual temperature range. Sydona's antipodean seasons are well-defined: Spring is usually cool, windy, and damp, while warm summers and mild autumns create a long growing season for crops. Winters, though mild, are generally chilly and humid.
The [[Verona Interscholastic Federation]] (VIF), which oversees academic and athletic interscholastic competition in Verona public schools, is a separate entity not under VDOE oversight.
OR
== Superintendent of Education ==
The archipelago has a pluviseasonal-oceanic mediterranean climate, with thermal grades ranging from thermomediterranean to mesomediterranean, with parts of the southern islands and elevated areas of Yerduran experiencing supramediterranean thermal conditions.
== Commonwealth Board of Education ==
The Verona Commonwealth Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the Verona Department of Education. It sets AP-12 education policy in the areas of standards, recommended instructional materials, and accountability. The Board adopts textbooks for grades K-8 via statewide teacher input, adopts regulations to implement legislation, and has authority to amend and modify the Education Standards. These standards are designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level in addition to recommended supplementary areas (known as primary and secondary focii). The Board of Education has thirteen members, including one student member, all appointed by the Governor of Verona. The student member is selected from a group of three students nominated by the board.
In the modern constitutional context of thematic federalism, Sydona belongs to the {{wp|Kiravian Federalism#Themes|Sydonan Theme}}. The Sydonan Theme is a ''unitary theme''(comprising only one federal subject) as well as a ''special theme'' (having devolved authority to in certain matters normally within federal competence). In practical terms, this means that Sydona has significant latitude to set its own policies with regard to migration, customs, and interstate commerce, above and beyond the considerable rights reserved to regular Kiravian states. The Government of Sydona has actively exercised its autonomy in these areas, and presently maintains a separate migration and customs régime from other parts of the Federacy, as well as numerous intrastate trade barriers and its own currency, the Sydonan dram. Sydona was accorded this special status along with the [[Melian Isles]] during the Federalist Restoration in the 21180s due to political and strategic considerations at the time (''see [[Sydona#Reintegration|§Reintegration]] above''), and retains them in recognition of its geographic isolation, unique ethnic and cultural makeup, and divergent development path. Nonetheless, Sydona has voluntarily taken significant steps since the 21180s toward closer integration with the rest of the Kiravian Federacy, in tandem with the gradual liberalisation of its domestic economy and institutional setup.
The political life of Sydona takes place within the framework of a constitutional republic. The current Constitution of Sydona has been in place since the last round of federal status compacts and referenda in 21198. Although it is now a multi-party electoral democracy, Sydona retains many institutional forms and symbolic trappings that recall its past as a Kirosocialist single-party state on the [[Devinism|Devinist]] model. The unicameral legislature, the People's Soviet, is elected every 36 months by {{wp|alternative vote}} from constituencies corresponding to the state's cities and raions. The Chief Executive of Sydona is elected every 72 months by alternative vote. Unlike most overseas states, election of the Chief Executive of Sydona does not require any confirmation or nominal appointment by the [[Prime Executive]] or [[Federal Stanora]].
| San Marcos || Andres, Buena Vista, San Marcos || Yanira Miguélez
|-
===Politics===
| Palm Coast || Andina, Lynnhaven, Santa Rosa, Sierra, Victoria || Noemi Notario
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
| Pinellas || Guines, Harris, Lake, Riverside, Santa Maria || Leyre Ruiz
!
|-
!Party Name
| Florence || Florence, Morton, San Francisco, Vero || Rafael Hoyo
!People's Soviet
|-
!State Council
| Orange || Liberty, Los Angeles, Orange, Richmond, Sinhedes, Union || Tereza Teixeira Meireles
!Federal Caucus
|-
!Platform
| Everglades || Henrico, Monteiro, Prince Lucás, Seneca || Suzana Sá de Assis
|<center>{{Infobox political party/seats|7|101|hex=#B97333}}</center>
| <center>{{Infobox political party/seats|0|7|hex=#B97333}}</center>
|[[Kiravia of Regions|KR]]
| Social-Convism, Slavonic minority interests
|-
|-
|}
|}
The post-Kirsok political landscape of Sydona has been shaped largely by issues surrounding ethno-national identity, federal integration, and the economic transition. The Socialist Party of Sydona, which had ruled Sydona under the one-party system, has managed to remain the strongest political force in the country, campaigning on a platform of ethnic and religious neutrality, opposition to independence or ethnic separatism on one hand and further federal integration on the other, and maintaining high social expenditure financed largely by resource rents. This platform, combined with effective voter-mobilisation networks among sympathetic constituencies such as organised labour, have enabled the SPS to turn out a "critical mass of lukewarm supporters" and usually prevail over the fractious opposition.
== Standardized tests ==
Prior to 2002, Verona assessed student performance in the elementary school and secondary school grades via the Verona Education Standards Assessment (VESA), administered at the end of each year beginning in Grade 4. Beginning in January 2002, Verona completely eliminated the VESA and instead opted for a model where teachers formulate their own grading systems for the students similar to collegiate systems, although with oversight from various superior bodies (e.g., principals, directs of primary and secondary education, district superintendents, and VDOE review board). The Verona Education system as a whole underwent a major overhaul in 2004 that marked the end of an era.
===Federal Politics===
== School and district accountability ==
Sydona returns six members to the [[Federal Stanora]] by at-large {{wp|single transferable vote}}.
The [[Emergency Backup Executive]], a {{wp|designated survivor}} elected to lead the Federacy's {{wp|continuity of government}} efforts in the event that all other constitutional successors to the [[Prime Executive]] are killed or incapacitated in a catastrophic event, has their official residence at the Prehnite Hill Tracts on Grand Sydona.
=== Education performance rating ===
The Department of Education maintains a five-tier rating system based on academic accountability from end-of-curriculum testing (Grade 5, 8, and 12), though it is currently undergoing a revision to better reflect the state's instructional model. The commonwealth ranks all schools within its borders and publishes this information on its website. Ratings can also be found on individual pages. Schools in more populated areas tend to trend higher on the scale while schools in more rural areas tend to trend lower.
|Schools with a '''Probationary''' rating have demonstrated below average scoring on standardized tests for
| style="text-align:center;" | Social Compact Party ([[Caritist Social Union|CSU]])
at least two consecutive school years.
| style="text-align:center;" | 21205
|242
|-
|-
!colspan=2|''Total''
!24,194
|}
|}
===Public Policy and Law===
=== Gold Performance Acknowledgements ===
<!-- Has socialised medicine but it's shitty because Sydona is a sclerotic backwater -->
===Defence Forces===
Like other Kiravian provinces, Sydona maintains its own local defence forces. The Sydonan People's Army is responsible for air and land defence, and the Sydonan People's Navy functions as the islands' {{wp|coast guard}}, discharging roughly the same responsibilities in Sydonan waters as the [[Maritime Cutter Service]] does in the Home Islands.
===Local Governance===
The third-level administrative divisions in Sydona are known ''raions'' (Coscivian: ''raion'') instead of countyships (''amtra'').
==Society & Culture==
[[File:Novo Sarajevo (October 2011) - panoramio.jpg|thumb]]
[[File:Вид Рыбницы.jpg|thumb]]
Sydona has a rich and diverse culture, blending the dominant mores of [[Coscivian civilisation]] with Pelian, Slavic, Istroyan, and Audonian influences.
===Ethnic groups===
[[File:DeepSouthCoscivians.jpg|thumb|Historical woodcut of the [[Deep South Coscivians]]]]
<!-- Taconic Mountains Taconite Coke Limestone
Axnaromanotes??
Melotes
-->
Main social groups:
*'''Pelians''' - {{wp|Armenians|Divergent Levanto-Sarpic ethnic group}}. Pelians are the largest individual ethnic group in Sydona and are in plurality across southern and eastern Yerduran and the Lesser Sydonas.
*'''Thrakoslavs ( ''Thračislaveni'' )''' - Sydonans of Slavonic heritage, related to the Slavs of [[Zeshinava]]. Thrakoslavs are in majority in the North Sydona Autonomous Division and parts of the west coast, and in plurality in some paarts of the Yerduran interior.
**'''Čuvidins''' - Thrakoslavic Sunni Muslims
*'''Coscivians''', including:
**'''Austral Coscivians''' or '''Deep South Coscivians''' - Social amalgamation of Coscivised Pelians and long-settled multigenerational Coscivian-Kiravian colonists.
**'''Thrakoscivians''' - Social amalgamation of Coscivised Thrakoslavs and mixed Coscivian-Thrakoslavic families, mostly living in North Sydona and speaking Thrako-Coscivian Creole.
**'''Black Coscivians''' - Resettled evacuees from Kiravian trading posts in [[Punth]] expelled during the course of the [[Kiro-Burgundian Wars]]. Mostly found in the Destransar metropolitan area and urban-type settlements in North Sydona.
Smaller but notable ethnic groups include:
*'''Anatolians''' - Umbrella term for various [[Audonian Christianity|Audonian Christian]] minority communities who have settled in the islands.
*'''Leinish''' - Small-numbered community descended from Gothic-Fiannrian Crusaders, mostly concentrated in Leinland Autonomous Raion.
*'''Śķiptar''' - Displaced {{wp|Illyrians}}, traditionally {{wp|pastoralism|pastoral}} and involved in rearing {{wp|water buffalo}} and producing {{wp|buffalo mozzarella|buffalo dairy products}}.
*'''Absuri''' - Local relict Arab populations
*'''Rumelis and Rumelite Coscivians''' - Followers of the [[Rumeli Islam|Rumeli Islamic]] tradition.
*'''Istrojans and Istro-Coscivians''' - [Coming soon]
*'''Welsh Sydonans''' - Immigrated from [[Caergwynn]] and [[Faneria]] to work in the mines.
===Language===
Austral Coscivian, an offshoot of [[Maritime Coscivian]] superimposed over a Pelian substrate, is the most widely spoken language in Sydona, by 35% of the population as their native tongue and an additional ~20-25% as a second language. The other two major languages of Sydona are Thrakoslavic (a Slavonic language) and Pelian (an independent Levanto-Sarpic language). All three languages have official status
Thrako-Coscivian Creole is spoken by some 120,000 families in northern Érdoran (~1.54% of the Sydonan population), with a significant diaspora in Destransar and [[Valēka]]. It received official recognition in 21193 and authorised for use in public elementary education for the first time.
Kiravic Coscivian is an auxiliary official language, and is understood by up to 40% of the population, mostly as a second language. It is common as a first language among the Mainlander community and is important in the corporate world. Public information is increasingly made available in Kiravic. However, Austral Coscivian remains the dominant language of the Coscivian sector and heavily Cosconised cities, and native Kiravic-speakers living in Sydona must learn Austral Coscivian in order to navigate everyday life.
Other languages spoken in Sydona by sizeable communities include Istroyan, <!-- Istro-Coscivian? --> Aramaic, and Leinish.
===Religion===
Catholicism (Latin, Coscivian, and [[Caphiric Catholicism|Caphiric]]), Shi'a Islam (Rumeli, [[Shapirism|Shapiri]], Twelver), Sunni Islam (need to decide on sects)
<!-- Woolzi Sects, Sarostivism. Ancient Coscivian Moon- and ancestor-worship both Christianised and Islamised.
Smaller: CHURCH OF PEL, Zoroastrianism or Manichæanism, as appropriate, Reformed Orthodoxy -->
===Sports===
Sports are an important part of Sydonan cultural life.
{{wp|Association football}} (Austral Coscivian: ''kʊʉrat'', from Arabic ''kura'' "ball") is the second most popular sport in Sydona, in stark contrast to the rest of the Kiravian Federacy, where it receives little attention. The Sydona Islands are represented by their own national team in international competitions, separate from the notoriously irrelevant [[Kirav national soccer team|Kiravian national team]]. Although the Sydonan national team outperforms its Kiravian counterpart, it is still not particularly successful in tournament play. Soccer is generally played during the antipodean spring and summer in Sydona, coinciding with the fall/winter regular season for fieldball in Great Kirav, though it is evolving into a more year-round sport. The Austral Coscivian language has its own distinct vocabulary relating to soccer, much of which is locally coined or borrowed from Continental Ixnayan languages, unlike Kiravic Coscivian which has mostly borrowed or calqued its soccer terminology from Levantine or wider international usage.
Sydona is home to the famed tennis champion [[Hinko Karthinović]].
==Economy==
[[File:Fortaleza - Ceará - Brasil.jpg|thumb|Seafront commercial development in Destransar]]
[[File:NP01-Vinogradi.jpg|thumb|right|Vineyards in Hayrenyat Raion]]
[[File:Dam_Serbia_Djerdap_2.jpg|thumb|200px|Hydroelectric power station on Yerduran]]
Sydona has a an upper-middle income transitional mixed economy with a large public sector. The extraction and processing of natural resources - particularly offshore oil and natural gas and [[handwavium]] - are the most valuable sector of the economy and main source of public revenues. The economy is presently export-oriented, with a comparatively underdeveloped domestic market for {{wp|consumer goods}}, though the Sydonan People's Bank projects a positive trajectory for domestic consumption over the next five years.
Sydona has its own currency, the Sydonan dram. The [[Saar|Kiravian saar]] is widely circulated and commonly accepted by local merchants. However, the Sydonan government only accepts tax and fee payments in drams, and similarly pays out pensions and welfare transfers (upon which a large share of the population rely) in drams.
===Energy and Mining===
== Colleges and Universities ==
Sydona has extensive (mostly offshore) deposits of {{wp|petroleum}} and {{wp|natural gas}}, the easily the largest of any Kiravian province by proven reserves. The Sydona Resource Development Authority, a {{wp|trading fund|state-owned commercial entity}} under the purview of the provincial Secretariat of Energy, has a statutory monopoly on oil drilling in Sydona and its waters, though since 21202 it has begun licensing an increasing number of oilfields to private companies, such as [[Kiro-Audonian SakOil]]. Oil and gas are Sydona's leading export and source of government revenues.
| membership = 157 public colleges and universities, with a combined endowment of approx. $94 billion
| language =
| leader_title = Chancellor
| leader_name = Arjen Mallette
| main_organ =
| parent_organization = [[Verona Department of Education]]
| affiliations =
| num_staff =
| num_volunteers =
| budget =
| website = [http://www.usv.edu/ www.usv.edu]
| remarks =
}}
The eastern islands hold major deposits of {{wp|handwavium}}, while Érdoran and Manētuva have significant reserves of tin and tungsten. Offshore natural gas exploration is underway in the Sydona Sound. Sydona's handwavium industry is tightly supervised by the federal government, as the mineral is of great strategic value to the Kiravian Navy and shipping industry, which require it for certain long-haul voyages.
The '''University System of Verona''' ('''USV''') is the state agency that includes the 157 public institutions of higher learning in Verona. The system is governed by the Verona Board of Regents and is an arm of the Department of Education. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions within the state. The USV also dispenses public funds (allocated by the state's legislature) to the institutions. The USV is the largest university system in Cartadania by total student enrollment, with 5.7 million students in 157 public institutions. USV institutions are divided into three categories: research universities, comprehensive state universities, and state colleges.
===Agriculture===
The agency designates four systems: the [[University of Verona]] and [[Verona Institute of Technology]] systems as "research universities", the [[Verona Commonwealth University]] system as "comprehensive state universities", and the [[Verona Community College system]] as "state colleges". The University of Verona is the state's flagship university system and contains the state's overall oldest institutions of higher learning. After the state unified the VCU system with the Verona State University system (VSU) in 1990, the VCU system became the largest higher learning system in the USV and Cartadania, with over 750,000 students. The independent University of Central Verona is the state's designated military school.
Agriculture employs some 16% of Sydonans, and is focused on the production of Levanto-Sarpic staple crops (e.g. wheat, barley), [[Kiravian cuisine|Kiravian staples]] (potato, drallion), wine grapes, beef cattle, and a wide selection of temperate fruits and vegatables. A warm temperate to submediterranean climate, level terrain on Grand Sydona, and comparatively low labour costs have helped establish Sydona as an agricultural exporter to the Kiravian and international markets. Ducks are raised widely across Sydona, and are a major ingredient in Austral Coscivian cuisine. Sydona is the leading producer of {{wp|yerba mate}} in the Federacy.
Sydona is by far the largest producer and per-capita consumer of {{wp|wine}} in the Kiravian collectivity. Vineyards are an important pillar of the rural economy on the hilly outer islands, which offer many locations with desirable ''terroir'' for {{wp|viticulture}}. Sydona Œnotechnical Enterprises SAK, better known by its {{wp|trade name}} 'Swallowtail Wines', took over management of the largest state-owned vineyards when they were privatised in 21192, and produces affordable varietal wines, mainly for the Kiravian market. It is the best-known wine brand among Kiravian consumers. Another major commercial winery is SAK Évard Cellars, a subsidiary of [[Alquifer]] operating in Yeğvard Raion (Marketing consultants rendered ''Yeğvard'' as ''Évard'' to dupe customers into thinking the wine was [[Burgundie|Burgoniesc]] and therefore good, when in fact it is neither).
* [[University of Verona system]]
* [[Verona Commonwealth University system]]
* [[Verona Community Colleges system]]
* [[Verona Institute of Technology]]
===Manufacturing & Services===
== See also ==
Sydona inherited a large industrial base from the Kirosocialist period that has struggled to compete in a more liberalised trade environment and has remained largely stagnant despite generous subsidies and protectionist policies. The fortunes of the manufacturing sector have improved mildly since [[the Deluge]] thanks to contracts with the [[Overseas Development Executive]] to provide large quantities of outdated but low-cost agricultural machinery, construction equipment, and chemical fertilisers to promote economic development in Kiravian-controlled areas of [[Crona]].
[[List of school districts in Verona]]
Sydona is a major exporter of {{wp|paving stones}} and {{wp|curbstones}}, benefitting greatly from the post-Kirosocialist suburban development boom in [[Great Kirav]] and the growth of "air-conditioner colonies" in lowland [[Æonara]] which have spurred a surge in demand for patios.
The Verona Department of Education (VDOE) is a branch of the state government of Verona in Cartadania responsible for the regulation of public education. The agency is headquartered in Verona Frond Six Building in Downtown Aurimá, along with various other branches and offices of the state government. Formed in 1906 to centralize the state's education system and authority, the Verona Department of Education has the largest education responsibility in the country, second only to the federal equivalent. It apportions funds and sets standards for the education of it's 12.1 million students, a figure larger than the population of twenty-five individual states, and the eight smallest states combined.
The Department of Education was established on 3 September 1906 following the need for a centralized educational authority. Prior to the creation of the department, education was overseen by county education boards or multi-county organizations. The government conducted a survey of needs throughout the commonwealth and set out to develop a set goal and basic curriculum that each school district was required to follow. This survey resulted in the creation of the department to be responsible for maintaining these objectives and the office of Superintendent of Education was created, with the superintendent being an official appointed by the Governor.
In 1938, the Commonwealth Board of Education was merged into the Department of Education. Together, they introduced a precursor to the legislative bill that would separate school districts from the county and city governments. They also sought to solve the issue of ghost districts, those with no enrollment or active schools. Prior to the late 1940s, many school districts in Verona did not operate schools but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In the late 1940s state lawmakers passed another bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation.
In 1956, the General Assembly authorized the creation of the University System of Verona, a pan-system organization that encompasses the four-system schools throughout the state. It serves as a regulatory authority and reports directly to the state.
In 1961, the Verona Department of Education, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Revenue Board and General Assembly, granted school districts the power to tax residents. Prior to this, Verona school districts were allocated funding from the localities they served. The new configuration removed the municipalities' oversight of funding and use, giving the school districts more control.
In 2002, the Verona education system underwent a major revision, known as the Verona Instructional System Alignment (VISA), that restructured the grading system, instructional timeframe, curricula, and pipeline for primary and secondary education. The changes went into effect on 3 January 2002, in preparation for school systems to migrate to this model when school begins (typically the third monday in January), but were authorized in January 2000. Alongside VISA was the Verona Post-Secondary Alignment (VAPSA), which only established a system by which schools can admit students on an academic basis and simultaneously eliminated the cost of attendance for baccalaureate programs, the cost of which shifted to a tax-funded model with funding from the federal government. VAPSA also reinstated the mandatory requirement that all teachers have a masters degree, which is now funded by the state as well.
Duties
The Verona Department of Education is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Verona, involving both the over 100 individual school districts in the state as well as private schools. It is also responsible for the safety of students. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over parochial schools (whether or not accredited), and unlike in a few other states and several countries, home schooling is illegal. All schools are, however, required to follow the states basic curriculum, the Verona Education Standards.
Although school districts are independent governmental entities, VDOE has the authority to oversee a district's operations (either involving an individual school or the entire district) if serious issues arise (such as poor performance, financial distress, or reported mismanagement). This can be in the form of requiring the district to submit corrective action plans and regular status reports, assigning monitors to oversee operations (including the authority to assign a management board, which essentially replaces and performs the duties of the elected school board), and in extreme cases closure of a school campus or even the entire school district.
In addition to primary and secondary education, VDOE has oversight duties with respect to driver's education courses (initial permits) and defensive driving courses (used to have a ticket dismissed and/or for lower insurance premiums). VDOE also manages the commonwealth's higher education system, including its three university systems, the community college system, and the 6 independent public universities.
The Verona Interscholastic Federation (VIF), which oversees academic and athletic interscholastic competition in Verona public schools, is a separate entity not under VDOE oversight.
Superintendent of Education
Commonwealth Board of Education
The Verona Commonwealth Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the Verona Department of Education. It sets AP-12 education policy in the areas of standards, recommended instructional materials, and accountability. The Board adopts textbooks for grades K-8 via statewide teacher input, adopts regulations to implement legislation, and has authority to amend and modify the Education Standards. These standards are designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level in addition to recommended supplementary areas (known as primary and secondary focii). The Board of Education has thirteen members, including one student member, all appointed by the Governor of Verona. The student member is selected from a group of three students nominated by the board.
Regions
District
Counties
Manager
Verona
Commonwealth at-large
Soraya Durán
LaMarque
Amelia, Cara, Elisabeth, Everglade, Mayes
Ruben Núñez
San Marcos
Andres, Buena Vista, San Marcos
Yanira Miguélez
Palm Coast
Andina, Lynnhaven, Santa Rosa, Sierra, Victoria
Noemi Notario
Pinellas
Guines, Harris, Lake, Riverside, Santa Maria
Leyre Ruiz
Florence
Florence, Morton, San Francisco, Vero
Rafael Hoyo
Orange
Liberty, Los Angeles, Orange, Richmond, Sinhedes, Union
Prior to 2002, Verona assessed student performance in the elementary school and secondary school grades via the Verona Education Standards Assessment (VESA), administered at the end of each year beginning in Grade 4. Beginning in January 2002, Verona completely eliminated the VESA and instead opted for a model where teachers formulate their own grading systems for the students similar to collegiate systems, although with oversight from various superior bodies (e.g., principals, directs of primary and secondary education, district superintendents, and VDOE review board). The Verona Education system as a whole underwent a major overhaul in 2004 that marked the end of an era.
School and district accountability
Education performance rating
The Department of Education maintains a five-tier rating system based on academic accountability from end-of-curriculum testing (Grade 5, 8, and 12), though it is currently undergoing a revision to better reflect the state's instructional model. The commonwealth ranks all schools within its borders and publishes this information on its website. Ratings can also be found on individual pages. Schools in more populated areas tend to trend higher on the scale while schools in more rural areas tend to trend lower.
Rank
Definition
Schools
in rank
Exemplary
Schools with an Exemplary rating have demonstrated very high scoring on standardized tests for
at least 2 consecutive school years, or at least one school year following rank 'Proficient'.
4,355
Proficient
Schools with a Proficient rating have demonstrated above average scoring on standardized tests.
13,790
Accredited
Schools with an Accredited rating have demonstrated average scoring on standardized tests.
5,081
Warning
Schools with a accreditation Warning have demonstrated below average scoring on standardized tests
for at least one school year.
726
Probationary
Schools with a Probationary rating have demonstrated below average scoring on standardized tests for
The University System of Verona (USV) is the state agency that includes the 157 public institutions of higher learning in Verona. The system is governed by the Verona Board of Regents and is an arm of the Department of Education. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions within the state. The USV also dispenses public funds (allocated by the state's legislature) to the institutions. The USV is the largest university system in Cartadania by total student enrollment, with 5.7 million students in 157 public institutions. USV institutions are divided into three categories: research universities, comprehensive state universities, and state colleges.
The agency designates four systems: the University of Verona and Verona Institute of Technology systems as "research universities", the Verona Commonwealth University system as "comprehensive state universities", and the Verona Community College system as "state colleges". The University of Verona is the state's flagship university system and contains the state's overall oldest institutions of higher learning. After the state unified the VCU system with the Verona State University system (VSU) in 1990, the VCU system became the largest higher learning system in the USV and Cartadania, with over 750,000 students. The independent University of Central Verona is the state's designated military school.
