Richmond area students can tune into teacher-led classroom instruction on TV thanks to a new initiative by Virginia’s public media stations.

The “VA TV Classroom” broadcasts, which started April 13, are designed to instruct and help students in kindergarten through 10th grade who may not be able to access other distance learning options because of a lack of high-speed internet.

VA TV Classroom airs between 1 and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Richmond area on Virginia Public Media WCVE Channel 23; via antenna 57.1; Verizon FiOS 24 and 524 (HD); Comcast 24 and 797 (HD); DIRECTV 57; DISH 57 and 9392 (HD).

In addition to the local public media station, VA TV Classroom will be broadcast on Blue Ridge PBS in the western part of the state, WETA in Northern Virginia and WHRO Public Media in Hampton Roads.

Instruction for students in grades K-3 airs from 1 to 2 p.m. with Standards of Learning-aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media. “Learn to Grow with WHRO” segments will be 15 minutes in length and led by teachers.

Grades 7-10 instruction airs from 2 to 3 p.m., with SOL- aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media focusing on Earth Science and Algebra 1.

During the week beginning Monday, April 27, VA TV Class- room is adding a special hour from 3 to 4 p.m., with two 30- minute segments, called “AP Prep Week.” The content, provided by Virtual Virginia in collaboration with WHRO, focuses on a different Advanced Placement subject each day.

“At a time when all of Virginia’s students are out of school, public media is a valuable, trusted resource our communities can rely on to deliver high-quality educational content for all ages,” said Jayme Swain, president of VPM and chief executive officer of the Virginia Foundation for Public Media.

“VPM is honored to partner with Virginia’s public television stations and the state Department of Education to give students and their families a way to continue their learning at home.”