2007 General Assembly Update:
Virginia School
Law
August 29, 2007:
Joint Subcommittee on Obesity" hears from Center for
Disease Control in Atlanta, which does not currently
support policy of collecting student BMI information.
Alarming statistics reveal that health costs related to
obesity could consume 38% of the GNP in our lifetime.
July State Board Update:
"State Board approves re-benchmarking figure to
be forwarded to the Governor and the General Assembly.
The current estimate is an additonal $1.1 Billion in
state funds to "maintain the status quo" for public
education. That figure does not include fall 2007 data
which could raise the amount of the state contribution
to $1.5 B."
4.10.07: View
education bills that will go into effect July 1.
"Veto Session anti-climactic as Governor adds few
amendments to the budget bill; no major changes to funding
for public education; CTE bill amended by Governor to add
"advanced technical diploma."
February 16, 2007: On a vote
of 13 to 7, SB 1419 failed
to be reported from House Appropriations on Friday,
February 16. Senator Walter Stosch's special education
"scholarship" bill for students of "dissatisfied"
parents bypassed votes in the Senate and House education
committees but passed in Senate Finance as well as the full
Senate. Failure in the House Appropriations
Committee appears to mark the end of this issue for the 2007
Session following intense lobbying efforts from every
major public education organization in the state.
Update 2.15.07
VASSP successful in defeating major parental notification
bills in Senate Education and Health Committees. Bill to
"share the bus" with private school students advances.
1.28.2007.VASSP
leads opposition in defeating bill to remove licensure
requirements for administrators; bill to require principals
to report student immigration status fails. Introduced bills top 2,500 mark. Click on bills on
the VASSP Priority bill list
"SHARE THE RIDE, PARENTAL
NOTIFICATION AND SPECIAL ED VOUCHER BILLS UNDER
CONSIDERATION IN SENATE AFTER PASSING HOUSE. VASSP
CONTINUING TO OPPOSE."
tional law
enforcement notification to principals and an on-line sex
offender registry for schools." (details)
July Technical Diploma
Update: "A special committee of the State Board
hears testimony from business and education
leaders regarding the new technical diploma options.
VASSP to testify at committee's next meeting."
2004 Capitol Issues
as of Feb 2, 2004
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS FAVOR VASSP POSITIONS
HB 513 (Marrs) stripped of mandates.
Thanks to calls and e-mails from members as well as intense
lobbying and leadership on the part of VASSP and
all major education organizations represented in Richmond, a House
Education Subcommittee rejected the premise of the bill that
self-defense is a “fundamental right” and instead recommended
that HB 513 be reduced to a request that the State Board of
Education add self-defense to its list of policies for which
guidelines will be reviewed and recommended.
Final House action to come this week.
HB 869 (Byron) amended to only add “knife” to the
definition of “firearm” as per Section 22.1-277.07. All other new language in the bill that included a
requirement to report any threats against any person to the
principal, superintendent and law enforcement was removed at the
request of the patron.
Delegate Byron receptive to VASSP concerns and fact
that verbal assaults (threats) are currently required to be
reported to the principal (Section 22.1-279.3:1(i)).
HB 289 (Griffith) recommended to be tabled by House
Subcommittee on Transportation.
Bill
would require all student transportation vehicles to meet federal
school bus safety standards and would phase out use of
15-passenger vans; would allow parents to designate child care
centers as point of origin or destination. A bill to require specialized training for drivers of
vehicles transporting children will most likely be presented to
cover concerns, most of which surround use of “refitted” vans
by church schools and other private day care.
HB 576 (Hamilton) amended to reflect VASSP request
that references to “turnaround specialists” as possessing
leadership skills more specialized than those of today’s
principals be removed.
Working with Delegate Hamilton and the Governor’s
office, VASSP was able to have HB 576 amended to simply reference
“turnaround specialists” as viable options for school
divisions – most likely in need of assistance in low-performing
schools. The
Department of Education is currently seeking candidates to
participate in special training for such positions.
LEGISLATIVE ALERTS
HB 468 – OPPOSE; to require School
Health Report Cards (height and weight stats, etc.) (House
Education Committee)
HB 1036 – OPPOSE; tuition tax credits (House
Finance Committee)
HB 1339 – OPPOSE; written contracts for
part-time and “at-will” employees (House
Education Committee)
SB 487 – OPPOSE; to require principal to issue
driver eligibility certificates to students and to report certain
student information to DMV
(Senate Transportation
Committee)
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