Fairfax County Public Schools, Office of Government Relations

Interim Studies, Work Groups, and Reports

This report compiles all legislation from the 2024 General Assembly Session that created Studies, Work Groups, or required reports to be completed in the off session.

The expected completion date for all studies, work groups, and reports is noted in each summary, with the vast majority due by the end of 2024, in time for possible action during the 2025 General Assembly Session.

UPDATED: 06/07/2024

Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding

Language included in the budget directs the Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding to review the recommendations and policy options offered in the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission's July 2023 report, “Virginia's K-12 Funding Formula"; determine the appropriateness of implementing each recommendation or policy option, propose appropriate amendments to each recommendation or policy option, and develop a long-range plan for the phased implementation of its recommendations. In its deliberations, the Joint Subcommittee shall consider the long-term fiscal implications of each recommendation. The Joint Subcommittee shall submit initial recommendations and an implementation plan to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than November 1, 2024.

Virginia Department of Education

VA Longitudinal Data System & VA Workforce Data Trust; work group to review current capabilities HB 1083 (Coyner) requires the Secretary of Education to convene a work group to review the current capabilities and future needs of the Virginia Longitudinal Data System (the System) and the Virginia Workforce Data Trust (the Trust) (collectively, the Databases) and, based on the results of such review, develop a work plan for improving the System. The goal of such work shall be to provide a best-in-class data analytics platform and to support evidence-based research and data-informed decision making by policy makers in the Commonwealth through the maintenance of datasets and the creation of public-facing dashboards regarding education, labor, and the workforce.  The Secretary shall deliver a report that includes a summary of the review and the proposed work plan by November 1, 2024.

Free school meals; work group to study offering to students statewide SB 283 (Roem) requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in coordination Secretary of Education, to convene a stakeholder work group to study the estimated impact of offering free school meals to students statewide, identify options for reducing or eliminating student and school meal debt, and make recommendations on options for leveraging other programs funded at state and federal levels for the provision of student school meals. The bill requires the work group to report on its findings and recommendations to the Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding by November 1, 2024.

College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund; established and created HB 1087 (Coyner) and SB 627 (Lucas) establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund and requires the Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System to establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Program whereby each school board is required to offer each qualified high school student in the local school division access at the high school to the dual enrollment courses that are sufficient to complete the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program at a public institution of higher education at no cost to such students. The bills establish several enumerated duties for the Department and the System in the administration of the College and Career Ready Virginia Program, including the establishment of a work group to make recommendations no later than November 1, 2024, on the incorporation of a career and technical education program of coursework into the College and Career Ready Virginia Program.

Public schools; opioid antagonist administration, etc. HB 732 (Sewell) and SB 726 (Pillion) require each local school board to develop a plan, in accordance with the guidelines and model curriculum developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, for providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal. Require that each public secondary school shall provide an opioid overdose prevention and reversal program of instruction at such grade level as the local school board deems appropriate and shall adopt policies for the purpose of encouraging each student to complete such opioid overdose prevention and reversal program of instruction prior to graduation. Require each local school board to develop a plan and policies and procedures, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, that: (i) provide for the procurement, storage, and maintenance of at least two unexpired doses of opioid antagonists at each public elementary and secondary school; (ii) require each such school to inspect its opioid antagonist supply at least annually and maintain a record of the date of inspection, the expiration date on each dose, and in the event that a dose is administered for overdose reversal, the date of such administration; and (iii) relate to the proper and safe storage of such opioid antagonist supply in each school. The bills require that each local school board shall develop policies and procedures relating to the possession and administration of opioid antagonists by any school nurse or employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of opioid antagonist including: (i) policies requiring each public school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and has been trained and is certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist and has the means to access at all times during regular school hours any such opioid antagonist supply; and (ii) policies and procedures for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide training in opioid antagonist administration and maintaining records of each employee of each such school who is trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist. The bills state that any employee of a public school, school board, or local health department who, during regular school hours, on school premises, or during a school sponsored activity, in good faith administers an opioid antagonist for opioid overdose reversal to any individual who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life threatening opioid overdose, regardless of whether such employee was trained in administration of an opioid antagonist, shall be immune from any disciplinary action or civil or criminal liability for any act or omission made in connection with the administration of an opioid antagonist in such incident, unless such act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct. Finally, the bills direct the Department of Health and the Department of Education to collaborate to develop guidelines and policies for the implementation of the provisions of the bill and for the Department of Education to submit such guidelines to the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by January 1, 2025. The bill requires such guidelines and policies to be implemented by each school board by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. 

Special education and related services; definitions, utilization of Virginia IEP. HB 1089 (Coyner) and SB 220 (Favola) require the Department of Education to shall submit to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations an initial report on its progress toward improving services to students with disabilities, no later than November 1, 2024, including (i) the estimated costs, requirements, and timeline to implement the Virginia IEP data system and template; (ii) a plan for the Department of Education to begin providing technical assistance and coaching to local school divisions; (iii) the status of reviews, form updates, and worksheet development relating to referral, evaluation, reevaluation, and eligibility; and (iv) estimated costs and the timeline to develop and implement high-quality professional development to support (a) the implementation of referral, evaluation, reevaluation, and eligibility guidance, forms, and worksheets; (b) the effective utilization of the Virginia IEP data system and template; and (c) the implementation of instructional practices to support the provision of specially designed instruction in inclusive settings.

117 #2c DOE - School-Based Mental Health Funding Plan (Language Only)

The Department of Education shall work collaboratively with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Medical Assistance Services on a plan for creating a new program to deliver flexible mental health funds to divisions. The program should provide flexible funding to participating divisions for maintaining school-based mental health services and supports as well as technical assistance and evaluation capabilities to build out their mental health programs within a multi-tiered system of supports and consider maximizing existing funding and positions funded through the Standards of Quality such as specialized student support positions.  The Department of Education shall provide such plan to the Chairs of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations Committee and the Behavioral Health Commission no later than December 1, 2024.

Farm to School Program Task Force; Department of Education to establish HB 830 (Cousins) and SB 314 (Roem) require the Department of Education to establish and appoint such members as it deems necessary or appropriate to the Farm to School Program Task Force for the purpose of increasing student access throughout the Commonwealth to high-quality farm to school programs, defined in the bill as programs (i) whereby public schools purchase and feature prominently in school meals locally produced food or (ii) that involve experiential student learning opportunities relating to local food and agriculture, including school and community garden programs and local farm visits. The bills require the Task Force to collaborate with local school boards, community-based organizations, farmers, relevant state and local agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to (a) assess existing farm to school programs within the Commonwealth to identify and disseminate to each local school board best practices for implementing and sustaining such programs, (b) establish and distribute to each local school board a guidance document for the establishment and operation of school garden programs, (c) provide information and resources to each local school board to assist it in leveraging grant funds to support farm to school programs, and (d) collect such data and make such policy recommendations to local school boards, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly as it deems appropriate.  No date specified for report.

Public schools; instructional time; competency-based education HB 1477 (Rasoul) requires the Board of Education to provide local school boards maximum flexibility to waive existing instructional clock hour requirements by developing alternative instructional time models in accordance with the Board's regulations and guidelines relating to instructional time waivers. The bill directs the Board, when revising its regulations and adopting Standards of Accreditation, to provide flexibility for school boards to develop programs that provide for acceleration, remediation, and multiple pathways to graduation that permit students to demonstrate competency at different rates. The bill also requires the Board to update, by December 1, 2024, its Guidelines for Graduation Requirements: Local Alternative Paths to Standard Units of Credit (Alternatives to the 140-Clock-Hour Requirement) to include guidance regarding (i) waiver pathway options to allow students time within the school day to complete work-based learning opportunities; (ii) advanced learning opportunities focused on problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills; (iii) content that provides technical knowledge, skills, and competency-based applied learning; (iv) a method for approving alternative programs, including dual enrollment courses as specified in the bill; (v) other instructional time models adopted to meet instructional hour requirements through a variety of learning modalities; and (vi) offering instructional and learning opportunities including innovative, advanced, and enrichment programs for the full school year. Finally, the bill requires the Board to submit to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1, 2024, a report on its progress in implementing the provisions of the bill. Note this legislation incorporates HB 663 (Tata) and HB 1081 (Coyner).

Department of Education; Virginia Community College System; regional career and technical education program. SB 563 (Hackworth) would have directed the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, the Board of Education, the school board and division superintendent of Tazewell County Public Schools, and representatives of the governing boards of comprehensive community colleges located in Tazewell County and contiguous counties to study the feasibility of and make recommendations on developing a plan for establishing a regional career and technical education program for all students in grade levels six through 12 who reside in Planning District 2. This legislation was Continued to 2025 in House Rules. While the legislation did not move forward, a Task Force was created in the interim to consider regional career and technical education programs.

Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy

Language included in the budget directs the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy to explore efforts to modernize the Commonwealth’s income and sales and use taxes during the 2024 interim. The goals and objectives shall include: (i) evaluating existing sales and use tax exemptions; (ii) applying sales and use tax to digital goods and services, including transactions involving businesses; (iii) evaluating efforts to increase the progressivity of the income tax; (iv) and long-term revenue growth to maintain core government services.

Joint Commission on Technology and Science

Joint Commission on Technology and Science; analysis of the use of artificial intelligence by public bodies; report SB 487 (Aird) Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS), in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to conduct an analysis of the use of artificial intelligence by public bodies in the Commonwealth and the creation of a Commission on Artificial Intelligence. JCOTS shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Communications, Technology and Innovation and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and General Laws and Technology no later than December 1, 2024. 

Joint Commission on Health Care

Fentanyl crisis; Joint Commission on Health Care to study policy solutions. HJ 41 (Srinivasan) directs the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) to study policy solutions to the Commonwealth's fentanyl crisis. The resolution directs JCHC to (i) study the causes of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth, (ii) study the impact of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth on Virginians and the Commonwealth's health care system, (iii) study and provide insight into the fentanyl crisis within the context of other drug crises and addiction trends in recent history, and (iv) establish and make policy recommendations related to reducing the prevalence of fentanyl in the Commonwealth and reducing the number of fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth. The resolution requires JCHC to complete its meetings by November 30, 2025, and to submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)

Students with disabilities; SCHEV to study process used to determine eligibility for accommodations. HB 509 (Cohen) and SB 21 (Salim) require the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in consultation with representatives of public institutions of higher education, students enrolled at public institutions of higher education, higher education disability accommodation professionals, and a subject matter expert to be selected by the Council, to study the processes by which each public institution of higher education determines the eligibility for accommodations of an admitted or enrolled student with a temporary or permanent disability and identify in such processes and make recommendations to reduce any barriers to establishing eligibility. In conducting its study, the Council is required to (i) evaluate the current processes used by such institutions for determining a student's eligibility for accommodations, including any required documentation; (ii) identify any barriers students may face in establishing eligibility for accommodations through such processes; (iii) identify any resources that may be necessary for students to overcome such barriers in establishing eligibility for accommodations; and (iv) make recommendations on (a) strategies for reducing any such barriers, and (b) the development and establishment of a uniform accommodations eligibility determination process for public institutions of higher education. The bills require the Council to submit to the Governor, the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Education, and the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health a report on its findings and recommendations by October 1, 2024.

Department of General Services

Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting HB 1108 (Carr) and SB 18 (Locke) Requires state public bodies, covered institutions, and local public bodies to provide documentation of the processes used for the final selection of a construction contract to all the unsuccessful applicants upon request. The bill adds certain requirements for covered institutions, including posting all documents that are open to public inspection exchanged between the Department of General Services and the covered institution on the central electronic procurement website eVA. The bill requires approval by a majority vote of the covered institution's board of visitors or governing board if the covered institution chooses to proceed with construction management or design-build against the recommendation of the Department for (i) projects funded by funds other than those provided from the state general fund or (ii) projects of $65 million or more funded in whole or in part from state general funds. For projects under $65 million funded in whole or in part by state general funds, the bill provides that the covered institution shall obtain approval from the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, or their designees, and a representative of the Department.  The bill requires a local public body to adopt a resolution or motion to use construction management or design-build, if required by its local governing body, prior to issuing a Request for Qualifications and to publish notice of such resolution or motion on its website or eVA. The bill provides that the Department shall report annually, for any construction management or design-build project, on the qualifications that made such project complex. Finally, the bill requires the Department, with the assistance of staff of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, to assess the implementation and administration of construction management and design-build projects and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2029. 

Public Body Procurement Workgroup

Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility. HB 1355 (Tran) would have made numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" as it relates to digital accessibility, defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill would have permitted the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and provides that such digital accessibility coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy. The bill would have had a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. Continued to 2025, so the substance of the bill does not go into effect, but a request was sent to the Public Body Procurement Workgroup to evaluate and report on changes outlined in legislation.  No date set for report.

Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; charges for production of public records; report. SB 324 (Roem) would prohibit a public body from charging a requester for any costs incurred during the first hour spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for records requested in conjunction with the requester's first request. The bill provides that for any additional time spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for such records, or for any additional record requests, the public body shall not charge an hourly rate for accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the records exceeding the lesser of the hourly rate of pay of the lowest-paid individual capable of fulfilling the request or $40 per hour. The bill allows a public body to petition the appropriate court for relief from the $40-per-hour fee cap upon showing by a preponderance of the evidence that there is no qualified individual capable of fulfilling the request for $40 per hour or less and requires such petition to be heard within seven days of when the petition is made, provided that the public body has sent and the requester has received a copy of the petition at least three working days prior to filing. The bill also provides that in certain instances a hearing on any petition shall be given precedence on a circuit court's docket over all cases that are not otherwise given precedence by law and that the time period the public body has to respond to a record request shall be tolled between the requester's receipt of the petition and the final disposition of the court. The bill prohibits a public body from charging a requester for any court costs or fees resulting from a petition. The bill directs the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council to study whether public bodies should charge requesters pursuant to the bill and report on its findings by December 2024. The provisions of the bill, aside from the directive to the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council to study whether public bodies should charge requesters, will not become effective unless reenacted by the 2025 Session of the General Assembly.

Virginia Commission on Youth

Special education and related services; definitions, utilization of Virginia IEP HB 1089 (Coyner) and SB 220 (Favola) require the Virginia Commission on Youth (the Commission) to study and make recommendations on Virginia's special education dispute resolution system. In conducting such study, the Commission shall (i) consider the entire special education dispute resolution system in the Commonwealth, including the parent ombudsman for special education, mediation, complaints, and due process; (ii) review the effectiveness of such system in responding to the concerns of parents, analyze such system in comparison to best practices from other states, and make actionable recommendations for improvement, including regulatory, statutory, staffing, and budgetary modifications; and (iii) specifically review and make recommendations to improve the Department of Education's system for collecting, tracking, analyzing, and publicly reporting data on parent interactions with such system and the outcomes of such interactions. The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2025 (although note these recommendations may be reported earlier)

Virginia Employment Commission

Paid Family and Medical Leave Study Item 471 #1c (language only) The Virginia Employment Commission (the Commission), in collaboration with the Department of Human Resource Management, the Compensation Board, the Virginia Department of Education, and the Department of Planning and Budget, shall update its November 2021 Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave study, as authorized by Item 111 of Chapter 1289 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020, to include an assessment of the budgetary impacts of extending application of paid family and medical leave benefits as contemplated in Senate Bill 373 of the 2024 General Assembly to exempt individuals, while maintaining the benefits provided in § 2.2-1210 of the Code of Virginia for state employees. Such assessment shall also examine (i) the number of exempt individuals that would receive expanded family and medical leave benefits; (ii) the budgetary impact and salary impact associated with providing each type of benefit to each class of employee described in clause (i); and (iii) the budgetary impact on state direct aid to public education. The Commission shall submit the updated study to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations on or before December 1, 2024.  "Exempt individuals" for the purpose of this study means a state employee, the treasurer, commissioner of the revenue, attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of a circuit court, sheriff of any county or city, regional jail superintendent or regional jail officer, or local director of finance, or deputy or employee of any such officer, or an employee of a local school division.