2020 General Assembly Weekly Update
2-28-2020
2020 General Assembly Update
Key Education-Related Subjects
Week ending Friday, February 28, 2020
Fairfax County Public Schools, Office of Government Relations
Additional information regarding the education-related legislation described below, as well as for all other bills related to education can be found in the thirteen subject categories located on the web pages of the FCPS Office of Government Relations at https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/departments-and-offices/government-relations/virginia-general-assembly. Bills in these categories are linked to the Virginia Division of Legislative Services web pages, which provide up-to-date summary, fiscal impact and bill status information.
Budget conferees have been appointed this year and several Fairfax delegation members will be involved in the final negotiations on the Budget. Delegates Mark Sickles and David Bulova are House side conferees, while Janet Howell, Dick Saslaw, and George Barker are Senate conferees.
Several bills tracked by FCPS have already passed both the House and Senate and await Governor’s actions, while many others await final actions by the General Assembly. Legislation approved by the Governor becomes effective July 1, 2020 unless otherwise specified in the legislation, either via an “Emergency” clause (which accelerates a bill’s effective date to the date it is signed by the Governor) or via a “Delayed Enactment” clause (which moves back the date on which that policy becomes effective). Bills identified as being “Continued to 2021” are no longer active for this Session but can be picked back up for consideration prior to the 2021 Session.
The Governor has the option to sign, amend, or veto bills passed by the General Assembly, including the Budget. The General Assembly returns for a Reconvened Session (held on April 22, 2020) which is held for the sole purpose of considering bills that may have been vetoed or returned with amendments by the Governor.
Status of FCSB Priorities or Initiatives
Diploma Requirements - Dual Enrollment HB 516 (Bulova) and SB 112 (Suetterlein) would require the Board of Education to include in its graduation requirements the options for students to complete a dual enrollment course or high-quality work-based learning experience. Both bills have passed the House and Senate and are awaiting action by the Governor.
School boards; written school crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plans; annual review HB 501 (Krizek) would permit local school boards to designate another entity or individual to participate on its behalf in the required annual review of its written school crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan. Passed House and Senate and awaiting action by the Governor.
Common Statewide Definition; "Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education”
SB 933 (Favola) would require the Department of Education to develop and adopt a common statewide definition for the term "students with limited or interrupted formal education" and to require local school divisions to report on the number of students who fall under such definition as part of the required data collection and reporting on average daily membership for the purposes of documenting any changes in such numbers over time. The bill requires that the Board of Education evaluate the supports and programs available to "students with limited or interrupted formal education" in local school divisions to determine whether the calculations for the school quality indicators within the Board's Regulations Establishing the Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia are appropriate or whether changes in methodology could be made to more comprehensively measure the academic and nonacademic achievement of such student population. Passed House and Senate and awaiting action by the Governor.
A number of key bills have passed in significantly different forms and will go to conference committees to resolve differences between the House and Senate approach. These include:
- Electric School Buses HB 75 (Kory) and SB 988 (Lucas)
- Local Taxing Authority Equalization HB 785 (Watts) and SB 588 (Hanger)
- Collective Bargaining HB 582 (Guzman) and SB 939 (Saslaw)
- Minimum Wage HB 395 (Ward) and SB7 (Saslaw)
- Clean Energy (including solar power generation caps) HB 572 (Keam), HB 1526 (Sullivan), SB 710 (McClellan), and SB 851 (McClellan)
Status of Mandate Bills
Buses, Buildings and Safety Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
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PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE |
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Public schools; school resource officers and school security officers, data collection |
Locke |
Reporting |
|
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School boards and local law-enforcement agencies; memorandums of understanding, frequency of review (biennial) |
VanValkenburg |
Mandate |
|
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School boards and local law-enforcement agencies; memorandums of understanding, frequency of review (biennial) |
Locke |
Mandate |
|
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School bus drivers; critical shortages, annual reporting |
Bell |
Reporting |
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School resource officers and school security officers; Training standards. |
Locke |
Training |
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ACTIVE |
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Board of Education; uniform minimum standards modern; public school buildings, annual reporting |
Stanley |
Mandate |
|
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Local school boards; lead testing, report, parental notification. |
Askew |
Mandate |
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School boards, local; lead testing potable water. |
McPike |
Mandate |
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Local school boards; mold testing; parental notification. |
Ebbin |
Mandate |
|
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Public school buildings; testing for Legionella bacteria, review, report. |
Hashmi |
Mandate |
|
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Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings (grades 5-12) |
Boysko |
Mandate |
|
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Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings (grades 5-12) |
Keam |
Mandate |
|
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School boards; duties; assistance with student bus pass applications. |
Tran |
Mandate |
|
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School bus drivers; critical shortages, annual reporting |
Deeds |
Reporting |
|
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School resource officers and school security officers; Training standards. |
Jones |
Training |
|
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Emergency Management, Department of; responsibilities of political subdivisions. |
Price |
Mandate |
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CONTINUED TO 2021 |
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Public schools; mental health break spaces, regulations. |
Samirah |
Mandate |
|
|
FAILED |
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Public schools; school resource officers and school security officers, data collection |
VanValkenburg |
Reporting |
|
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Public property, etc.; required security on premises where firearms are prohibited. |
Chase |
Mandate |
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Public school buses; seat belts required for new buses, all buses by July 1, 2038 |
Krizek |
Mandate |
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Potable water; purified water bottle filling station. |
Stanley |
Mandate |
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Potable water. Requirements for filtered water bottle filling stations |
Hayes |
Mandate |
|
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School resource officers; required in every school. |
McGuire |
Mandate |
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School resource officers; memorandums of understanding. |
Guzman |
Mandate |
|
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School resource officers; memorandums of understanding. |
Lopez |
Mandate |
|
Conduct and Discipline Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE |
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Discipline; suspension, access to graded work. |
Delaney |
Mandate |
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Financial Services Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
ACTIVE |
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School boards; school meals; required participation by school divisions, availability to students. |
Roem |
Mandate |
|
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FAILED |
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School boards; school meal policies, parental notification and opt-out. |
Roem |
Reporting |
|
Instruction Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE |
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Parental notice; literacy and Response to Intervention screening and services. |
Delaney |
Reporting |
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Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee; established, report. |
Boysko |
Curriculum |
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Standards of Learning; social-emotional learning and development. |
Rasoul |
Mandate |
|
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Tobacco and nicotine vapor products; parental educational information. |
Kory |
Reporting |
|
|
ACTIVE |
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Students; screening and identifying for eligibility for certain programs |
Keam |
Mandate |
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Family life education programs; required posting of materials; summaries. |
Leftwich |
Mandate |
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Family life education; Standards of Learning and Curriculum guidelines; contemporary community. |
Keam |
Mandate |
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Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee; established, report. |
Sickles |
Curriculum |
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Public schools; increases kindergarten instructional time. |
Barker |
Mandate |
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School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
Locke |
SOQ |
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School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
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CONTINUED TO 2021 |
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Reading diagnostic tests; intervention. |
Hope |
Mandate |
|
|
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8; computer science/introduction to technology course required. |
Simonds |
Mandate |
|
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FAILED |
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Public schools; required firearm safety education program. |
Norment |
Curriculum |
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Public schools; electives on the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament and the New Testament. |
Chase |
Curriculum |
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Public schools; electives on the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament and the New Testament. |
Robinson |
Curriculum |
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Family life education programs; student participation (opt in v. opt out) |
LaRock |
Mandate |
|
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Public elementary schools; required annual instruction on success sequence. |
Miyares |
Mandate |
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Public schools; required firearm safety education program. |
Webert |
Curriculum |
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School board policies; homework assignments prohibited without internet connection. |
Poindexter |
Mandate |
|
|
School counselors; staffing ratios; school counselors. 1:250 plus one additional hour per day per 50 students by 21-22 |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
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Information Technology Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
CONTINUED TO 2021 |
|||
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Learning management system; Department of Education to obtain for public schools. |
Dunnavant |
Mandate |
|
|
Student growth measurement system; Department of Education to obtain an individualized system. |
Dunnavant |
Mandate |
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FAILED |
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School board policies; homework assignments prohibited without internet connection. |
Poindexter |
Mandate |
|
Personnel Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
ACTIVE |
|||
|
Human Rights, Division of; annual survey of certain employers. |
Hurst |
Reporting |
|
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SOQ; state funding, ratios of teachers to English language learners |
Guzman |
SOQ |
|
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School boards; planning time and planning periods for elementary school teachers., avg. 45 min per day |
Stuart |
Mandate |
|
|
School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
Locke |
SOQ |
|
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SOQ; state funding, ratios of teachers to English language learners. |
Hashmi |
SOQ |
|
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School boards; planning time and planning periods for elementary school teachers., avg. 45 min per day |
VanValkenburg |
Mandate |
|
|
Public schools; Mental Health First Aid Training. |
Kory |
Training |
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Teacher licensure; mental health first aid. |
Deeds |
Training |
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SOQ; Board of Education recommendations work-based learning, teacher leaders and mentors, principal mentors. |
McClellan |
SOQ |
|
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Teacher and support staff shortages; data, annual reporting. |
Willett |
Reporting |
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CONTINUED TO 2021 |
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Public schools; seizure treatment and training. |
DeSteph |
Training |
|
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School librarians. 1 part time to 299; ES 1:300 or 2:700; MS 1:300, 2:800, or 3 to 1,700; HS 1 full time, 2:900, 3:1,800 |
Roem |
SOQ |
|
|
FAILED |
|||
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SOQ; Board of Education recommendations work-based learning, teacher leaders and mentors, principal mentors. |
Aird |
SOQ |
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Public school employees, certain; online mental health awareness Training required. |
Reid |
Training |
|
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School personnel; staffing ratios, school nurses. 1 per school or 1 per 550 students |
Stuart |
SOQ |
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School library clerical personnel; ES 1:300 or 2:700; MS 1:300, 2:800, or 3 to 1,700; HS 1 full time, 2:900, 3:1,800 |
Roem |
SOQ |
|
|
School counselors; staffing ratios; school counselors. 1:250 plus one additional hour per day per 50 students by 21-22 |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
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Public schools; Mental Health First Aid Training, required every 3 years |
Samirah |
Training |
|
|
SOQ; state funding, ratios of teachers to English language learners. Moves standard to 20:1,000 |
Kory |
SOQ |
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Child’s school activities; employers to allow parental leave for activities. |
Miyares |
Mandate |
|
Retirement and Insurance Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
ACTIVE |
|||
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Health insurance; credits for retired school division employees. |
McQuinn |
Mandate |
|
|
FAILED |
|||
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School boards; paid maternity leave benefit policy. |
Simonds |
Mandate |
|
Student Activities Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
ACTIVE |
|||
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Student-athletes; sudden cardiac arrest prevention. coaches, student-athletes, and student-athletes' parents |
Reeves |
Training |
|
School Board Governance Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
CONTINUED TO 2021 |
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Virginia Freedom of Information Act; scholastic records, charges. |
Freitas |
Mandate |
|
|
FAILED |
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Children with disabilities; alternative placements, voucher for state funds |
Freitas |
Mandate |
|
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Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established, report. |
LaRock |
Mandate |
|
Standards of Quality Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE |
|||
|
Standards of Learning; social-emotional learning and development. |
Rasoul |
Mandate |
|
|
Students with limited or interrupted formal education;' DOE to develop statewide definition, data reporting |
Favola |
Reporting |
|
|
ACTIVE |
|||
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SOQ; state funding, ratios of teachers to English language learners. |
Hashmi |
SOQ |
|
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SOQ; state funding, ratios of teachers to English language learners. |
Guzman |
SOQ |
|
|
School boards; career and technical education; academic and career plans; contents. |
O'Quinn |
Reporting |
|
|
School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
Locke |
SOQ |
|
|
School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
|
|
SOQ; Board of Education recommendations work-based learning, teacher leaders and mentors, principal mentors. |
McClellan |
SOQ |
|
|
CONTINUED TO 2021 |
|||
|
Learning management system; Department of Education to obtain for public schools. |
Dunnavant |
Mandate |
|
|
School boards; staffing ratios for librarians |
Roem |
SOQ |
|
|
Student growth measurement system; Department of Education to obtain an individualized system. |
Dunnavant |
Mandate |
|
|
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8; computer science/introduction to technology course required. |
Simonds |
Mandate |
|
|
FAILED |
|||
|
School counselors and social workers; student to position ratio. 1:250 for schools over 50% free lunch |
Keam |
SOQ |
|
|
Students with limited or interrupted formal education;' DOE to develop statewide definition, data reporting |
Kory |
Reporting |
|
|
Instructional positions; students identified as having limited English proficiency. Moves standard to 20:1,000 |
Kory |
SOQ |
|
|
SOQ; Board of Education recommendations work-based learning, teacher leaders and mentors, principal mentors. |
Aird |
SOQ |
|
|
School library clerical personnel; ratios ES 1:300 or 2:700; MS 1:300, 2:800, or 3 to 1,700; HS 1 full time, 2:900, 3:1,800 |
Roem |
SOQ |
|
|
School counselors; staffing ratios; school counselors. 1:250 plus one additional hour per day per 50 students by 21-22 |
McQuinn |
SOQ
|
|
Special Services Mandate, or Required Reporting, Training or Curriculum Bills
|
ACTIVE |
||||
|
School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
||
|
Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings (grades 5-12) |
Keam |
Mandate |
||
|
Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings (grades 5-12) |
Boysko |
Mandate |
||
|
School boards; duties; assistance with student bus pass applications. |
Tran |
Mandate |
||
|
Public schools; mental health awareness training |
Deeds |
Training |
||
|
School counselors; minimum staffing ratio. |
McQuinn |
SOQ |
||
|
Public schools; mental health awareness training |
Kory |
Training |
||
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Public schools; possession of albuterol inhalers; administration. |
Lopez |
Mandate |
||
|
CONTINUED TO 2021 |
||||
|
Public schools; mental health break spaces, regulations. |
Samirah |
Mandate |
||
|
Reading diagnostic tests; intervention. |
Hope |
Mandate |
||
|
Public schools; seizure treatment and training. |
DeSteph |
Training |
||
|
FAILED |
||||
|
Children with disabilities; alternative placements, voucher for state funds |
Freitas |
Mandate |
||
|
School counselors and social workers; student to position ratio. 1:250 for schools over 50% free lunch |
Keam |
SOQ |
||
|
Student assessments; language translation |
Kory |
Mandate |
||
|
Public school employees, certain; online mental health awareness Training required. |
Reid |
Training |
||
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Public schools; Mental Health First Aid Training, required every 3 years |
Samirah |
Training |
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