Update from Senate Subcommittee on Public Education

The Public Education Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Education and Health took up HB 1926, a bill introduced by Delegate Morris which would have abolished the school board selection commission in the three counties still using that process to name school board members.  The subcommittee was made aware that just this past year a referendum held in Richmond County to change the method of appointing school board members failed with 68% of the vote supporting the school board selection commission.  The subcommittee first adopted a substitute carving Accomack and Richmond Counties from the bill and leaving only Southampton County, which Delegate Morris represents, in the bill.  However, after excellent testimony from the Superintendent and School Board Chairman from Southampton, the subcommittee refused to recommend that the bill be reported by the full committee.  The bill will come before the full committee on Thursday, where we hope it will die.