The House
Education subcommittee on education innovation met this morning for their first
gathering of the year. While there were
several bills before the committee many were taken by for the day to work on
bill language. However, there were two bills that the committee did take action on.
HB389 (LaRock) – You may remember a similar bill last year from Delegate LaRock
creating the Parental Choice Education Savings Account. Last year we were
successful in defeating this bill in the Senate but Delegate LaRock has decided
to bring the bill back again this year with a broader focus. The bill allows a
parent of any student to apply to the residing school division for a one-year,
renewable Parental Choice Education Savings Account that consists of 90 percent
of the SOQ per pupil state funds in which the student resides. The bill also
permits the parent to use the Savings Account funds for education-related
expenses of the student, including tuition, deposits, fees, and required textbooks
at a private, sectarian, or nonsectarian elementary or secondary school or
preschool that is located in the Commonwealth and does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, or national origin. The bill also allows the parent to
put up to $2,000 in a college fund. The bill was reported from the
subcommittee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee on a close 5-4
vote. It will be heard tomorrow morning in full committee.
HB259 (LaRock) – Again you may remember a similar bill from last year. This year’s
version prohibits the Board of Education from
implementing the Common Core State Standards without prior approval of the
General Assembly but permits the Board of Education to continue or create an
educational standard or assessment that coincidentally is included in the
Common Core State Standards. The bill was reported from the subcommittee and
will be heard tomorrow morning in full committee.
Check back tomorrow for more updates from the General Assembly.
