VSBA Action Alert
Student Discipline Bill – HB688
(McQuinn)
We need you to contact members of
the House Education Committee TODAY to urge them to vote NO on HB688.
HB 688 MANDATES that local
school boards provide alternative education programs to every student who is suspended.
VSBA opposes this bill.
The state provides very limited funding
for alternative education programs and by no means is current state funding adequate
for universal implementation across the Commonwealth. Moreover, the state
provides no funding for alternative education programs for students in
elementary schools. HB688 is a huge
UNFUNDED MANDATE.
While many school divisions have
alternative education programs available, not every school division has access
to such programs. Moreover, this bill
will require an alternative education program be provided to every student who
is suspended, even students who receive short-term suspensions. Therefore, even school divisions that
currently provide alternative education will likely be adversely impacted by
this bill.
Please contact members of the House
Education Committee, listed below, TODAY and ask them to vote
NO on HB 688.
Members of the House Education
Committee (click on the name to link to contact information):
Landes
(Chairman), Bell,
Richard (Vice Chair) Cole,
Pogge,
Robinson,
Yancey,
Davis, Leftwich, LaRock, Helsel, Collins, McGuire, Tyler, Bulova, Keam, Bagby, Bourne, Boysko, Hurst, VanValkenburg, Turpin, Rodman
