The House Education Subcommittee on Early Childhood and Innovation met and considered the following list of bills on its docket.
SB 935 (Hashmi) Directs the Department of Education to develop and maintain an easily accessible and streamlined website to provide clarification on teacher licensure and endorsement requirements, including information on specific requirements and certification credentials based on the specific type of licensure or endorsement. The bill also directs the Department to develop and maintain a teacher licensure application portal to integrate all forms and payment required for licensure and that includes (i) a feature enabling any teacher to track his progress in earning professional development points, completing licensure renewal requirements, and fulfilling any additional credentialing or endorsement options offered by the Board of Education and (ii) options for sharing and sending any application documents and forms to allow Educator Preparation Programs or division leadership to review and approve such documents and forms prior to the Department review process.
The bill was Laid on the Table by a vote of 4-2.
SB 1052 (McPike) Directs the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure to advise the Board of Education and submit recommendations on policies related to helping school divisions more effectively recruit and retain licensed teachers. The bill also directs the Board of Education to extend for at least one year a teacher's three-year provisional license upon receiving from the division superintendent (i) a recommendation for such extension and (ii) satisfactory performance evaluations for such teacher for each year during the original three-year provisional license for which such teacher was actually employed.
The bill Reported by a vote of 5-1.
SB 1281 (Dunnavant) Directs the Board of Education to develop guidelines for prioritizing to the maximum extent practicable dual enrollment programs, including the Passport Program, the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program, the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program, and other courses that allow high school students to receive credit toward the completion of an undergraduate course, degree, or credential offered in the Virginia Community College System. The bill provides that such guidelines shall include recommendations on how direct prioritization of funding to such programs. The bill requires the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder work group, consisting of representatives from the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, and the local school boards, to make recommendations on policies for the prioritization of such dual enrollment programs and requires such recommendations to be submitted to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2024. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024.
The bill Reported on a vote of 6-0.
SB 1359 (Norment) Requires new threat assessment team members at each public elementary and secondary school to complete initial threat assessment training and all threat assessment team members to complete refresher training every three years.
