SB 955: Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials. - Virginia

Governor Substitute Not Adopted → Chaptered · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill transitions SB 955 from a Governor's substitute bill to a final enacted chapter, making the legislation official law. The substantive policy content remains largely the same, focusing on evidence-based literacy instruction, textbook approval processes, and educational standards in Virginia public schools.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it applies to Virginia public schools, school divisions, and educational institutions as originally written.

TIMELINE

The bill status changed from 'Governor Substitute Not Adopted' to 'Chaptered' (Chapter 683), meaning it was enacted into law on May 2, 2025, rather than being rejected or pending.

Added official chapter designation (Chapter 683) and approval date (May 2, 2025) to indicate the bill has become law.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting adjustments were made throughout the document, including reformatting of section headers, spacing, and indentation to match the final chapter format.

Conference Substitute → Governor Substitute Not Adopted · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was revised from a Senate Substitute to a Governor Substitute, primarily changing the document header information to reflect Governor approval instead of Senate approval. The substantive policy content regarding public school textbooks, instructional materials, and educational standards remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Header information changed from 'Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee on February 21, 2025' to 'Proposed by the Governor on March 24, 2025', indicating the bill moved from Senate conference to Governor's desk.

Bill number changed from '25107827D' to '25108317D', reflecting the new version number in the legislative process.

Page formatting and line numbers were reorganized, with some text repositioned due to the document revision process.

Education Substitute → Conference Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a House Substitute to a Conference Substitute, which means it was revised to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions. The substantive policy content appears largely unchanged, though the formatting and layout were significantly altered during the conference process. The bill maintains its focus on public school textbooks, instructional materials, and educational standards in Virginia.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from House Substitute to Conference Substitute, indicating it was reconciled between chambers. Page numbering and layout were reorganized, but the substantive legislative text remains substantially the same.

The bill number changed from 25106937D to 25107827D, reflecting the new conference version identifier.

The amendment date changed from February 12, 2025 to February 21, 2025, reflecting when the conference committee completed their work.

The proposing body changed from 'House Committee on Education' to 'Joint Conference Committee', indicating the bill has been finalized through the conference process.

Finance and Appropriations Substitute → Education Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was rewritten from a Senate Finance substitute to an Education substitute, shifting the committee oversight from Finance to Education. The substantive policy content appears to be the same, but the document formatting changed significantly with new line breaks and spacing. The bill defines key terms like 'evidence-based literacy instruction' and 'textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials' and requires the Department of Education to review its textbook review process.

Scope change

The bill's committee oversight changed from Senate Finance and Appropriations to House Education, indicating a shift in legislative sponsorship and committee jurisdiction.

TECHNICAL

Document header changed from 'Senate Substitute' to 'Education Substitute' with updated committee attribution from Senate Finance to House Education

Formatting changed significantly with new line breaks, spacing, and page number placement throughout the document

DEFINITION

Added comprehensive definitions for key terms including 'evidence-based literacy instruction', 'textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials', and 'science-based reading research'

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements for the Board of Education to report approved textbooks with publisher and pricing information on their website

Added provisions allowing school boards to use unapproved materials if they follow Board regulations

Education and Health Substitute → Finance and Appropriations Substitute · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was transferred from the Senate Committee on Education and Health to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, indicating a shift in legislative focus from educational policy to budgetary and funding considerations. The substantive content of the bill remains largely the same, with the primary change being the committee assignment and a minor formatting adjustment to the bill header.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on public school textbooks and instructional materials, but the committee transfer suggests the legislation will now be evaluated through a fiscal and appropriations lens rather than purely an educational policy lens.

SCOPE

The bill was moved from the Senate Committee on Education and Health to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, changing the legislative committee responsible for reviewing and advancing the bill.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting changes were made to the bill header, including the bill number and committee name, while the substantive text of the legislation remains unchanged.

Enrolled → Education and Health Substitute · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Virginia's public school laws to strengthen requirements for evidence-based literacy instruction, textbook quality standards, and educational staffing. Key changes include stricter definitions of 'textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials,' mandatory adoption of approved materials, new professional development requirements for teachers, and updated assessment and accreditation standards.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of required professional development for educators and adds specific requirements for textbook adoption and implementation across all grade levels and subject areas.

DEFINITION

Refined definition of 'textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials' to include specific criteria for content, instructional practices, assessments, and teacher resources.

REQUIREMENT

Added mandatory requirement for local school boards to adopt and implement approved textbooks and high-quality instructional materials in English language arts, mathematics, science, and history/social science.

Established new requirements for reading intervention services, student reading plans, and literacy screening for students in kindergarten through grade eight.

Added specific professional development requirements for teachers and reading specialists focused on science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction.

Added requirements for high-quality instructional materials liaison positions in each local school board to support textbook selection and implementation.

Updated assessment requirements to include through-year growth assessments for reading and mathematics in grades three through eight.

Added new requirements for professional development in special education, inclusive settings, and IEP implementation effective July 1, 2027.

TIMELINE

Set specific deadlines for the Department of Education to develop lists of approved vendors and complete textbook review processes for different subject areas between 2027 and 2030.

Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.

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