Increases the scholarship amount available for an eligible student with a disability from 100 percent to 300 percent of the per pupil amount distributed to the local school division as the state's share of the standards of quality costs, or the actual qualified educational expenses of the student, whichever is less. The bill broadens the definition of "eligible student with a disability" to include any child who is a resident of Virginia for whom an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) has been written and finalized in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In addition, the family household income of the eligible student with a disability who is receiving the scholarship must not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
Enrolled
Enrolled
Allows local law-enforcement agencies to process and submit requests for national fingerprint background checks for employees and volunteers of child day programs operated by a local government. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2020.
Requires any person of school age who is admitted to the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents to be permitted to participate in any education program offered in the facility that is administered by the Department of Education, regardless of his enrollment status, unless such person has been excused from attendance at school due to a bona fide religious training or belief. The bill permits information required to enroll such person in any such education program to be disclosed in accordance with state and federal law. This bill is identical to
Grants the City of Virginia Beach certain powers relating to construction of a sports or entertainment project and any related facilities. Among those powers is the authority to (i) issue bonds to construct a sports or entertainment project, (ii) receive state sales and use tax revenue that is attributable to such project, and (iii) use such revenue to repay such bonds. The bill provides that the City of Virginia Beach's entitlement to state sales and use tax revenue shall expire on July 1, 2039. The powers granted by the bill to the City of Virginia Beach are similar to those granted to the Hampton Roads Sports Facility Authority.
Makes any violation relating to cruelty to an animal a Class 6 felony when such violation is carried out with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass a family or household member.
Passed House with amendment (62-Y 34-N 2-A)
Adds the Harry W. Nice Bridge, Sandy Hook Bridge, Brunswick Bridge, and Point of Rocks Bridge to the Potomac River bridges subject to the Potomac River Bridge Towing Compact to facilitate the prompt and orderly removal of disabled and abandoned vehicles from the bridges by giving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia appropriate authority anywhere on the bridges. This amendment to the Compact shall not become effective until a substantially similar amendment is enacted by the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia, as provided for in the Compact.
Enrolled
Requires the Department of Education to annually collect from each school board and publish on its website various enrollment and achievement data on alternative education programs for students who have been suspended, expelled, or otherwise precluded from attendance at school. The bill requires such data to be published in a manner that protects the identities of individual students and disaggregated by local school division and by student race, ethnicity, gender, and disability. This bill is identical to
Permits the Department of Education to establish a microcredential program for the purpose of permitting any public elementary or secondary school teacher who holds a renewable or provisional license or any individual who participates in any alternate route to licensure program to complete additional in-person or blended coursework and earn microcredentials in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endorsement areas, including computer science, for which there is a high need for additional qualified teachers. The bill requires the Department of Education to direct the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure to convene a workgroup including pertinent education stakeholders to determine how any microcredential awarded pursuant to any such program will be used to award add-on endorsements and certifications for teachers in such STEM endorsement areas. The bill provides certain conditions in which in-person coursework in a microcredential program not contributing to an endorsement is eligible for professional development points towards the renewal of a teaching license. This bill is identical to
