Permits each local school board to enter into College and Career Access Pathways Partnerships (Partnerships), currently referred to as agreements, with comprehensive community colleges or other public institutions of higher education or educational institutions that offer a career and technical education curriculum. The bill requires any such Partnership to (i) specify the options for students to take courses as part of the career and technical education curriculum that lead to course credit or an industry-recognized credential, certification, or license concurrent with a high school diploma; (ii) specify the credit, credentials, certifications, or licenses available for such courses; and (iii) specify available options for students to participate in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs at comprehensive community colleges concurrent with the pursuit of a high school diploma and receive college credit and high school credit for successful completion of any such program. Current law allows local school boards to enter into agreements with such institutions but does not specify course credit as being part of the agreements. The bill provides that participation by a student in any course pursuant to the Partnerships does not deem such student eligible for a grant pursuant to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program.
Sponsored bills
Aligns the state review process of underperforming schools and school divisions with the new Standards for Accreditation adopted by the Board of Education (Board). The bill requires the Board to establish a review process to assist schools not meeting the standards established by the Board. The Board shall establish a corrective action plan process for any such school within its division, including a requirement that each school board submit a corrective action plan for any school in the local school division that does not meet the established standards. The bill requires a school board of a school division that does not demonstrate progress in developing or implementing such corrective action plan to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Board. The bill also requires the school board of an underperforming school division to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Board prior to developing a corrective action plan.
Requires the Director of the Department of Corrections to establish a health care continuous quality improvement committee, consisting of the Director and specified health care professionals employed by the Department. The bill requires the committee to (i) identify appropriate criteria for evaluation of the quality of health care services provided by the Department, (ii) monitor and evaluate the quality of health care services provided by the Department utilizing the criteria identified, and (iii) develop strategies to improve the quality of health care services provided by the Department. The bill also requires the committee to publish quarterly continuous quality improvement reports setting forth such data and information as the committee deems appropriate on a website maintained by the Department. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to
Provides that any person who tortures, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain not connected with bona fide scientific or medical experimentation, or cruelly and unnecessarily beats, maims, or mutilates any dog or cat that is a companion animal whether belonging to him or another and as a direct result causes serious bodily injury to such dog or cat is guilty of a Class 6 felony. Current law requires that the animal die for the person to be guilty of the felony. This bill is identical to
Requires the Board of Education to issue a license to an individual seeking initial licensure who has not completed the professional assessments prescribed by the Board, if such individual (i) holds a provisional license that will expire within three months; (ii) is employed by a school board; (iii) is recommended for licensure by the division superintendent; (iv) has attempted, unsuccessfully, to obtain a qualifying score on the professional assessments prescribed by the Board; (v) has received an evaluation rating of proficient or above on the performance standards for each year of the provisional license, and such evaluation was conducted in a manner consistent with the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents; and (vi) meets all other requirements for initial licensure. The bill removes the requirement that the Board of Education prescribe an assessment of basic skills for individuals seeking entry into an approved education preparation program and establish a minimum passing score for such assessment. This bill is identical to
Provides that a person who buys and removes timber from a landowner's property is guilty of timber theft if he fails to pay the landowner by the date specified in their agreement or, if there is no written agreement, within 60 days of removing the timber. The bill provides that a person who is convicted of timber theft is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and shall be ordered to pay three times the value of the timber removed in addition to any penalties imposed by the court. The bill provides that, following the passing of the payment deadline, a buyer's failure to pay within 10 days of receiving a demand for payment shall constitute prima facie evidence of the buyer's intent to violate the timber theft provision. An exception exists for a purchaser who made payment to a person he believed in good faith to be the rightful owner of the timber.
Prohibits school employees from opening or closing an electronic room partition in any school building except under certain limited circumstances. The bill requires any annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school division to include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding the operation of such partitions. The bill also requires the Department of Education to make available to each school board model safety guidance regarding the operation of such partitions.
Adds seven cemeteries in Hampton to the list of cemeteries for which qualified organizations may receive funds from the Department of Historic Resources for the care of historical African American cemeteries and graves. The cemeteries are Bassette's Cemetery, containing 212 eligible graves, Elmerton Cemetery, containing 339 eligible graves, Good Samaritan Cemetery, containing 37 eligible graves, Pleasant Shade Cemetery, containing 29 eligible graves, Queen Street Cemetery, containing 14 eligible graves, the Tucker Family Cemetery, containing 15 eligible graves, and Union Street Cemetery, containing 125 eligible graves. This bill is identical to
Requires the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council to meet upon the call of the chairman or when a majority of Council members request a meeting. Current law requires the Council to meet quarterly or upon the call of the chairman. This bill is identical to