Virginia Literacy Act; early student literacy; evidence-based literacy instruction; science-based reading research. Makes several changes relating to early student literacy, including requiring (i) each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any individual seeking initial licensure with an endorsement in a certain area, including as a reading specialist, to demonstrate mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as such terms are defined in the bill; (ii) the literacy assessment required of individuals seeking initial teacher licensure with endorsements in certain areas to include a rigorous test of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction; (iii) each local school board to establish a divisionwide literacy plan; (iv) each local school board to employ one reading specialist for each 550 students in kindergarten through grade three; and (v) each local school board to provide a program of literacy instruction whereby, among other things, (a) the program provides reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or an early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department of Education; (b) a reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives such reading intervention services, develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on a student reading plan; and (c) each student who receives such reading intervention services is assessed utilizing either the early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the 2024–2025 school year. This bill is identical to SB 616.
Sponsored bills
Virginia Public Procurement Act; methods of procurement; submitting bids electronically. Provides that all state public bodies accepting bids or proposals for contracts pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall provide an option to submit bids or proposals through the Commonwealth's electronic procurement system, known as eVA. The Director of the Department of General Services, or his designee, is authorized under the bill to grant an exemption from such requirement at the request of a state public body and upon a showing of good cause. In the bill, local public bodies are encouraged to use eVA to offer an electronic submission option. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2023.
Local Food and Farming Infrastructure GrantProgram. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the amount of a grantthat may be made to a political subdivision for projects that supportlocal food production and sustainable agriculture.
Public elementary and secondary education; at-risk add-on funds; Reading Recovery. Removes Reading Recovery from the list of programs and initiatives for which school boards may use at-risk add-on funds.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable FloraLonette Davis Crittenden.
Commending Bob Brown.
Elections; campaign finance; disclosure reports;searchable electronic database. Requires the Department of Electionsto provide an interface to the campaign finance database maintainedby the Department that allows users to easily search for and sortinformation by individual candidates and types of elections, offices,committees, and donors; donations, expenditures, loans, and othercategories of information included in campaign finance reports; andlate filings, incomplete filings, and other violations. The interfaceshall also provide users tools for manipulating and exporting data.The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2023.
Unlawful hazing; penalty. Amends the definitionof hazing to include the reckless or intentional act of causing anotherperson to suffer severe emotional distress through outrageous orintolerable conduct when the severe emotional distress was causedby the outrageous or intolerable conduct. The bill also makes thecrime of hazing a Class 5 felony if such hazing results in deathor serious bodily injury to any person. The crime of hazing that doesnot result in death or serious bodily injury remains a Class 1 misdemeanor.The bill provides immunity for arrest and prosecution for hazingif a person in good faith seeks or obtains emergency medical attentionfor a person who has received a bodily injury by hazing or rendersemergency care or assistance, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR), to a person who has received a bodily injury by hazing whileanother person seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for suchperson. The bill also creates a civil penalty for certain organizationsif such organization had specific credible knowledge that its studentmembers were participating, aiding, or assisting in any act of hazingand did not attempt to intervene to stop the hazing or report itto the appropriate local authorities.
Commending Keep Loudoun Beautiful.
Commending the Colgan High School girls' volleyballteam.