In an astonishing display of committee chairmanship, Senator
Newman completed a docket of 73 bills this morning in the Senate Education and
Health Committee in just under 3 hours. Only 4 bills were passed by for the
day, so they took action on 69 bills. It was something to watch. He really runs
a fantastic committee.
The VEA-initiated bill that establishes, as a state policy,
the goal that teachers be paid at or above the National Average reported out of
Senate Education unanimously (HB2332). It was referred to Senate Finance even
though there is no fiscal impact on the bill. The bill was not referred for
fiscal review in the House, so I mentioned to our patron, Delegate Roslyn
Tyler, the referral concerned me. She wasn’t worried, but the Lobby Cadre will
make contact with the members of the Finance committee to explain the bill so
that it continues on its path to passage.
In other action, the Senate Education and Health Committee
reported the “Tebow bill” that would allow home-schooled students to participate
in VHSL activities. Here is a portion of VEA’s testimony on the bill this
morning:
“Public school students must meet 13 different requirements
in order to be eligible to participate in VHSL activities. There are no
“maybes” or “almost” or “close enough”. It’s all or nothing. VHSL’s purpose
with these requirements is to maintain a fair, and level, playing field for our
student athletes. Allowing non-public school students to participate un-levels
the playing field.
Every parent tries to make the best decision for their own
child and with each of these decisions there are things the parent must
consider. Public school families give up the freedom and flexibility of
curriculum, hours, and state standards but they are afforded the opportunity
that comes with a public school education. Parents who choose a non-public
school setting have the benefits of flexibility of time and instruction, but
with their decision, they lose the opportunity to participate in public school
VHSL activities.”
Here's how the committee voted. A Nay vote was the right vote:
HB 1578 Students who receive home instruction; participation in interscholastic programs (Tebow Bill). Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N)
YEAS--Newman, Black, Carrico, Cosgrove, Lewis, Dunnavant, Chase, Suetterlein, Peake--9.
NAYS--Saslaw, Lucas, Howell, Locke, Barker, Petersen--6.
ABSTENTIONS--0.
The Senate Committee also failed to report the calendar bill
that would allow local school divisions to determine the best start day for
school. For 31 years, public schools in VA have been required to start school
after Labor Day unless they are granted a waiver, mainly for weather. Next year
Fairfax will be added to the list of local school divisions that will have control
over their own calendar as they were granted a waiver last year. So Loudoun,
Prince William, Fairfax, and nearly every school division west of I-95 has a waiver.
Local control is already in place for most school divisions in Virginia through
the waiver process. It is well past time to return it to ALL localities. This
won’t be the year, but, maybe, one day, the state will allow local control on
decisions effecting school start dates.
Here is the committee vote to kill the bill this morning, a NAY vote was the Right Vote:
HB 1983 School calendar; opening day of school year.
Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health (9-Y 6-N)
YEAS--Newman, Saslaw, Lucas, Barker, Black, Carrico, Cosgrove, Lewis, Dunnavant--9.
NAYS--Howell, Locke, Petersen, Chase, Suetterlein, Peake--6.
ABSTENTIONS--0.
Delegate Dickie Bell’s long-term suspension bills (HB1535
and 1537) were conformed to the Senate versions, which we prefer. While this is
action that was expected after crossover, we are very hopeful when the bills go
to conference, we get a bill closer to the Senate version. We are keeping a
close eye on this process.
The other bills that are concerning to us are those on CTE
local waivers on teacher licensure. These identical bills (HB1770 and SB1583)
would allow a local school division to waive, for CTE hires, the licensure
requirements on teaching. The VEA will continue to hold the line that just
putting a subject matter expert in a classroom doesn’t mean they can teach. We
realize there are shortages, and hiring for some trade classes is difficult,
but we need to make sure that our teachers have training on how to teach. You
don’t solve a teaching shortage by removing requirements of training in
pedagogy.
The House and Senate each spent a long afternoon debating
each amendment to their respective budgets. Once each body adopts their own
budget they will send their Budget Bill to the other body. The House will
reject the Senate budget, and the Senate will reject the House budget. That
action forces Budget Conference (the meeting to come to a compromise). Budget
work will continue until the end of session. Keep tuned for more and for
possible cyber lobbyist alerts.
