Background

Republicans Try to Weaken Our Schools

Republicans tried to:

• Establish “Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts which would divert state funds from public schools and redirect them for educational services outside of the public school system. [HB 1605/Sponsor-LaRock, R-33; vetoed by McAuliffe]

• Remove local school board review and supervision of all online courses by establishing The Board of Virginia Virtual School as an agency in the executive branch of state government.  [HB1400/Sponsor-Bell, R-20; SB1240/Sponsor-Dunnavant, R-12; vetoed by McAuliffe]

• To establish regional charter schools to take away sole authority from local school boards. [HB2343/Sponsor-Landes, R-25; SB1283/Sponsor-Obenshain, R-26; vetoed by McAuliffe]

• Allow non-explicit material to be substituted in the family life education curriculum, which would weaken education about the importance of consent.  [HB 2191/Sponsor-Landes, R-25; vetoed by McAuliffe]

Democrats Work to Improve Schools

Democrats worked to pass legislation:

• To ensure that Virginia teachers’ pay is at or above the national average compensation.  [HB2332/Sponsor-Tyler, D-75]

• To make sure that local school boards notify students and their parents about the availability of career and technical education programs. [HB1552/Sponsor-Bulova, D-37]Tthat requires school policies prohibiting bullying to be part of each school board’s code of student conduct.  [HB1707/Sponsor-Filler-Corn, D-41]

• That requires instruction in the value of family relationships to be included in the Board of Education’s family life education curriculum guidelines. [SB1475/Sponsor-McClellan, D-9]

• That allows family life education to include age-appropriate elements of effective and evidence-based programs on the law and the meaning of consent.  [HB2257/Sponsor-Filler-Corn, D-41]