The 2005 General Assembly is now
in session
Week 3 Update—January 28, 2005
The House and Senate money committees will
release their versions of the amended 2004-2006 budget on February
6. The “crossover” deadline for considering bills in their house of
origin is February 8.
The House Education Committee is scheduled to
meet on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. in House Room C and Wednesdays at 8:30
a.m. in the Appropriations Room. The Senate Education and Health
Committee will meet on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Room B.
Sub-committees will meet periodically throughout the session. Click
here for a schedule of weekly meetings (Meetings)
Budget:
Legislators requested hundreds of amendments to the introduced
budget totaling millions of dollars. As is usual, requests for
additional dollars for education were prominent and include the
following:
A
request for $36.4 million would fund the state share of a 5% salary
increase for public school employees funded through the Standards of
Quality, effective December 1. The introduced budget proposed a 3%
increase. Another related amendment proposes $581.7 million to
adjust the state share of teacher salaries to reflect the statewide
average salary rather than the linear weighted average salary.
A
$44.7 million amendment eliminates the remaining "federal deduct" to
the Standards of Quality. Last year, the governor proposed saving
$418 million in state funding by deducing from the SOQ cost
calculation certain locally-generated and federal revenues. The
legislature was able to restore all but about 30% of the federal
deduction; this amendment would complete the restoration.
A $30
million amendment would add funds to the at-risk initiative program,
while another $30 million proposal would pay school divisions for
increasing the number of students receiving full-day kindergarten.
Another amendment proposes funding over
both years of the current budget for 117 nursing positions in
schools, while a related proposal would provide dollars for the
state’s share of funding school nurses at a one nurse/1,000 students
ratio.
Finally, a proposed language amendment
would require school divisions to include the number of surveillance
cameras and trained security personnel in their student discipline,
crime and violence reports to the Department of Education.
Again, the House Appropriations and
Senate Finance Committees face a February 6 deadline for releasing
their versions of the budget. Click here for additional information
about Governor Warner's proposed budget amendments
(State Budget)
Legislation:
Here’s an update on some of the legislation
that is being considered in the House and Senate education
committees:
HB 1573 requires BOE guidelines for local school boards to use
when establishing student dress codes designed to prohibit
any apparel or style of dress that may promote illegal gang
activity (approved by House).
HB 1589 permits local school boards to provide pupil
transportation for nonpublic school students (on House floor).
HB 1731 directs the Virginia High School League to provide for
participation in interscholastic activities by nonpublic school
students (stricken in House Education)
HB 1771 amends the SOQ to require employment of school
operations and business managers, who would be responsible for
certain administrative functions at the school (passed by in House
Education)
HB 1912 requires the BOE to include provisions in guidelines for
reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to address parental notification
for minor students who decline to stand for or recite the Pledge (on
House floor).
HB 1942 creates a tax credit (for business entities) to promote
educational opportunities for at-risk children, with grants to be
awarded for student tuition at public and nonpublic schools (in
House Finance)
HB 2266 require bullying to be addressed in character
education programs and codes of student conduct, and that parents of
bullying victims be notified of bullying incidents (on House floor)
HB 2267 establishes immunity from civil damages for any
school employee, student or volunteer who reports incidents of
bullying, intimidation and harassment (in House Courts of Justice)
HB 2297 directs the Virginia High School League to provide for
participation in interscholastic activities by homeschool and
charter students (stricken in House Education)
HB 2613 requires school boards to obtain consent of parents at
least 30 days before the conduct of a survey or questionnaire of
students, if the survey will disclose certain information about the
parents (in House Education)
HB 2610 and
SB 747 which addressed obesity among school students by
requiring instruction or standards on health issues and the
consequences of obesity, were both defeated in committee.
SB 717 provides that character education programs in public
schools may include opportunities for voluntary participation in
community service activities (passed Senate).
Please contact CEPI if you have any questions
or need additional information about the 2005 General Assembly.
Questions or More Information? Please contact
CEPI if you have any questions or need additional information
about the 2005 General Assembly.
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