Please pass this important bill

Dear Delegate, I respectfully request your opposition to HB359. I request you to oppose HB359 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Please keep private school and homeschooling private. Thank you for your time and for representing our district. Sincerely, Myra Fouts 22401

I am writing to express my opposition to HB359, which would require private Christian schools to adhere to the same educational standards and regulations imposed on public schools. While I understand the importance of maintaining quality education across our state, this bill raises serious constitutional concerns—particularly regarding the First Amendment’s protections for religious freedom and free expression. Private religious schools exist precisely because families seek an education grounded in their faith traditions, values, and beliefs. The First Amendment prohibits government actions that interfere with the free exercise of religion, and many of the standards applied to public schools are inherently secular in nature. When the government mandates that religious institutions conform to public‑school requirements, it risks entangling itself in religious instruction and undermining the autonomy that allows these schools to operate according to their convictions. This bill would effectively place the state in a position of oversight over religious curriculum, hiring practices, and educational philosophy. Such oversight threatens the independence that private Christian schools must maintain in order to fulfill their religious mission. Families who choose these schools do so voluntarily, and they do so with the expectation that the education provided will reflect their faith—not the priorities of the public‑school system. I urge you to reject this bill and instead support policies that respect the constitutional separation between church and state. Protecting the freedom of religious institutions to operate without undue government interference is essential to preserving the diversity of educational options available to families in our state. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you will stand in defense of First Amendment freedoms and vote against HB359. Sincerely, Dana M. Thompson

Plesse, vote NO on HB359. I am opposed to HB359. Legislation must reflect the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance.

OPPOSED!!!

No

To Whom It May Concern, I am a single mother who chose to place my child in private school starting in kindergarten due to COVID. I currently work two jobs—sometimes three—to afford her education. I am the kind of mom who will do whatever it takes to ensure her child receives the best education possible. I run on very little sleep and a lot of caffeine so my child can remain in a private school setting, and I do so willingly because I believe in this choice. You may wonder why I do not rely on her father for support. While we do share 50/50 custody, I have fought hard to keep my daughter in private school because I see firsthand what is happening in many public schools today. I work in the mental health field, and I regularly see children who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma as a result of bullying and other issues occurring in public schools. I have attended school board meetings and listened to those who currently represent and influence our public school systems. Based on what I have seen and heard, I do not agree with many of the directions being taken. My heart simply cannot accept placing my sweet child into an environment where I fear she may suffer academically or emotionally. I will continue choosing private education for my child because the public school system, as it currently stands, is deeply broken and in need of significant reform. I know my letter alone will not change that reality, but as a mother, I should be able to protect my child from legislation such as HB359.This bill would harm private schools by placing them on the same path as public schools, and that deeply concerns me. I ask you to reflect on what is happening in public schools today. Think back to when you were in school—education was different then, and in many ways, better. Private schools should be allowed to continue operating as they currently do. They provide a safer, more focused learning environment for many children. I attended public school myself, and I now compare what I learned there to what my child is learning in private school. Academically, my child is ahead of many of her peers in public schools. Socially, she is in an environment where trends and materialism are not the focus, and bullying is far less prevalent. That peace of mind is invaluable to me as a parent. Please, I ask you to find it in your heart to protect families—especially single mothers—who sacrifice daily to support private education for their children. We are not asking for special treatment, only the freedom to continue making the best choices for our children without harmful interference. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Tabitha Tyree Amherst County, Virginia

I would like to voice my concern about bill 359. This bill violates constitutional rights. I am adamantly against this bill. Please protect our students in private christian schools. We have the right as parents to choose a christian curriculum and these schools should be permitted to continue teaching a curriculum that aligns with their beliefs.

I would like to voice my concern about bill 359. This bill violates constitutional rights. I am adamantly against this bill. Please protect our students in private christian schools. We have the right as parents to choose a christian curriculum and these schools should be permitted to continue teaching a curriculum that aligns with their beliefs.

This bill is an absolute assault on educational equality and cannot be allowed out of committee. The extreme right nature of HB359 is reminiscent of a Bolshevik and Nazi commitment to total control of all education.

Vote no on hb359. Keep government out of Christian/private schools

I oppose HB359 in its entirety. Private education should stay exactly that, private.

I greatly oppose HB 359 in it's entirety. Leave private religious schools alone, ans well as in home schooling. Our children get a much better education privately than thru the public school system. Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic are not they need to get them ready for a long enjoyable life.

I greatly oppose HB 359 in it's entirety. Leave private religious schools alone, ans well as in home schooling.

Bill: HB359 – Helmer I strongly oppose HB359. This bill represents a serious threat to the independence and mission of private schools in Virginia. By forcing any private school that accepts even one student receiving public tuition assistance to comply with public school regulations, this legislation effectively removes the very meaning of “private education.” Private schools exist to offer families educational choice, diversity in curriculum, religious and classical education, and alternative educational models. HB359 would undermine these core principles by imposing government mandates on curriculum, admissions, staffing, and institutional identity. This bill will discourage private schools from serving low-income families who rely on scholarships and tuition assistance. Instead of expanding access to education, it will reduce it. Families deserve options, not one-size-fits-all control. I respectfully urge lawmakers to reject HB359 and protect educational freedom, parental choice, and the diversity of educational institutions in Virginia.

Dear Delegate, Please vote NO on HB359. Thank you.

Letter sent: Here is a letter if you would like to copy and paste: Dear Delegate, I respectfully request your opposition to HB359. I urge you to oppose HB359 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Thank you for your time and for representing our district. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your City or ZIP Code]

As parents of three children in a private classical school, we chose this path precisely because it is not governed by the bureaucracy, mandates, and shifting priorities of the state system. Our children receive a rigorous, time-tested education centered on truth, logic, literature, and moral formation — not standardized metrics. HB 359 threatens that independence and should be rejected. This bill effectively places private schools under a public-school regulatory framework if they accept students whose tuition is supported in any way by public or publicly connected funds. That is not school choice — it is conditional control. It says families may choose a different school only if that school agrees to operate more like a state institution. That defeats the purpose of private education. Classical schools are mission-driven. They are intentionally different in curriculum, assessment, and educational philosophy. Mandating state standards testing and reporting forces these schools to redirect time and resources toward compliance rather than excellence. Standardized tests aligned to state frameworks do not measure what classical education is designed to cultivate: deep reading, reasoning, rhetoric, historical understanding, and character. Imposing those measures will inevitably pressure schools to narrow or distort their curriculum. HB 359 also adds administrative and financial burdens through required testing, reporting, and performance designations. Private schools operate efficiently because they are lean and mission-focused. Adding layers of state oversight increases cost and complexity, which ultimately raises tuition and reduces access — the opposite of what supporters claim to want. There is also a principle at stake. Families, not the state, are primarily responsible for directing their children’s education. When government ties funding eligibility to operational control, independence erodes over time. Today it is testing and reporting. Tomorrow it will be curriculum content, staffing rules, and admissions standards. Regulatory creep is predictable and difficult to reverse. If lawmakers want genuine educational choice, they must allow meaningful institutional diversity. Private schools cannot remain truly distinct if they are regulated like public ones. HB 359 substitutes supervision for freedom and uniformity for pluralism. For families like ours who deliberately chose a classical education outside the state system, this bill moves in the wrong direction. It should be rejected.

I strongly oppose HB359. It would create a massive financial and logistical burden on public schools and administrators with absolutely no gain. It is also an egregious overstep into the religious and educational freedoms and parental rights of Virginians. Vote NO on HB539.

As a taxpayer, I am asking you to vote no on these bills. Private schools should remain just that….private. As much as parents are paying for their children’s education, because they feel it’s what is best for them, government shouldn’t have a say in how those schools conduct themselves. As far as homeschoolers receiving funds, please know, homeschoolers do not want assistance of any kind, they are happily paying taxes and would rather the money be used in the public school system.

Please vote NO on HB 359

Please vote NO on HB 359

Please vote NO on HB 359

No

I oppose House Bill 359 because its language is dangerously ambiguous and invites overreach into private education. The bill suggests that if private schools accept “public funds,” they must conform to public school requirements. However, it fails to clearly define what constitutes “public funds.” As written, this term could be interpreted to include 529 education savings accounts, parental contributions, or donations from local businesses. These are not tax dollars, and treating them as such is both inaccurate and misleading. This ambiguity creates uncertainty for private schools and families and opens the door to excessive regulation. Furthermore, forcing private schools to conform to public school Standards of Learning (SOLs) undermines the very purpose of private education. Private schools are chosen specifically for their independent curricula, instructional methods, and educational philosophies. Requiring them to dismantle their own curricula to mirror public schools is an unjustified intrusion and a violation of educational autonomy. The practical effect of this bill would be especially devastating to small private schools, which lack the resources to overhaul their programs simply to comply with state mandates. Rather than improving education, HB 359 appears designed to regulate private schools out of existence, reducing choice for families and harming educational diversity. For these reasons, I strongly oppose House Bill 359.

I oppose House Bill 359 because its language is dangerously ambiguous and invites overreach into private education. The bill suggests that if private schools accept “public funds,” they must conform to public school requirements. However, it fails to clearly define what constitutes “public funds.” As written, this term could be interpreted to include 529 education savings accounts, parental contributions, or donations from local businesses. These are not tax dollars, and treating them as such is both inaccurate and misleading. This ambiguity creates uncertainty for private schools and families and opens the door to excessive regulation. Furthermore, forcing private schools to conform to public school Standards of Learning (SOLs) undermines the very purpose of private education. Private schools are chosen specifically for their independent curricula, instructional methods, and educational philosophies. Requiring them to dismantle their own curricula to mirror public schools is an unjustified intrusion and a violation of educational autonomy. The practical effect of this bill would be especially devastating to small private schools, which lack the resources to overhaul their programs simply to comply with state mandates. Rather than improving education, HB 359 appears designed to regulate private schools out of existence, reducing choice for families and harming educational diversity. For these reasons, I strongly oppose House Bill 359.

When parents make the decision to send their children to private school this decision has come after considering what would be best for their child and their family, this bill would allow the state to become involved in a private schools admissions, decisions, and enrollment policies. In addtion, many families come to this decision for a deep commitment to religious beliefs and this bill would undermine the religious instruction schools resolve to provide families. Please vote "no" to this bill.

Dear Delegate Laufer, I am writing as a constituent to respectfully express my opposition to HB359. I am concerned that this bill would disproportionally affect students from lower-income families, have unintended consequences that undermine personal freedoms and place unnecessary burdens on individuals and families across the Commonwealth. I believe Virginia should pursue policies that are practical, evidence-based, and respectful of individual rights, and I do not believe HB359 meets that standard. I urge you to oppose HB35 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Thank you for our time and for representing our district. Sincerely, Carrie Montalto Charlottesville, Virginia

Greetings, Please oppose HB359 bill. I have a child that goes to a private school and I believe this bill will undermine what the private school does. Regards, Nathan Swanson

HB359 will in practice eliminate the opportunity for parents to select the type, source, and content of education for their children. Private schools offer an alternative to the education offered by the public schools, and in that alternative lies much of our freedom. Please oppose this bill.

Keep the government out of Private Schools! Our vote at the polls are clear yet overturned with your agenda. Private Schools is OUR choice.

Questions to the politicians? Where do YOU send your kids? Private Schools are our choice. Keep the government out of it!

Questions to the politicians? Where do YOU send your kids? Private Schools are our choice. Keep the government out of it!

This bill increases government overreach into private schools and infringes on religious freedom. Please vote NO on HB359.

Dear Delegate, I am writing as a constituent to express strong opposition to HB 359. This bill represents an unprecedented intrusion into private education by conditioning tuition assistance on compliance with public-school mandates that would fundamentally alter private schools’ missions, curricula, admissions policies, and religious identity. By forcing private schools to choose between abandoning their independence or refusing families who rely on educational assistance, HB 359 threatens the integrity of private education in Virginia. I urge you to oppose HB 359 and stand with parents, students, and the diverse educational institutions that serve the Commonwealth. Virginia has long respected educational pluralism and parental choice, but this bill departs sharply from that tradition. Please oppose HB359

Hello. I strongly feel that Covenant and any independent school in Virginia should be able to have complete control over their curriculum and be able to take advantage of state programs aiding families to allow students to attend dispute financial situation. Those using 529 plan fund to pay for school do get a small tax benefit, but it is within the purview of the individual family to use these tax advantaged funds now or for college. Why are we given this choice if it will negatively impact the school we are choosing? Use of these funds should not impact a private school’s independence. Those of us who receive financial aid from the school also add diversity to the school and not allowing students without financial means would be detrimental to the school body as a whole.

Testimony Opposing HB359   Good morning Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.   My name is Tyler Turner. I’m a parent of three children who attend Liberty Christian Academy, and I work for Americans for Prosperity, a nonprofit focused on protecting education freedom.   Education freedom is rooted in a simple principle: parents, not the government, are responsible for their children’s education. House Bill359 undermines that principle by expanding state control over private and faith-based schools that families freely choose and independently fund.   When government dictates how independent schools must operate, freedom is replaced with compliance. Innovation is replaced with uniformity. And parental authority is slowly eroded.   Private schools exist because families want alternatives—different approaches, different values, and different methods of educating their children. HB 359 threatens those alternatives by imposing regulatory pressure that will reduce access, and force some schools out of existence.   A truly free education system trusts families, encourages diversity, and limits government to its proper role. HB 359 moves Virginia away from freedom and toward centralization.   I urge you to oppose this bill and stand for parental rights, school independence, and educational liberty in the Commonwealth.   Thank you.

I am writing to urge you to vote against Bill 359. Having educated and taught in Christian schools I have seen the value of a Christian education in student's testing, character, and production in our society thereafter. This bill would not provide the outcome as expected but rather hurt/hinder private schools in the future. Thank you!

Good Morning, I am writing to strongly oppose HB 359. My children attend a rigorous private school, where the advanced curriculum has done wonders for my previously overactive in class child. A bill that requires mandatory SOL testing in every grade and subject would severely restrict the curriculum choices that have been so helpful for my child. Please do not pass this bill.

Regents School of Charlottesville serves a great need in our community. We seek diverse socioeconomic classes. We teach classical education, with logic and public speaking. We teach kids how to think, defend their thoughts, and be good citizens of their communities. Regents is not about WHAT to think, but HOW to think. I have two graduates of Regents, and a current student. HB359 would require mandatory SOL testing in every grade and subject at the school’s expense. Our curriculum is full, with Latin, mathematics, rhetoric, logic, and classical educational training. To make our school change academic course to teach to SOL testing will adversely impact our ability to train independent thinkers. Our teachers have rigorous training in classical education. HB359 state accreditation requirements would require external additional required training that our teachers don't need. Regents School is a Christian school. We request our religious liberties to be protected in our enrollment policies and standards. The unwarranted scrutiny of private schools to report to the state public school superintendent, increased financial auditing, and unlimited investigations, audits, site inspections by district superintendents. This seems meant to intimidate and bog schools down with copious bureaucracy rather than improve education. In our 250th anniversary of our country, we implore you to protect our freedom of speech and religion, and allow us to teach a broad spectrum of students. We train leaders and thinkers. We train peacemakers. Our goal is to improve Virginia through the highest levels of education that we can. Please allow us these freedoms. Thank you.

Its not right

Parents do know what’s best for their children as fair as education options go. Those parents that are willing to sacrifice time and finances for specialized schools, should be allowed to do so. This bill makes it appear that the state of Virginia’s primary goal is just to fill seats in public schools. A parent’s goal is to do what’s best for their child’s future.

This bill is unconstitutional in that it takes away our freedoms to educate our own children. We do not want communist take overs of our country and especially not our children. Vote NO on this bill.

Vote No please.

Dear Members of the Virginia Legislative Committee, I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 359, which authorizes the use of public funds for private elementary and secondary school tuition under specific standards. As a concerned citizen of the Commonwealth, I believe this legislation undermines the foundation of our public education system and diverts critical resources from schools that serve all Virginians. First, HB 359 reallocates public funds—taxpayer money intended for public schools—to private institutions that are not subject to the same accountability and oversight. Public schools are held to rigorous standards to ensure equitable education for all students, regardless of background or ability. By contrast, private schools often operate with greater autonomy, which may result in inconsistent educational quality or accessibility. Diverting funds to such institutions risks creating a two-tiered system where public schools, already facing budget constraints, are further strained while only a select few benefit from subsidized private education. Second, this bill could exacerbate existing inequalities in education. Public funds should prioritize schools that are mandated to serve every child, including those with special needs or from underserved communities. HB 359, by allowing public dollars to support private tuition, may disproportionately benefit families who can already afford private schooling through additional financial aid, while leaving behind students who rely on public schools as their only option. This redirection of resources threatens to widen the opportunity gap rather than close it, undermining the principle of equal access to education that is central to our state’s values. As a Virginian deeply invested in the future of our communities, I am concerned about the long-term impact of this legislation on our public education system. Our public schools are the backbone of equitable opportunity, shaping the next generation of leaders, workers, and citizens. When I think of the diverse classrooms across our state, I worry that HB 359 could erode the shared commitment to ensuring every child has access to a quality education. My hope is for a system that strengthens public schools, not one that fragments resources and risks leaving vulnerable students behind. In closing, I respectfully urge the committee to oppose HB 359. This bill’s redirection of public funds to private tuition jeopardizes the integrity and equity of our education system, which must remain a priority for all Virginians. Thank you for considering my perspective and for your dedication to serving the Commonwealth.

My family and I are adamantly opposed to this unprecedented government overreach into private school autonomy and pupil education. Instead of lowering the standards of private school education by forcing them to comply with the dismal standards of government education, why are you not instead studying the successful practices of private schools and incorporating them into the government education model? You’ve spelled out your intent perfectly in this bill, control and coercion. How disappointing Representative Helmer. This bill isn’t about children. Private school education outperforms public school education in every way. That parents, in order to provide a better education for their children and produce more educated citizens for our state, are willing to bear the burden of paying full taxes to the local government for public school funding, and sacrifice still more resources to pay for private education should cause any intelligent and rationale person to consider the failures of the government education model. Private schools live and die by their outcomes. A school that fails their students scholastically does not continue. This is not true of public schools, which is why private schools outperform and serve their students better - true of religious and secular private schools alike. I oppose the oversight proposed in this radical bill. I oppose the testing mandates proposed in this bill. I oppose you harming low income children by pulling funding. I oppose this bill! Pulling funding with your mandates will mean parents who are just able to afford, or cannot afford, a private education will not be able to afford it. How much more could you fail us with this absurd bill?

We receive financial assistance to attend our private school. This bill most negatively affects those needing financial assistance, which the state is said to support the most. This bill severely limits our religious freedom and is a huge overstep into schools and where students are doing well academically. Why are these requirements being pushed so hard? Say no to this bill at all costs!

Vote NO on HB 359. Give parents and schools more school choice and more freedom. Many of our public schools are failing or mediocre at best, especially after Covid. HB 359 would attempt to make our private schools into state institutions, taking away the freedom to choose from so many families. Children and families would be the ones to pay the price of this bill passes because it effectively forces private schools to let go of their scholarship students as well anyone using a 529 Plan to pay for tuition. Private schools have more applicants than they can accept due to the poor status of state schools. Therefore, the schools will be forced to let go of low and middle income students if this bill passes. School choice gives families the freedom to choose the school that best fits their child’s needs, values, and learning style. When parents have options—such as public, charter, private, or homeschool programs—all schools are encouraged to improve and innovate. Choice also helps students in struggling districts access safer schools and stronger academic opportunities. Putting parents, not the state, in charge leads to better outcomes for children and communities. Vote "NO" on HB 359.

Please vote "no" on HB359. As an educators consultant who has worked in CA, NY, IL, AZ, NM, and VA, I have seen it all in terms of school choice, educational control/freedom by states, funding opportunities, etc. All HB359 will do is force private schools to effectively "discriminate" against anyone not paying tuition or of pocket. Private schools will not cave and give control to the government, nor as a parent and educator would I want them to. The bill will take away freedom of choice in an educational setting that is already extremely broken. It will result in an even more divided rather than unified or equitable student body because the state will force private schools to either stop accepting students on scholarship or to abandon their independent principles (which they will not and ought not do). Where I live, the public schools are not the best. Treat scores are mediocre, children's literacy is down, and the school promotes a wide variety of social agendas that do not agree with historical Western values. We currently work and sacrifice incredibly hard to send our children to private school. They are thriving and I see it not only in their academics, but also in their personal character. They are becoming responsible citizens who will be productive and helpful adults in our society. If this bill passes, we will be one of many families devastated by this bill because it would mean tearing our children out of the school they love. I would be forced out of the workforce to homeschool my children rather than send them to our poor public schools. Please vote "no" on this bill and let's work instead to expand freedom of school choice for American families.

Please vote "no" on HB359. As an educators consultant who has worked in CA, NY, IL, AZ, NM, and VA, I have seen it all in terms of school choice, educational control/freedom by states, funding opportunities, etc. All HB359 will do is force private schools to effectively "discriminate" against anyone not paying tuition or of pocket. Private schools will not cave and give control to the government, nor as a parent and educator would I want them to. The bill will take away freedom of choice in an educational setting that is already extremely broken. It will result in an even more divided rather than unified or equitable student body because the state will force private schools to either stop accepting students on scholarship or to abandon their independent principles (which they will not and ought not do). Where I live, the public schools are not the best. Treat scores are mediocre, children's literacy is down, and the school promotes a wide variety of social agendas that do not agree with historical Western values. We currently work and sacrifice incredibly hard to send our children to private school. They are thriving and I see it not only in their academics, but also in their personal character. They are becoming responsible citizens who will be productive and helpful adults in our society. If this bill passes, we will be one of many families devastated by this bill because it would mean tearing our children out of the school they love. I would be forced out of the workforce to homeschool my children rather than send them to our poor public schools. Please vote "no" on this bill and let's work instead to expand freedom of school choice for American families.

The legislation seeks to impose public school standards—including SOL testing and, potentially, curricular constraints—on private institutions. This bill threatens the autonomy, religious identity, and curricular freedom of private institutions.  We Don't support this bill!

Please vote NO on HB359.

Please protect Church schools from state government overreach by voting NO on HB359. Many of my student’s families have chosen private education for their children because of the Biblical world view with which Jefferson Christian Academy has taught core curriculum for 40 years. With out the benefit of scholarship donations our school would not be able to offer the programs even my own children have benefited from over the years.

Hello. My name is Rachel Haskett. I am a Virginia citizen, wife, mother of 2, and a school teacher. I am voicing my concerns for the Bill H359 and the harms that can come from passing this bill. No government has the right to tell parents what to do with their child’s education. It’s up to you as our delegates to represent families and their God given right to lead and guide their children how they see best fit. As a mothers and fathers yourself, I would think you’d agree to no one telling you what they think is best for your children, and strip your right away from you as their parents. We are praying for you and your influence as you vote on this bill. Sincerely, Rachel Haskett Prince George County Resident

Dear Delegates, I am writing to express strong distaste for and disagreement with HB359, which would force private schools to conform to or be accountable to public-school mandates and oversight. The bill would force private schools who have any students receiving a state or federal voucher or tax credit scholarship or other public source of tuition funding to have unwanted government interference in the education of its students. My son attended a nonreligious K-8 private school and then a classical Christian school for high school. My daughter has attended private Christian schools from kindergarten to her current 7th grade school year. She loves school as a seventh grader. How many students and parents can say that? She has read "The Odyssey" this year and learned formal logic and visited the Rivanna River to learn about river species and conservation with the Rivanna Conservation Alliance. Her literature teacher gives extensive feedback on her writing so that she can develop her critical thinking, verbal expression, argumentation, and voice. She learns how to intelligently apply biblical wisdom and theology to all aspects of learning and life. I do not want her education to be dictated by or interfered with by state curriculum, Standards of Learning testing, limits on religious freedom, or any of the other government oversight that is for public schools. I have no interest in being accountable to the public school board. What is the point of private education if it has to adhere to public education standards? If I wanted that, I would save a lot of money by sending my child to public school. Our tax dollars fund public education, and we choose to pay for private school. I want any other parents who want private education for their child or children to be able to receive the same excellent, private education through tax credit scholarships, vouchers, or any other public means available to them. Please support parental choice and freedom to choose the form of education they deem best for their children, and please protect the rights of private schools by quashing this bill in its current version. A few items such as accountability for health, safety, and facilities codes and standards are fine, but on the whole the bill violates private-school protections.

Please vote NO on HB359.

I am writing as a constituent to respectfully express my opposition to HB359. I am concerned that this bill would have unintended consequences that undermine personal freedoms and place unnecessary burdens on individuals and families across the Commonwealth. I believe Virginia should pursue policies that are practical, evidence-based, and respectful of individual rights, and I do not believe HB359 meets that standard. I urge you to oppose HB359 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Thank you for your time and diligence in doing the right thing.

This bill opposes what most Black Americans appreciate about this country despite its past ills: freedom of choice and the ability to be educated according to one's conscience. We all understand that America's past and sometimes present denies individuals the right to determine self-expression. I must express my opposition to SB 359. This bill, if passed, denieds non-wealthy Black American parents, guardians, and students access to spaces e.g. private schools, that currently have the freedom to choose alternative curriculum, pedagogy, testing, admissions policies, etc. As a Black mother, if passed, this bill would put forth statist policies that I despise: policies that place state rule over the choices of families and private entities. Financial assistance, a wonderful display of beneficence, must have no conditions, no matter the source! If passed, this bill cancels the opportunity for my children to attend private school, because at this point in our family's economy, we need financial aid. I attended public schools; however my husband nor I desire for our children to attend public schools. Our reasons are too numerous for this space. I am grateful that as a Black American living in Virginia, my family has been able to receive tuition assistance so that our children can benefit from smaller classrooms, direct parent involvment in school culture, academically rigorous coursework, and curriculum that develops character and conscience. I am appalled that state leaders would put private schools in a position that would force them to deny lower income students, which are usually Black, from attending in order to maintain their total automony as a private school with their own tests, policies, and accreditation requirements, etc. This is simply ludicrous. This bill gives conspiracy theorists a voice--why would a state government propose a bill that denies individual and organizational freedom and impose mandatory SOL testing? Conspiracists call this mass indoctrination. Say no to HB 359 and the individuals that were behind its consideration. We, Black Americans, have fought for our voices, our choices, unlimited access and freedom-honoring processes. I end and repeat: financial assistance, a wonderful display of beneficence, must have no conditions!

Please vote NO on HB359.

Good morning. I am for the first time appealing to this body, not on behalf of my children, but the less fortunate families in our great commonwealth whose education needs are as important as any, if not more. I know that the state does not like to face the inconvenient truth that private school education grossly outperforms public schools, but then when I went to Bishop Ireton, I was joined by a lot of government representatives children, so it isn'texactly a secret. My parents sacrificed greatly to send me there and it could not have happened without scholarship. What I know about my compatriots well-to-do political parents is that their children would not have been affected by this legislation, I would have. My all boys Catholic school would have simply cut my scholarship and I would be relegated to the gang infested high school I "belonged" in. And that is what is going to happen to my sons friends. You are going to force these schools to either stop being privately controlled or stop serving the underpriveleged... and they will be forced to follow the will of the people keeping the lights on. You will not be able to force the constituants who left what they view to be a failing state education system with different focus and values to the detriment of their mission to suddenly pay to comply with such a myopic vision. You will only succeed in crushing opportunity for those who need it most to escape hardship through superior education. I am begging you as a Christian to vote no on this bill. Not for me or my son, but for those who cannot afford to choose for themselves.

Dear Delegate, I am writing as a constituent to respectfully express my opposition to HB359. I am concerned that this bill would have unintended consequences that undermine personal freedoms and place unnecessary burdens on individuals and families across the Commonwealth. I believe Virginia should pursue policies that are practical, evidence-based, and respectful of individual rights, and I do not believe HB359 meets that standard. I urge you to oppose HB359 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Thank you for your time and for representing our district. Sincerely, Anita Carson Ruckersville, Greene County, Virginia

We oppose HB 359 as it is an unprecedented assault on private education in Virginia. It would force any private school that enrolls students receiving state or federal tuition assistance to comply with public-school mandates, effectively stripping private schools of their independence and mission. If passed, HB 359 would: Require mandatory SOL testing in every grade and subject at the school’s expense. By default, this would dictate curriculum choices and take away differentiation. Severely restrict admissions, enrollment and other policy, including interfering with various religious standards chosen by families in those schools. Require private schools in Virginia to report to the state public school superintendent. Increase financial auditing of private schools by the state. Unlimited investigations of private schools, audits, site inspections by district superintendents. Places a tuition cap on private schools, violating free market principles.

We oppose HB 359 as it is an unprecedented assault on private education in Virginia. It would force any private school that enrolls students receiving state or federal tuition assistance to comply with public-school mandates, effectively stripping private schools of their independence and mission. If passed, HB 359 would: Require mandatory SOL testing in every grade and subject at the school’s expense. By default, this would dictate curriculum choices and take away differentiation. Severely restrict admissions, enrollment and other policy, including interfering with various religious standards chosen by families in those schools. Require private schools in Virginia to report to the state public school superintendent. Increase financial auditing of private schools by the state. Unlimited investigations of private schools, audits, site inspections by district superintendents. Places a tuition cap on private schools, violating free market principles.

Dear Delegate, I am writing as a constituent to respectfully express my opposition to HB359. I am concerned that this bill would have unintended consequences that undermine personal freedoms and place unnecessary burdens on individuals and families across the Commonwealth. I believe Virginia should pursue policies that are practical, evidence-based, and respectful of individual rights, and I do not believe HB359 meets that standard. I urge you to oppose HB359 and to support legislation that reflects the values of fairness, liberty, and responsible governance. Thank you for your time and for representing our district. Sincerely, Dr. Cate Varney Albemarle County, Zip code 22947

PLease vote NO on HB 359. This bill would small, private Christian schools by pulling private, faith-based schools under public-school style mandates and oversight once any student is supported through a public funding mechanism — and then applying those requirements across the school. The added compliance burden and cost increases would force small schools to change their mission or shut their doors. Please do not back HB 359. Please oppose it publicly and vote against it.

This is Anton Tevelev. I am here to express the dismay and sadness that the bill HB 359 causes. It has been shown again and again throughout the history that for any country to succeed, to be among the first ones in the world, free thinking based on the diverse education is critical. Only in this way, innovation, discovery and progress could be achieved. Yet this bill aims to eliminate exactly that. It wants to eliminate any diversity in education and to standardize mediocrity. Doing it to you own state of Virginia causes dismay. In fact, what the bill 359 attempts to instill has already been described - in the book by George Orwell called 1984. It is with sadness that one realizes that there are still individuals among us who consider George Orwell's anti-utopia a good thing and who try to pass laws to bring us to that nightmare. Thus, I strongly oppose the bill HB 359.

Dear Delegate Callsen, My name is Lauren Schroeder. I’m a labor and delivery nurse, and my husband and I live in Charlottesville, where he owns a small business. We are raising our three boys here in the 54th District. I’m writing to urge you to oppose HB 359. Our family does not make a lot of money, and we are scraping together tuition to send our sons to a small private Christian school because we believe it’s what’s best for their education, their faith, and our family. As a mom, I hope you can hear how personal this is for families like ours. HB 359 would crush schools like ours by pulling private, faith-based schools under public-school style mandates and oversight once any student is supported through a public funding mechanism — and then applying those requirements across the school. The added compliance burden and cost increases would force small schools to change their mission or shut their doors, and families like mine would lose the choice we are sacrificing to make. Please do not back HB 359. I’m asking you to oppose it publicly and vote against it. Respectfully, Lauren Schroeder Charlottesville, VA 540-303-1820

I vote no on this bill.

Vote No on HB359

Vote No on HB 359.

Vote no to HB 359. Many families choose to send their children to private schools for a multitude of reasons—some for increased academic rigor, some for smaller class sizes, and others for alternative curriculum when they realize their child does not thrive in public schools. If parents want the state to run their child’s school and require participation in SOL testing, they already have that option by enrolling in public schools. Parents who choose private education do so because they do not want the state dictating curriculum, testing, or educational philosophy. These families are making a personal investment in schools that align with their educational values, religious beliefs, or instructional approaches. State interference undermines the independence and diversity that private schools exist to provide. HB 359 is a solution in search of a problem. No widespread demand exists from parents or private schools for increased state control. Instead, this bill risks driving up administrative costs, increasing taxes, and placing unnecessary burdens on private institutions—costs that will inevitably be passed on to families. The result will be fewer choices and less access, particularly for middle-class families who already make sacrifices to afford private education. This bill threatens educational freedom, parental choice, and the very diversity of options that strengthen Virginia’s education landscape. Vote no on HB 359.

Opposed

I am writing as a constituent to express strong opposition to HB 359. This bill represents an unprecedented intrusion into private education by conditioning tuition assistance on compliance with public-school mandates that would fundamentally alter private schools’ missions, curricula, admissions policies, and religious identity. By forcing private schools to choose between abandoning their independence or refusing families who rely on educational assistance, HB 359 threatens the integrity of private education in Virginia. I urge you to oppose HB 359 and stand with parents, students, and the diverse educational institutions that serve the Commonwealth. Virginia has long respected educational pluralism and parental choice, but this bill departs sharply from that tradition. Please oppose HB359

The attached letter is written to ask the Virginia Legislature to Oppose HB 359.

Vote No to HB359!

HB 359, introduced by Delegate Dan Helmer (D), is a direct and unprecedented assault on private education in Virginia. This bill would effectively eliminate meaningful private schooling by forcing any private school that enrolls even one student receiving tuition assistance, whether through a federal scholarship tax credit program, a state tuition assistance program, or any other public subsidy, to comply with the same mandates imposed on public schools. This bill strikes at the very heart of what makes private schools private. It would erode curriculum freedom, faculty standards, admissions policies, religious and classical identity, and covenantal educational models. The consequences are severe and far-reaching, including: Mandatory SOL Testing – Private schools would be required to administer Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments in every grade level and every subject to all students—and absorb the full cost of testing. “Eligibility and Compliance” Mandates – Any private school failing to meet state accreditation standards would be prohibited from enrolling new students who receive public assistance. Virginia has never required accreditation for private schools, making this a dramatic and dangerous policy shift. Admissions and Nondiscrimination Requirements – Private schools would be barred from making admissions, enrollment, discipline, retention, or program access decisions based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, special education status, language proficiency, or socioeconomic status. Schools would also be required to pledge to “affirm the identities of all students while providing appropriate accommodations,” language that invites expansive regulatory enforcement and litigation. Religious Instruction Restrictions – Schools offering religious instruction or worship would be required to provide mandatory opt-outs for any public assistance student upon request, along with alternative educational activities. This would undermine a school’s religious mission and unity. In practice, HB 359 would coerce private schools into an impossible choice: abandon their mission and independence—or stop serving families who rely on educational assistance to access private education.

Chair Bulova, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony today. My name is Minta Hardman and I am here to respectfully oppose HB 359 because it would limit parental choice in education and threaten institutions’ and families’ first amendment right of religious freedom. I represent the parents of over 130,000 students in the Commonwealth who have chosen one of our nearly 800 private schools; however, allow me to state that our reason for opposing this bill is not that we are anti public schools or against accountability. Across Virginia, parents have made it clear that they are asking for more flexibility—not fewer options—when it comes to educating their children. Polling consistently shows that about two-thirds of Virginians, and more than 70 percent of parents, support school choice and parental choice in education. That support is especially strong among lower-income families and minority parents, who often have the fewest alternatives when a school is not meeting their child’s needs. Please allow federal monies provided to each state through Public Law 115-97 to be dispersed in the Commonwealth of Virginia with the same expectations of “equitable services” that other grant funds use. This would allow adequate accountability by the state while letting parents have choices they would not have otherwise. HB 359 would narrow educational options at a time when families need them most. Families with financial means already exercise choice by moving or paying tuition. When the Commonwealth restricts educational options, it is families without those resources—along with students with special needs—who are disproportionately affected. Again, I want to be clear: supporting parental choice is not an attack on public education. It is simply an acknowledgment that no single educational setting works for every child. Adding guardrails that limit choice does not improve outcomes for students—it limits families’ ability to respond when a school is not the right fit. In addition, adding stipulations that would require private schools to admit all students and hire all staff is stifling the very reasons that different private institutions exist. I would not expect a Muslim or even a Catholic school to hire me as I do not share all of their ideologies and beliefs, nor should we or any private institution have those regulations placed on us. Parents are legally and morally responsible for their children’s education. Public policy should support parents in that responsibility, not make it harder for them to act in their child’s best interest by choosing an environment that works best for them – albeit public, private, Christian, another religious school, homeschool, or whatever they find as a right fit. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the committee to oppose HB 359 and instead support policies that protect parental rights, preserve educational flexibility, and keep students—not systems—at the center of education policy. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully submitted. Godspeed, Minta Hardman, PhD Administrator Mountain View Christian Academy Winchester, VA 22602

This bill restricts access to private schooling and homeschooling options that many families rely on for alternative pedagogy and religious education protected under the First Amendment. Families who choose these paths assume additional responsibility for their children’s education—financially, logistically, and personally—while continuing to pay full state and local taxes that fund public schools. In effect, they are paying twice. HB359 would increase educational inequity by making alternatives to public education accessible only to families with substantial financial means. Working- and middle-class families would be excluded as private schools and homeschool programs lose the ability to accept assistance or responsibly adapt in order to comply with this overreach. Students whose academic, developmental, or religious needs are not met in the public system would be left with fewer viable options. Educational diversity and religious liberty are core constitutional values. Policies that limit access to faith-based and alternative education undermine parental rights and the First Amendment’s protection of free exercise of religion. For these reasons, I respectfully urge a NO vote on HB359.

Vote no to HB359. This is an absolute infringement on our religious rights and an attempt to ruin private schools in Virginia. Vote no and spent your precious time trying to fix public schools that are failing the children of Virginia. Those of us who want our children educated in Biblical truth will not allow this government overreach.

I oppose this bill in all forms as it endangers the fundamental freedoms, independence and sincerely held beliefs. This infringes on parental rights and freedom for families in directing their children's education. This is discriminatory to its core This will disenfranchise all military who have children who may need to attend private school based on educational needs.

RE: Opposition to HB359 — Impact on Future School-Choice Policy and Existing Tax Credit Scholarships HB359 does not regulate an existing education-choice program — it is a preemptive bill designed to make future school-choice programs unworkable by regulating private schools as if they were public schools. HB359 should be viewed not as a neutral accountability measure, but as a preemptive regulatory bill designed to make future school-choice programs unworkable by conditioning participation on private schools operating as if they were public schools. Although Virginia currently has no Education Savings Account or voucher program, HB359 establishes an extensive new statutory regime that would apply automatically to any future effort by the General Assembly to allow public tuition assistance to follow a child to a private school. The bill requires participating private schools to adopt public-school testing, accountability ratings, teacher licensure standards, curriculum alignment, admissions rules, tuition controls, financial audits, and enforcement oversight. Taken together, these provisions eliminate the practical distinctions between public and private education and would predictably lead many private schools to decline participation altogether. Just as concerning, HB359 would effectively dismantle Virginia’s existing Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit (EISTC) program. While the bill attempts to carve out a narrow statutory exclusion for scholarships awarded under Article 13.3 of Title 58.1, the broader definitions and regulatory triggers in HB359 would nevertheless sweep many scholarship-granting organizations and participating private schools into its scope. Schools that currently serve low-income students through tax-credit scholarships would be faced with substantial new compliance costs, legal exposure, and operational constraints unrelated to the scholarship program’s original design. The predictable result would be reduced participation by schools, fewer scholarship opportunities for students, and diminished access for families the program was created to serve. HB359 addresses no existing failure or abuse in Virginia law. Instead, it pre-loads a future policy debate with regulatory barriers that would foreclose viable school-choice options before they are ever considered on their merits. Accountability discussions are appropriate when a specific program is proposed and its structure is known. Imposing a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework in advance risks undermining both future legislative flexibility and current scholarship programs that are already working for Virginia families. For these reasons, HB359 represents a significant and unnecessary policy overreach and should not advance.

Please vote NO to HB 359, Please!

Please vote NO to HB 359, Please!

PLEASE DO NOT PASS HB359!!!!!!!!! Parents are choosing the right to HAVE RELIGION incorporated in education for their children that is NOT ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS !!!!! This bill forces schools into an impossible choice: either stop serving families who rely on scholarships or abandon the unique independent mission for children who attend private schools. THIS IS WRONG!!!

Vote no on HB359, which is absolute government overreach. Focus on public schools, which are not grounded in biblical teachings and are failing. Vote no!

359 Please vote no. This bill seeks to impose public school oversight over autonomous private schools and their right to provide their students with the environment most conducive to their educational success and personal safety.

I urge you to consider the ramifications of this bill on our private schools. Please vote no!

The attached file is my objection to HB 359. In short this bill is an attempt to take control of the private schools that are providing needed education to our children. I urge people on this committe to read what I have to say. Furthermore I urge this committee to do something great and actually reform the public school system. Our children deserve better than they are getting.

I strongly oppose and urge you to oppose HB 359.

I completely and totally oppose this bill that they are trying to pass!!! Its unconstitutional!

I am writing in opposition to this bill. Please do not punish private schools and allow parents the right to choose the education for their child that they feel is best.

Oppose

I urge you to vote no for this bill. My husband and I both come from humble backgrounds. His parents moved here from El Salvador which was a worn torn country at the time. My parents (one with only a high school diploma and the other dropped out from high school) worked hard to provide our family with basic necessities. We both vowed to give our daughter a better start in life. We've saved and we both work hard for her to attend a private school. This is something our parents never could've imagined for their kids or grandkids. This is a dream come true for us. This bill would be harmful to her school culture and the kids who rely on scholarships. The underdogs, if you will, who have been given a rare opportunity in our society will suffer. PLEASE VOTE NO.

NO! Public schools are failing miserably. And now it appears you want every school to fail. What a disgrace. Can’t believe people like this serve in government.

Education Committee Members, I am a mother in House District 55, a nurse practitioner, and my husband is a small business owner. We are a working middle-class family with three children currently in private education. Even with the scholarships our children receive, this choice requires a significant financial sacrifice—one that I undertake with joy because I know it is exactly what my children need to thrive. I urge this committee to vote "NO" on HB 359. We chose to move our children to a private setting after the public system failed to meet their specific needs. In Albemarle County, academic standards have been a point of significant concern: division-wide reading pass rates have stagnated at 75%, and 3rd-grade literacy recently declined to 68%. Furthermore, the district suffers from the second-worst reading achievement gap in the Commonwealth. Beyond academics, the school environment was a major factor. Recent district climate surveys reveal that only 57% of secondary students in Albemarle feel safe at school, and student "sense of belonging" ranks in the bottom 20th percentile nationally. Since transitioning to a school that aligns with our family's values and provides a secure, specialized environment, our children’s learning has accelerated, and they are thriving in a setting focused on their total well-being. HB 359 poses a fundamental threat to the autonomy of these institutions. By requiring private schools to adopt public school regulations if they accept even one student with tuition assistance, this bill forces schools into an untenable position: they must either sacrifice the unique philosophies and independent standards that define them or stop serving the middle-class families who rely on financial aid. This legislation effectively homogenizes education by stripping schools of their ability to maintain distinct curricula, faculty requirements, and the religious or classical frameworks that families seek out. It would gatekeep these high-quality alternatives, making them a luxury only for the wealthy and leaving families like mine with no viable options. Please protect the right of working families to access an education that reflects their values. Vote "no" on HB 359. Respectfully, Melody Noble

Hello, On behalf of ALL homeschoolers, we oppose this. It takes away the right we have educate (and parent) our children the way WE choose. Vote no. Please. Our children’s lives depend on it.

VOTE NO; While the bill’s stated goal is accountability and transparency, its provisions represent a significant and unwarranted expansion of government control into private education. 1. Undermines Educational Freedom & Parental Choice HB359 effectively erodes the defining characteristics of private schools — freedom of curriculum, governance, and mission — by requiring schools that receive public support to adopt public school standards of learning testing and accountability ratings. This undermines the ability of families to choose educational environments that align with their values or better meet their child’s learning needs. Restricting choice in this way harms parents who rely on scholarship programs precisely because they want alternatives to the public school system. 2. Government Overreach Into Private Institutions Under HB359, even a single student receiving publicly subsidized tuition could compel an entire private institution to submit to public bureaucracy and testing mandates. This is a dramatic expansion of state influence into the internal affairs of private, often religious or mission-based schools. It blurs the line between public and private education and threatens the autonomy that makes private schooling a meaningful option. 3. Threatens Religious & Constitutional Freedoms Private and faith-based schools exist in large part to provide education grounded in specific belief systems. Requiring compliance with public accountability frameworks — including content standards and testing — can force these schools to alter instructional content or policies to maintain eligibility for programs that assist families. Such conditions risk infringing on the First Amendment’s Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses, which protect religious institutions from state coercion that effectively dictates how they teach or govern themselves. 4. Disincentivizes Support for Low-Income Families Rather than increasing access to quality education for low- and middle-income families, HB359 could discourage private schools from accepting students who rely on tuition assistance altogether. Schools may forego participation in scholarship programs to avoid compliance burdens, ultimately leaving vulnerable families with fewer choices and pushing students back into an already overburdened public system. This result runs contrary to the bill’s ostensible purpose of supporting student success. 5. Questionable Accountability Tradeoffs Standardized testing and state accountability measures may make sense for public schools, which are funded entirely by taxpayers and governed directly by state standards. However, imposing the same regime on private schools ignores fundamental differences in governance, pedagogy, and mission. Private schools already have accountability mechanisms — including parental choice, accreditation, and independent assessments — that reflect their diverse educational approaches. Forcing them into the public framework risks lowering educational quality and stifling innovation. House Bill 359 represents a troubling expansion of state control into private education, threatening parental choice, private and religious school autonomy, and long-protected constitutional freedoms. Rather than enhancing educational outcomes, the bill’s requirements risk reducing quality and diminishing options for families across the Commonwealth. For these reasons, HB359 should be opposed and rejected.

I am writing to respectfully oppose HB 359. As a parent of two, one currently in private Christian school and the other to start kindergarten in the fall, it is my choice to be able to send my children to the school that best meets the needs of our family and reinforces the values being taught at home in the classroom. It should not be up to the state to make mandates for private school to place the standards as public school which are not meeting the needs of every child. My daughter is excelling in the classroom and having values instilled to help prepare her for the future. Please vote NO to HB 359! God bless.

Concerning HB 359 that I oppose because it takes away real educational freedom from families who already carry the full responsibility of educating their children. Parents who choose private schools, religious schools, or homeschooling still pay the same taxes as everyone else. We are not avoiding the system. We are stepping in when the system does not work or has failed our children. I respectfully urge the committee to oppose HB359. That takes away the parent’s right to choose the best education for their children. I have 4 boys who attend Jefferson Christian Academy, it is the best decision we could make for our family. My husband is the SRO for the public school and we still choose JCA for our children.

I respectfully as a lifelong citizen and taxpayer of this state disagree with HB359. The classroom, environment, and moral teachings the private Christian school my child attends is providing her with a strong learning development to succeed as an adult as well as be a great person. This bill seeks to undermine and possibly undue all private religious schools across the state’s ability to provide a great alternative to public schools by placing a seemingly insurmountable burden on them.

Concerning HB 359 that I oppose because it takes away real educational freedom from families who already carry the full responsibility of educating their children. Parents who choose private schools, religious schools, or homeschooling still pay the same taxes as everyone else. We are not avoiding the system. We are stepping in when the system does not work or has failed our children. I respectfully urge the committee to oppose HB359. That takes away the parent’s right to choose the best education for their children.

I oppose HB 359 because it takes away real educational freedom from families who already carry the full responsibility of educating their children. Parents who choose private schools, religious schools, or homeschooling still pay the same taxes as everyone else. They are not avoiding the system — they are stepping in when the system does not work for their child. For many families, this is not a preference. It is a necessity for safety, disability support, health, or deeply held religious beliefs. HB 359 says private and religious schools may receive public support only if they give up the very identity that makes families choose them. That is not choice. That is coercion. If public schools are strong, safe, and effective, families will stay. Limiting alternatives does not improve education — it only traps children who need something different. Education should serve children, not preserve bureaucratic control. HB 359 narrows freedom and punishes responsible parenting, and for those reasons it should be rejected.

My name is Barbara Tevelev, and I am here to express my opposition to HB 359. At its core, this bill represents government overreach into private education. Private schools exist precisely because families seek educational freedom, diversity of thought, and alternative approaches to learning. When the state imposes public-school standards, testing regimes, and accountability frameworks onto private institutions, it erodes the very purpose of private education. Private schools should be left alone. They are not public entities, and they should not be treated as extensions of the public-school system. Families choose private schools because they want something different—different curricula, different values, different pedagogical approaches. HB 359 moves us in the opposite direction by forcing uniformity where diversity should be protected. Education thrives when there is choice, innovation, and independence. A one-size-fits-all model—especially one driven by shifting political priorities—stifles creativity and undermines trust between families and educators. Public education agendas often change with each administration, and private schools should not be compelled to conform to those political winds. True educational freedom means allowing parents—not the government—to decide what kind of education best serves their children. Oversight already exists through parental choice, tuition investment, accreditation, and community accountability. Additional state control is unnecessary and counterproductive. HB 359 risks discouraging private schools from operating or participating in educational partnerships altogether, ultimately reducing options for families, not expanding them. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 359 and to protect the independence, diversity, and freedom that private education provides. Thank you for your time and consideration.

My name is Barbara Tevelev, and I am here to express my opposition to HB 359. At its core, this bill represents government overreach into private education. Private schools exist precisely because families seek educational freedom, diversity of thought, and alternative approaches to learning. When the state imposes public-school standards, testing regimes, and accountability frameworks onto private institutions, it erodes the very purpose of private education. Private schools should be left alone. They are not public entities, and they should not be treated as extensions of the public-school system. Families choose private schools because they want something different—different curricula, different values, different pedagogical approaches. HB 359 moves us in the opposite direction by forcing uniformity where diversity should be protected. Education thrives when there is choice, innovation, and independence. A one-size-fits-all model—especially one driven by shifting political priorities—stifles creativity and undermines trust between families and educators. Public education agendas often change with each administration, and private schools should not be compelled to conform to those political winds. True educational freedom means allowing parents—not the government—to decide what kind of education best serves their children. Oversight already exists through parental choice, tuition investment, accreditation, and community accountability. Additional state control is unnecessary and counterproductive. HB 359 risks discouraging private schools from operating or participating in educational partnerships altogether, ultimately reducing options for families, not expanding them. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 359 and to protect the independence, diversity, and freedom that private education provides. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I VOTE NO on HB 359!

Part of my choosing for private education for my children is to have Christian principles reinforced at school that my children also learn at home and church. I homeschooled my children until their father became terminally ill and couldn’t work and he has now passed away so I have to work and can no longer homeschool. I have therefore chosen a Christian school where my children can receive the care and love and education that they need to live in this fallen world. I ask that you please vote NO to HB359 so those parents that choose private education for their children can continue to do so without government stipulations on their learning. If you look at our nations public education system compared to other nations around the world, the results are simple, our current public education system is not working, and the last thing I would want to see is additional government input into private schools. We choose to have our children attend these schools for very specific reasons that we are very passionate about and we hope and are praying diligently that those reasons will remain and this house bill will NOT be passed. Please vote NO to HB359. Thank you and God Bless.

The HB 359 bill would shatter my child's confidence and self-esteem. My daughter attends a private school and it's the best decision we've ever made for her. She attended public for the first 3 years and not only was she forgotten while struggling with her work, she was bullied into giving up her lunch. At Jefferson, not only is she in a smaller classroom where she can get the one on one help that she needs, she is not bullied into giving up her lunch. The religious base is what encourages our children to be good, caring and compassionate people which is what the world needs.

I am writing on behalf of Wise County Christian School, a private Christian school serving families in Southwest Virginia, to respectfully oppose House Bill 359. While accountability in education is important, HB 359 would create significant concerns regarding administrative burdens and educational choice. For small, community-based schools, particularly in rural regions, these mandates would impose disproportionate compliance and financial costs, which would discourage participation altogether and limit the freedom of educational choice for our Virginia families. The likely result would be fewer educational options for families, rather than increased access. Private schools already maintain accountability through state and national accreditation, financial oversight, and direct accountability to parents and stakeholders. Schools accredited by organizations such as the National Association for Private Schools (NAPS), the Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI), and the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) are required to adhere to comprehensive academic, operational, and governance standards in order to seek and maintain accreditation. Additional state-level requirements risk undermining the independence and diversity that define private education and make it a viable choice for many Virginia families as it does not align with our mission. For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Committee to oppose HB 359. Thank you for your consideration and service to the Commonwealth.

I attended private school growing up. My daughter is currently in second grade at that same private school. The impact of private, Christian education has truly been life-changing to me which is why my husband and I have chosen the same education for our daughter and will do the same for our son when he is old enough. Not only did I receive a wonderful education (graduating in the top of my class), but the opportunity to grow spiritually during some of my most impressionable years made all the difference. The method for receiving an education is not one-size-fits all and it is so important that parents have choices when it comes to deciding on those methods. This bill will underhandedly remove that choice by marring the distinction between public & private education. Choosing private education has been a sacrifice financially, but so incredibly rewarding to our family. Thank you for the opportunity to speak out about this.

I respectfully oppose HB 359. I am a parent of two children who attend a religious school, and I believe their education should align with our family’s faith and values. Parents should retain the freedom to choose educational environments that reflect their beliefs and priorities. Private and religious schools exist to serve families seeking a specific mission-driven education, and this bill would interfere with their ability to operate according to those missions and values. I urge you to consider the importance of parental choice and religious freedom in education and to oppose HB 359.

This new article and its associated sections introduces a radical take over of private religious (e.g., Christian) schools and VA school choice!!! House Bill No. 359 (HB 359) in the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session amends the Code of Virginia by adding a new Article 1.1 to Chapter 8 of Title 22.1, consisting of entirely new sections numbered § 22.1-101.2 through § 22.1-101.16. “§ 22.1-101.4. Standards of Learning assessments and accountability. A. Each participating private school shall require all enrolled students, including each public assistance student and each other student, to participate in the Standards of Learning assessments, or any successor statewide assessments, at the grade levels and in the subjects required of public school students.” Laughable considering the comparison of standards at Christian Schools in particular compared to the SOLs! This effectively puts private schools under the Va Department of Education for compliance and would require lowering standards (even though they have punishments for not meeting SOLs to look fair and impartial on the surface)! I would gladly compare the Christian Schools assessments against SOLs any day. My kids went to private and public and the curriculum and requirements in private school are 10x more than anything PWCS can offer! § 22.1-101.6. Nondiscrimination and admissions. “A. Participating private schools shall not discriminate in admissions, enrollment, discipline, retention, or access to educational programs and services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, special education status, language proficiency, or socioeconomic status. B. Each participating private school shall publicly state on its website, in enrollment materials, and in any promotional literature, that it admits students without regard to the characteristics listed in subsection A and will affirm the identities of all students while providing appropriate accommodations.” Absolute nonsense! This section would require affirmation of non-biological and non-religious beliefs which removes first Amendment rights for all religions (mostly Christian’s)! This is an absolute attack and I do not see how any religious educational program would tolerate this. How could this even be introduced? I highly doubt that a Muslim, Jewish, Christian (any sect) would agree with the affirmation required. This portion needs to be stripped “ sexual orientation, gender identity or expression” and this section I part b as well “and will affirm the identities of all students while providing appropriate accommodations.” All Christian Schools have a non-discrimination policy however the above requirement on Gender Ideology or expression and orientation totally violates Christian and other major religions beliefs and doctrinal positions!

I urge you to vote no on this bill and protect our private schools. As a parent whose children have attended both private and public schools, I can tell you objectively the benefit of attending a school that’s values, beliefs, and standards reinforce the beliefs that are taught at home. As a free country we should have the right to choose what we believe is in the best interest of our children. In addition to that the public school that my children would attend otherwise is listed as needs intensive support under the Virginia quality review for public schools. I have heard many stories about student behavior, poor learning environments, and other issues from former teachers and staff. If you want to do something worth while during your tenure I would suggest supporting the local public schools in our area who are struggling so that every child receives a quality education and leave the private schools to operate in the way that best serves them and their students.

To whom it may concern: I do not vote in favor of this bill; private schools should remain separate from state funding and state curriculum. They should not operate under the guidance of the VDOE.

Vote NO on this bill. As a parent, I want the choice to determine my child's education. Shame on the MORON who is proposing this bill! Another shameful attempt to trample on our religious rights!

I am a parent and constituent in District 19, and I respectfully oppose HB 359. This bill would interfere with the ability of private and religious schools to operate according to their mission and values. Parents should retain the freedom to choose educational environments that align with their beliefs and their children’s needs. I urge you to vote NO on HB 359.

This bill represents a heinous act of overreach by state legislators. To demand that private schools accepting state funds follow many of the same requirements as public schools is to strip them of much of what parents prefer in the private school experience. Worse, low-income students will be disproportionately affected by this bill, as many private schools will have to stop accepting scholarship students, making private education a privilege only for those who can afford it without assistance. For religious private schools, mandatory opt-outs undermine the entire purpose of the institution, which is to provide an educational experience undergirded by religious traditions. This is particularly ridiculous to demand because parents sending their students to such an institution must have desired this experience, or they would have chosen otherwise. This is an example of gross overreach that seems to be motivated solely by the desire to force more students back into the failing public schools system. Legislative power would be much better spent in solving the many problems with public schools rather than forcing more regulation onto private ones.

Please vote NO on HB 359

This bill has no business even being voted on. Parents choose schools which fit the values of the family and the government needs to keep out! Parents who choose public schools do so out of choice. Parents who chose private schools do so out of choice. Parents who choose faith based schools do so out of choice. Vote NO on this horrible overreach!

I ask you to oppose HB 359. Here are several reasons to oppose HB 359. 1. The bill contradicts Supreme Court precedent. In the 2011 case Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, which challenged the tax credit model School Choice program on Establishment Clause grounds, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the plaintiffs lacked standing because the program was funded with private donations. Additionally, the court found that the “[r]espondents’ contrary position – that Arizonans benefiting from the tax credit in effect are paying their state income tax to STO’s – assumes that all income is government property, even if it has not come into the tax collector’s hands. That premise finds no basis in standing jurisprudence.” Some of the logic used in HB 359 appears to be based on the same faulty premise and therefore on similarly shaky legal ground. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/563/125/ 2. School Choice programs save the taxpayers money, rather than costing them money. According to the same Supreme Court Decision, although “[t]he costs of education may be a significant portion of Arizona’s annual budget, …the tax credit, by facilitating the operation of both religious and secular private schools, could relieve the burden on public schools and provide cost savings to the State.”2 Furthermore, in a statement released on January 25, 2022, the federal House Committee on Education and the Workforce concluded that School Choice programs lower costs for taxpayers, based on an extensive study of many School Choice programs. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/563/125/ https://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=408030 3. The bill represents an effort of the state to control curricula of private schools for the first time. Virginia has a long-standing policy of separation between public and private education with regard to curricula. Standards of Learning assessments are available to public schools only. Private schools enjoy curricular autonomy. Does the state really desire a direct achievement comparison between public school and private school students by mandating SOL tests to both? Does the Virginia Department of Education have the resources to assume the responsibility of oversight of private school curricula and assessments? What will be the fiscal impact of the bill to VDOE? HB 359 would establish direct VDOE control of private schools for the first time in Virginia history. This policy change would do extreme harm to academic freedom in the Commonwealth. 4. Religious protections provided in the bill are extremely weak. Although HB 359 pays lip service to maintaining the mission of religious private schools, the establishment for the first time of direct VDOE oversight of religious schools renders that promise moot. All ODACS schools are integral ministries of local Independent Baptist churches. An attempt to control our schools is a serious violation of the principle of Separation of Church and State and undermines our freedom under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. In our view, it is no different from an attempt to establish VDOE Control over teachings of the local church.!

A single mom works two jobs. Her child is falling behind in reading. Through a small scholarship, she enrolls her child in after-school tutoring at a local provider; it's just a few hours a week. The difference is immediate. Homework stops being a battle. Confidence returns. School becomes manageable again. HB 359 would take that option away. This bill is being sold as accountability, but in reality it creates such heavy regulations that many tutoring programs and small private providers will stop serving students who rely on public assistance. When those providers leave, low-income families lose access to the extra help that actually works. HB 359: Shrinks options for struggling students, instead of expanding support Treats tutoring and small providers like full public schools, without public funding Pushes community-based and faith-based programs out of reach Adds bureaucracy without improving student outcomes This isn’t equity. It’s fewer doors open for the families who need flexibility the most. If we care about student success, mental health, and practical solutions that meet kids where they are, we should be expanding access to tutoring, not regulating it out of existence. Protect families. Protect flexibility. Protect what works. Vote NO on HB 359.

Please vote NO on this bill.

Vote no for HB359

Vote NO! HB359 is another step of the STATE to try and FORCE everyone into Government Schools. This is a continued attack on parental rights by this General Assembly. Where does it stop? It will stop when either every Virginia Family bows their knee to kiss the ring of the state or there is a revolt.

Please vote NO!

Sending on behalf of my children and their classmates who attend private school. As a student at a private, faith-based school, HB359 puts us in an impossible position. It asks our school to choose between maintaining its moral and educational autonomy—or continuing to serve classmates who rely on financial aid to be here. Our school community is built on shared values, trust, and independence. Forcing our school to adopt government-mandated policies in order to keep tuition assistance threatens that foundation. But if our school refuses, it’s not administrators who suffer—it’s students. Friends who depend on scholarships may be forced to leave, not because they did anything wrong, but because their school chose to remain true to its mission. No student should have to wonder whether their education will come at the cost of losing classmates—or whether staying true to their school’s principles means leaving friends behind. HB359 creates a moral dilemma where none should exist, and students are caught in the middle. We deserve both school autonomy and inclusive access—not a choice between the two. We ask respectfully that you please OPPOSE HB359. For our schools and our education but especially for our friends/classmates. Thank you! The Thompson girls from Community Christian Academy in Charlottesville, Va

Looking at every single previous comment on this bill, it is clear that Virginians are not fooled by Delegate Helmer's vapid attempt to dig his scabby claws into the homes of Virginians who want to privately educate their children. Keep government out of our private and homeschools! Keep Helmer and his sick supporters away from our children! Vote NO on HB359.

I VOTE NO to HB 359

VOTE NO on HB359 to support academic and religious freedom! Public and private schools have always operated independently in VA and this needs to remain in the best interest of our students and their families. School choice programs save tax payers money. This is a violation of the First Amendment rights in the United States Constitution.

I VOTE NO to HB 359

vote NO on HB 359. religious freedom is our constitutional right.

Vote NO on HB359. All families should be free to choose schools that align with their values, regardless of whether they use public funds for tuition. Redefining students based on funding sources and requiring private schools to adopt public school assessments and accountability systems undermines the independence that makes private education a meaningful choice. Public funds should strengthen public schools, while private schools should remain free to operate according to their missions and values.

Vote NO on HB 359. HB 359 contradicts Supreme Court precedent (e.g., Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn). HB 359 seeks to remove School Choice programs, but School Choice programs save taxpayers money, rather than costing them money. HB 359 represents an unprecedented and authoritarian effort by the state of Virginia to control the curricula of private schools. Does the state really desire a direct achievement comparison between public and private school students by mandating SOL tests for both? HB 359 violates the principle of Separation of Church and State and seeks to undermine First Amendment protections of religious freedom. Vote NO on HB 359.

I strongly oppose Virginia House Bill 359. This bill threatens school choice, parental rights, and private school independence by imposing public-school testing, accountability systems, and regulations on private schools that accept tuition assistance. HB 359 does not protect families — it limits options, especially for low- and middle-income parents who rely on scholarship programs to access schools that align with their values, faith, or their child’s unique learning needs. If a private school is forced to follow public-school mandates, it is no longer truly private. Families should decide where and how their children are educated — not the state. Virginia should support educational freedom, not restrict it.

I am writing to urge you to vote NO on HB359. This bill represents a clear and troubling example of government overreach into religious institutions, and it directly threatens fundamental freedoms that should never be subject to political control. Religious institutions are not extensions of the state. They exist to serve their communities according to sincerely held beliefs, and they must remain free from government interference, coercion, or compelled speech. HB359 undermines the core principles of religious liberty and freedom of expression by inviting the government to dictate how religious organizations operate, speak, or govern themselves. This is not only inappropriate—it is unconstitutional in spirit and dangerous in precedent. Once the state is allowed to regulate the beliefs, speech, or internal decisions of religious institutions, no faith community is truly safe from infringement. Regardless of political affiliation, this should concern anyone who values the First Amendment. Religious freedom does not exist only when it aligns with government-approved viewpoints. It exists precisely to protect beliefs and speech that are independent of — and sometimes inconvenient to — those in power. I strongly urge you to stand for constitutional rights, protect religious institutions from government intrusion, and vote NO on HB359. Sincerely, A Concerned Constituent

Please vote NO on this bill, the whole point of having my children in private/religious school is because they are different than public school, I do not agree with some of the curriculum of public school, SOL testing, I like that my children are learning about the bible and about Jesus while in school, and that their school follows and is in line with my Christian faith. Thank you.

I want to encourage the committee to vote NO on this bill. HB 359 seeks to create a broad and conflated definition for the term public funds and then uses that legally flawed definition as a pretext to place as many Virginia private schools as possible under the direct control of the Virginia Department of Education. Among the dangerous provisions in the bill are curriculum control, SOL testing requirements, VDOE control of faculty and staff, VDOE oversight of finances, VDOE control of disciplinary policies, a parent opt-out provision for religious instruction, and expanded “non-discrimination” requirements. The bill poses a serious threat to the Religious Freedoms that our churches and schools enjoy under the First Amendment and would violate the principle of Separation of Church and State. The bill also poses a potential threat to home school families.

OPPOSE HB359 it will eliminate educational choices and erode parental rights for hard working families in Virginia. it attacks private education by forcing private schools to follow public school rules or deny low-income students access to a quality private education. Additionally, it destroys curriculum freedom, faculty standards, admissions policies, religious identity, and covenantal models. Over 5,000 students living in poverty would be forced back into failing public schools. Please vote NO!

I would strongly urge you to vote NO on this bill

I am completely opposed to this bill and it needs to be voted NO on. HB359 is an overbroad and improper expansion of state authority that intrudes directly into private and faith-based education, and more importantly, into the rights of parents to direct the education of our children. This bill goes far beyond any reasonable definition of accountability and instead attempts to extend public school governance, standards and enforcement mechanisms into private institutions through coercion. The bill authorizes the Board of Education to require private schools to administer SOLS assessments, receive state accountability ratings, and comply with broad regulatory conditions simply because a family accesses limited public programs. This is not transparency--it is a regulatory capture. It allows an unelected board to exert control over curriculum, instruction and assessment in schools that are not public, not funded as public, and not accountable to the state in the same manner. The breadth of HB359 is particularly alarming. ITs language is expansive, open-ended and invites future rulemaking that would further erode private school independence. Once authority is granted, it will be expanded. That is not speculation--its is legislative reality. Most troubling, this bill treats parental rights as conditional. It tells families that we may choose private education only so long as the state ultimately dictates how that education is delivered. That directly contradicts the long-recognized principle that parents--not the government--are the primary decision-makers in their children's education. Private schools already operate under real accountability: accreditation, mission alignment, safety requirements, and parental choice. When private schools fail, families leave. Public schools do not face that consequence. If the Commonwealth is concerned about accountability, it should focus on fixing its public schools, many of which continue to struggle with learning loss, weak outcomes, and structural avoidance of accountability via loopholes. Extending a flawed public accountability system into private education will not improve outcomes--it will only reduce choice and undermine what already works. Parents often choose private education for a reason. Private schools hold students to rigorous academic standards that prepare them to succeed not just in Va., but anywhere in the country and world. Many private schools adopted phonics-based instruction and the science of reading decades before the VA literacy Act required public schools to do so, precisely because they are responsible to evidence, outcomes, and parent expectations--not political cycles. Families like mine chose private schools because they deliver results, adapt quickly, and educator the whole child. HB359 threatens to dismantle that success by forcing private schools under a system they intentionally outperformed. HB359 is unnecessary, overreaching, and harmful. If passed many will continue to leave the state as a result of this. It should be rejected in its entirety. Stay out of private education.

Please Oppose HB359 It attacks private education in Virginia, forcing private schools to follow public school rules or deny low-income students access to a quality private education. It is an atempt to elimiate education choices and parental rights to get a quality education for minority students. This bill destroys curriculum freedom, faculty standards, admissions policies, religious identity, and covenantal models. Over 5,000 students living in poverty would be forced back into failing public schools. Constitutionally, this is a clear violation of the Supremacy Clause and the First Amendment.

As a parent and constituent, I urge you to oppose House Bill 359. You and your colleagues owe the parents of your communities the freedom to choose an education for their children that is not controlled by the Virginia Department of Education. Parents who desire a VDOE-controlled education already have that option through public schools, provided at no cost to them. That choice already exists and is fully protected. Parents who choose private schools do so deliberately because they believe schools unhampered by VDOE control provide a better educational experience for their children. This is a matter of parental choice, not government oversight. Families are not seeking special treatment — they are simply asking to be left free to make the best decisions for their own children. Historically, private schools, including those not subject to VDOE certification, have demonstrated strong results in academic achievement, student behavior, and long-term college success. These schools succeed precisely because they are independent, flexible, and accountable directly to parents rather than to state bureaucracies. Virginia should be thankful for the work private schools do to educate students without placing additional burdens on state resources. Even with the availability of education savings accounts and scholarship granting organizations, every student educated in a private school represents a net savings for Virginia taxpayers. These families are contributing to the solution, not creating a problem. House Bill 359 moves Virginia in the wrong direction by limiting parental freedom and expanding unnecessary government control. I respectfully ask you to stand with parents, protect educational choice, and vote NO on HB 359.

Oppose HB359. This bill is a sinister attempt by the Virginia Education Association to destroy private education. It violates the Virginia and the US Constitution a. Free exercise of religion –HB359 imposes requirements that go far beyond fiscal accountability. The SCOTUS decision in Carson v. Makin makes clear that a state may not impose conditions that effectively force religious schools to secularize to participate. b. Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine – Constitutional law prohibits conditioning public benefits on the surrender of constitutional rights. c. Parental Rights – are you familiar with VA Code 1-240.1? The spirit of this bill clearly violates the VA code. d. Equal Protection Act – In this bill, private schools are treated more harshly than public schools. If this bill is passed, it will cost Virginia a lot of money to defend it because it will be challenged legally and Virginia will lose.

Vote NO on this bill. Public education in Virginia continues to be substandard and private schools are filling the gaps. Why force them to adopt the same standards as the failing public schools?

Please support academic freedom by voting NO on HB 359. The bill contradicts Supreme Court precedent. In the 2011 case Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, which challenged the tax credit model School Choice program on Establishment Clause grounds, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the plaintiffs lacked standing because the program was funded with private donations. Additionally, the court found that the "[r]espondents' contrary position - that Arizonans benefiting from the tax credit in effect are paying their state income tax to STO's - assumes that all income is government property, even if it has not come into the tax collector's hands. That premise finds no basis in standing jurisprudence." Some of the logic used in HB 359 appears to be based on the same faulty premise and therefore on similarly shaky legal ground. School Choice programs save the taxpayers money, rather than costing them money. According to the same Supreme Court Decision, although "It]he costs of education may be a significant portion of Arizona's annual budget,...the tax credit,by facilitating the operation of both religious and secular private schools, could relieve the burden on public schools and provide cost savings to the State."2 Furthermore, in a statement released on January 25, 2022, the federal House Committee on Education and the Workforce concluded that School Choice programs lower costs for taxpayers, based on an extensive study of many School Choice programs.3 The bill represents an effort of the state to control curricula of private schools for the first time. Virginia has a long-standing policy of separation between public and private education with regard to curricula. Standards of Learning assessments are available to public schools only. Private schools enjoy curricular autonomy. Does the state really desire a direct achievement comparison between public school and private school students by mandating SOL tests to both? Does the Virginia Department of Education have the resources to assume the responsibility of oversight of private school curricula and assessments? What will be the fiscal impact of the bill to DOE? HB 359 would establish direct DOE control of private schools for the first time in Virginia history. This policy change would do extreme harm to academic freedom in the Commonwealth. Religious protections provided in the bill are extremely weak. Although HB 359 pays lip service to maintaining the mission of religious private schools, the establishment for the first time of direct DOE oversight of religious schools renders that promise moot. All ODACS schools are integral ministries of local Independent Baptist churches. An attempt to control our schools is a serious violation of the principle of Separation of Church and State and undermines our freedom under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. In our view, it is no different from an attempt to establish VDOE control over the teachings of the local church!

VOTE YES! The base question here is if we as a Commonwealth should require accountability if an entity uses public funds/tax dollars. The answer for that is an unequivocable YES! The answer to the question posed by this bill is simple. If private, religious schools don't want to be accountable for public money then don't accept those funds. Then the school's religious freedom is perfectly preserved. Please vote YES for accountability for use of public tax dollars.

HB 359 seeks to create a broad and conflated definition for the term public funds and then uses that legally flawed definition as a pretext to place as many Virginia private schools as possible under the direct control of the Virginia Department of Education. Among the dangerous provisions in the bill are curriculum control, SOL testing requirements, VDOE control of faculty and staff, VDOE oversight of finances, VDOE control of disciplinary policies, a parent opt-out provision for religious instruction, and expanded "non-discrimination" requirements. The bill poses a serious threat to the Religious Freedoms that our churches and schools enjoy under the First Amendment and would violate the principle of Separation of Church and State.

Please vote NO on this bill. It would greatly restrict the ability for private schools to function as other viable options for parents seeking an alternative to public schools. This bill would also have a major negative impact on the freedom of religion in private schools.

HB 359 poses a serious threat to the religious freedoms that our churches and schools enjoy under the First Amendment. By allowing the state to regulate religious instruction, internal policies, and governance, this bill would violate the long-standing principle of separation of church and state. Religious schools should not be forced to surrender their beliefs, mission, or autonomy in exchange for participation in programs that merely provide families with educational options. Virginia has a long history of protecting religious liberty and parental choice. HB 359 undermines both. I respectfully ask you to stand for families, faith communities, and constitutional freedoms by voting NO on HB 359.

Please vote NO on this bill.

I vehemently oppose HB 359. It is a direct and unprecedented assault on private education and the rights of families to choose the best educational option for their own children. This bill mandates that any school enrolling even one child receiving tuition assistance must comply with the same mandates imposed on public schools. This would effectively eliminate meaningful private schooling and destroy what makes private schools private. Schools would say farewell freedom in choosing curriculum, establishing faculty standards and admissions policies, and practicing religious convictions. The consequences would be severe, forcing private schools to adopt the mandates that public schools impose and with which they largely disagree: mandatory SOL testing, eligibility and compliance mandates, admissions and non-discrimination requirements, and religious instruction restrictions. Children belong to families, not the state, and parents have the right to direct the upbringing, care, and education of their children. This bill represents an egregious infringement on those rights. The General Assembly has no budget except the one provided by the taxpayers of Virginia, including those who exercise the freedom to choose their own path in the education of their children, some with a tiny portion of those tax dollars. Educational freedom is a bedrock principle of the Commonwealth and the United States. Please vote NO on this bill.

Vote no!

NO!

Please vote no on HB359

No one has the right to tell mothers where, who, or what to teach their children. Public schools have gotten away with things that was normal right biblically. Those who have made these decisions for us need prayer. The Bible and God’s word is all we need. Let’s stand up for our rights but mostly stand for Jesus Christ, author and finisher of our faith.

Please vote NO on HB 359. HB359 seeks to create a broad and conflated definition for the term public funds and then uses that legally flawed definition as a pretext to place as many Virginia private schools as possible under the direct control of the Virginia Department of Education. Among the dangerous provisions in the bill are curriculum control, SOL testing requirements, VDOE control of faculty and staff, VDOE oversight of finances, VDOE control of disciplinary policies, a parent opt-out provision for religious instruction, and expanded "non-discrimination" requirements. The bill poses a serious threat to the Religious Freedoms that our churches and schools enjoy under the First Amendment and would violate the principle of Separation of Church and State.

Comments Document

Vote No HB359

Please vote NO for this bill! Education should be in the hands of the parents.

Please vote No on HB 359! The best interest of a child’s education should be decided upon by the parent/ guardian. Private school’s’ curriculum and funding do not need to be regulated by the DOE. Thank you for your serious consideration of this!

The bill represents an effort of the state to control curricula of private schools for the first time. Virginia has a long-standing policy of separation between public and private education with regard to curricula. Standards of Learning assessments are available to public schools only. Private schools enjoy curricular autonomy. Does the state really desire a direct achievement comparison between public school and private school students by mandating SOL tests to both? Does the Virginia Department of Education have the resources to assume the responsibility of oversight of private school curricula and assessments? What will be the fiscal impact of the bill to VDOE? HB 359 would establish direct VDOE control of private schools for the first time in Virginia history. This policy change would do extreme harm to academic freedom in the Commonwealth.

Hello please vote NO on this bill HB359. This is over reach of separation off church and state. To target private schools and homeschool groups strips parental rights and belief in what is best for their children. There are may reasons parents choose private or homeschool education and the state trying to control education is just one of many possible reasons.

Please vote NO on HB359 titled: Private elementary or secondary school; use of public funds for tuition, standards. Thank you very much.

I urge members of the House Education Committee to vote NO on HB 359. Thank you for considering my request.

I urge members of the House Education Committee to vote NO on HB 359. Thank you for considering my request.

Please vote NO on HB359 titled: Private elementary or secondary school; use of public funds for tuition, standards. Thank you very much.

Comments Document

ODACS urges members of the House Education Committee to vote NO on HB 359. A rationale for our request is attached. Thank you for considering our perspective.

I oppose this bill. Please vote no.

I respectfully ask that the legislators vote no on this bill. Private schools that receive funding through programs such as the Virginia Education Tax Credit Program have their own missions, goals, and priorities -- that may not align 100% with public schools -- but which produce diverse, extremely well-educated, and successful students ready for that next step in life. This bill would require these private schools to dedicate time, labor, and money to revise their curriculum and make other significant changes, solely to look and feel more like a public school. It is a solution in search of a problem that does not exist. Finally, many (if not all) private schools are certified by or members of organizations such as the VAIS, which reviews the school's curriculum, facilities, and governance periodically to ensure compliance. I point that out to underscore that the private schools receiving state/federal monies are not the rogue institutions that this bill seems to think they are. Again, this bill is searching for a problem to solve, and I ask that you vote no.

It's my understanding that this will hurt my children's school. I'd like to respectfully submit my opposition.

I’m against this bill, it will strip away rights from parents, and places administrative and financial burdens on private schools, the government and taxpayers.

This bill strips away parental rights and religious freedoms from the people. It also places a larger burden on private schools, administrators, government officials, and the taxpayers. Please vote NO on HB359.

I am writing this feedback as a Democrat who believes that federal and state tax dollars should be spent on public schools. I do not believe that Delegate Helmer's bill , HB359, will keep more state tax money in public schools. It has the strong likelihood of doing the opposite. If enacted, who will monitor the administration of accreditation of private schools? Surely the cost of "administering" the SOLs paid by private schools provided in the bill would not fully cover the salaries of the state employees required to keep tabs on every private school in the Commonwealth. If it were sufficient, which state agency's employees would determine how much each private school owes and would be tasked with collecting the monies? How would the Commonwealth handle the funds if a profit was to be made from private education? What is the cost of one SOL test, scoring, and correspondence worth in a private setting? This measure could put small schools out of business. For example, North Star Academy in Henrico, a school for children with special needs, many of whom have IEPs, would be greatly affected and would likely close down. Their whole model is to educate special needs children who cannot thrive in a public school environment. Surely there are many such schools in your district which take in children placed by school districts because the districts cannot provide for them. Many of these children avail themselves of equitable services. Should they opt out of those resources to conform or subject their students to the state standards they have been released from by the school districts themselves? The same goes with the Rudlin Torah Academy (RTA) in Richmond. Those children attend RTA because that education allows for many of them to pursue religious secondary education in other cities. This is an educational path made unavailable to them with a public school education. The school cannot pay the cost associated with administering SOLs given that the vast majority of children are there on scholarships provided by the school. This might shutter the only Jewish elementary educational institution in the Richmond region. Perhaps this bill is in response to the impending federal tax credits from the Trump administration and the state opt-in by Governor Youngkin on his way out the door. However, this measure fails to consider the contribution of Free and Fair Education Equitable Services and voluntary school district placement in its calculus. The bill is a highly problematic, creating increased effort from the State Education Department and placing undue and punitive burdens on small private schools catering to populations which require alternatives. Respectfully, Lizzie Drucker

Dear Members of the Virginia Legislative Committee, I am writing to express my strong support for HB 1204, which enables local governing bodies to appropriate local school funds to families for compulsory student attendance in nonpublic school settings. As a parent who has homeschooled my own children, I understand the profound impact that educational choice can have on a child’s development, and I believe this bill offers a vital opportunity for families across Virginia to access the best education for their children. HB 1204 addresses a critical need by providing financial support to families who may not otherwise have the means to choose nonpublic education options, such as private schools or homeschooling, for their children. This legislation recognizes that one-size-fits-all education does not meet the diverse needs of every student. By allowing local funds to be directed toward nonpublic settings, the bill empowers parents to make decisions that align with their children’s unique learning styles, values, and aspirations. Moreover, this bill promotes equity in education by leveling the playing field for families with limited resources. Many parents, unlike myself, lack the financial means or time to provide alternative education options as required under Code 1-240.1. HB 1204 ensures that these families are not left behind, granting them the flexibility to pursue the educational paths that best serve their children. This is not just about funding; it is about fostering an environment where every child has the chance to thrive through personalized education. Personally, homeschooling my children was a transformative experience, made possible because I had the resources and time to dedicate to their education. I tailored their learning to suit their individual needs, something many parents long to do but cannot afford. I have seen firsthand how empowering parents with choice can unlock a child’s potential, and I am deeply invested in seeing other families gain access to similar opportunities through HB 1204. This bill directly impacts my community by ensuring that neighbors and friends who struggle financially are not forced into educational systems that may not suit their children’s needs. In closing, I urge your support for HB 1204. This legislation is a significant step toward educational freedom and equity, ensuring that all Virginia families, regardless of income, can choose the best path for their children’s future. It matters deeply to me and to countless others who believe in the power of parental choice in education. Sincerely, Craig DiSesa