Comments Document

Dear House Education Committee, My name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to support HB 230 chief patroned by Delegate Coyner. I hope you will join me in support of HB 230. Thank you, Tyvon Bates American Federation of Teachers Virginia

Please vote for HB230 as a spouse of a active duty military man. I hear how hard it is get a license for each state that you move to. Sometimes you can be moving every two years. Thanks

Please ensure that students identified as dyslexic are provided for BUT please do not impose the programs recommended for them ( typically intense interventions) for all students. We have the resources to id students with dyslexia and staff trained to deliver instruction tailored to meet their needs. One size does not fit all . Choice and engagement are important factors in literacy growth for students. Many of the programs endorsed by the Science of Reading ignore what we know about the Science of Learning, Diverse options for instruction should be made available. Thank you.

The VMA supports this bill. OVERVIEW Virginia’s Total Number of Sub-Baccalaureate Occupational Credentials in Manufacturing slipped to #26 in the nation. Virginia’s Sub-Baccalaureate Occupational Credentials in Manufacturing as % of Total Credentials now ranks #36 . Smaller schools and school districts often have limited demand for specialized industry credential programs. Regardless, to close the skills gap in the workforce, Virginia must remove barriers and increase industry credential attainment (credit and non-credit). A significant barrier to address is the lack of qualified instructors. This bill is intended to remove instructor barriers by empowering shared adjunct faculty among school districts and community colleges as well as allow for differential wage rates for these instructors. RATIONALE FOR LEGISLATION • Intended to increase flexibility and number of qualified instructors in manufacturing industry credentials and other high-demand occupations • Encourages K-12 to engage adjunct faculty and share adjunct faculty among school districts and community colleges • Allows flexibility in instructor compensation design for credit and non-credit courses leading to an industry credential

To Whom It May Concern, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on HB 1034. As a public high school school teacher and parent of two young children (ages 5 and 2) in Virginia, I have serious concerns that this bill will wind up doing more harm than good for the children of our state. I have worked in two different public school systems in Virginia over 13 years, and I have seen first hand how beneficial counseling services can be to a wide variety of students. If parents are allowed to prohibit their students from accessing counseling services in the school, these students may be cut off from not only critical mental health support, but but also the academic, career, and community support that school counselors and mental health team members provide. All members of a school mental health team must undergo rigorous education before obtaining their licenses, and as such they should be trusted as the professionals they are to provide only services that they deem necessary for students well-being. I strongly urge you to let the trained mental health professionals do their jobs. Don't make students get tied in the mire of adult squibbles. Thank you, Sara Watkins Mother Teacher Concerned Virginia Citizen

To Whom It May Concern, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on HB HB1032. As a public high school school teacher and parent of two young children (ages 5 and 2) in Virginia, I have serious concerns that this bill will wind up doing more harm than good for the children of our state. As VA Senator Peterson said on January 27 of this year, regarding a similar bill, "I don't think we should be involved in micromanaging school libraries...The problem is that you’re going to sweep up books that you don’t intend to sweep up" (Matthew Barakat, abcnews.go.com). I strongly urge you to leave the books in the libraries for the kids. They deserve to have the opportunity to decide with their own parents and personal support systems what books to read. Thank you, Sara Watkins Mother Teacher Concerned Virginia Citizen

As a parent with two children in school, one with a disability, I strongly oppose this bill. This bill will do nothing more than increase the school to prison pipeline and disproportionately impact our students with disabilities. Please vote NO! Thank you.

Comments Document

Dear House Education Committee, My name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 308 chief patroned by Delegate Ransone. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 308. Thank you, Tyvon Bates American Federation of Teachers Virginia

Please report this bill as it is at least a potential way of protection for female students from assaults. Thank you for considering our young girls.

I am writing in opposition to HB 308. This bill would require principals to report to law enforcement for any incident that would constitute a misdemeanor while existing law only has that requirement for felony-level infractions. According to § 18.2-96. Petit larceny defined; how punished, stealing something of value less than $5 from another person is punishable as a class 1 misdemeanor. This would mean that if this bill passes into law, a principal would be required to report a student to law enforcement for something as small as taking their pencil. Principals already have the authority to notify law enforcement at their discretion for incidents less severe than a felony. There is no need to put a requirement on principals that would result in so many unnecessary police reports and that would lead to a steep increase in the number of minor students with police records. This bill exacerbates the school-to-prison pipeline. School should be a place where students feel safe and can learn how to be respectful and contributing members of society with the guidance of their teachers and other school staff. Unnecessary police reports is not the way to foster this learning and growth.

The passage of this bill would increase rather than decrease the school-to-prison pipeline. There is no reason to get law enforcement involved when misdemeanors are identified in public schools. Please let the school administration deal with these infractions, not involve law enforcement.

I support H308. As we found out in Loudon Co. not all principals report what they need to. Thanks

Please vote to protect our girls and young women. Vote to report HB308. Thank you for your consideration.