support this bill HB1419

Please vote for this bill.

The Virginia Education Association supports HB1419.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

Please vote No. Neurotypical kids would have difficulties easily meeting the board criteria,, let alone any child who has a disability impacting control. If it is a nonviolent disruption, that’s the opportunity to teach skills a child will need to be a productive member of society. Otherwise, things will progress and behaviors could become less safe now requiring more money and resources to ensure FAPE is given along with intense behavioral intervention or the state paying for a child to go to a specialized school. Vote No and allow all kids to have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

As the mother of two neurodiverse children and a former middle school math and science teacher, high school math teacher, and Grades 7-12 reform school Math Department Chair, this bill will only serve to stigmatize and traumatize children who are, quite simply, doing their best. It was very rare in my years of teaching that I ever encountered students with behavior so severe that they needed to be permanently removed from the setting. A reminder that I worked in a reform school and can still say that. Most especially at the elementary school level where students with Executive Functioning challenges have not yet learned impulse control, this bill seems damning. Parents often do not discover their children’s neurodivergence until upper elementary because it can earlier on be attributed to immaturity or youth. Once they discover these neurodivergencies, there’s no magic switch to be flipped. The hard work begins then. They may try therapy, occupational therapy, homeopathic methods, medication that can cause impulse control help and impulse control challenges, doctors visits, and be put on waitlists for years to get formal testing. They may attempt to get an IEP at school only to have the process blocked or begrudgingly agreed to as only a 504 plan. In the meanwhile, their children have trouble in the classroom not because they want to but because their brains work differently than their peers. Admittedly, this is really challenging for teachers. I have been in that place and have had students who, even at the high school level, have impulse control challenges. But I would never want the student permanently removed from my class. My guess is this bill was created without the input from teachers. Want to know what teachers want? They want a safe place students can go to calm down when they are dysregulated. They want full-time social workers and full-time psychologists on staff who are there to help teach these skills to the kids in the moment, even it is most teachable, when they are feeling dysregulated. They want students with special needs to receive an IEP so they can be taught these social skills, emotional regulation, skills, and life skills to help improve their classroom behavior. I would be interested in seeing the statistics behind students with behavior problems. How many have special needs? ADHD comes to mind. This three strike rule as it stands is discriminatory.

I am horrified by this bill, which essentially criminalizes children with disabilities, who are already subject to disproportionate discipline practices. Please vote NO.

This bill punishes kids for behaviors they can’t control and “others” neurodivergent children, which will result in worse outcomes for them.

This is a lovely way to kick out 3/4 of children from the school system entirely. The only time a bill like this should clear the legislature of the great state of Virginia is if another bill is passed first, to kick out every legislator- one strike and not three- that makes discretionary and arbitrary decisions which interfere with the ability for our public school system to actually educate children. It also stands to reason that we need another bill, to send the sponsors and authors of this bill right back to elementary school. Hopefully, they will behave themselves.

Support

Hi, I'm a teacher in the Virginia public schools (Arlington County) and the aunt of a neurodiverse student in Fairfax County. Please do not vote for this bill. When there is lenience in determining "disruptive behavior" and rigidness in restrictions and punishments, you aren't working with the students, teachers, and families for the best possible outcomes. Research shows that these inflexible punishments allowing for open ended definitions of "disruptive" disproportionately affect neurodiverse students and students of color. It hurts the students we are constantly trying to "help overcome an achievement gap." Instead of looking at trying to fix the students, we need to stop breaking their chances at an education by not creating harmful policies such as this. I am a teacher. I know it is sometimes hard to meet all of my students needs, particularly if one or two or a few or several have high needs. But if I don't have the training or personell to give the child the instruction or instructional environment they need and they are legally entitled to, that's because of lack of resources on the school system's part, not for a failure on the students part. That's not to say there isn't ever a need for discipline. But there has to be every effort to meet the child's needs, and work with the child and family and school to help them do well and be well. It should not be easier to just boot them out of class. That's not how Virginia educators roll. We care about educating our students. Show that you do, too, and vote against this bill. Thank you. Amy E. Langrehr 11136 Forest Edge Dr Reston VA 20190

First: HB 1461: Uniform System of Discipline for Disruptive Behavior -- Standards are important. However, please Vote NO on this bill. More work is needed to define the behaviors that are considered disruptive that would merit 3 strikes and you are out. Equally important, modify the bill to allocate resources ($ and training and staff) to ASSIST needy "disruptive" students and their families (including those with ADHD) rather than EXCLUDING them. Second: HB 1497: Fair Pay -- Please vote YES. It is an embarassment that VA teachers are so poorly compensated.

We oppose House Bill 1461, DoE to establish uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior. "Disruptive behavior" is often in the eye of the beholder, and, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, disproportionately identifies students of color and/or differently abled as disruptive, enhancing Virginia's nationally recognized infamous school-to-prison pipeline. It is illegal, as it is discriminatory. Stop this nonsense NOW.

I strongly oppose this bill. The vague notion of “disruptive” behavior leaves too much open to interpretation. Students of color and those with disabilities are very likely to be negatively impacted, as they are already targets of increased discipline. This bill will make those disciplinary inequities even worse.

House Bill 1461 would require the Virginia Department of Education to establish a uniform system for disciplining disruptive behavior in class and removing a student from the classroom. For non-violent “disruptive” behavior, the bill would implement a three strikes and you’re out policy. “Disruptive” in this bill is so broadly defined that it is unclear as to what exactly qualifies a child for removal. Each and every parent should ask themselves: “Could my K-12 child’s common behaviors be considered disruptive?” For parents of neuro-diverse children, this bill is our worst nightmare. Underlying neurodivergence, like autism or ADHD, is impulse control, or more specifically, lack-thereof. These children have trouble “self-regulating” and struggle to control their initial responses to certain situations. Any parent of a neurodiverse child can tell you, if a situation isn’t just right or if there is a change to a regular schedule or if for some reason his shirt just “doesn’t feel right,” the odds of an impulsive (read, “disruptive”) response increases. Crying, yelling, ripping paper. He acts first…thinks about consequences later. This isn’t because he doesn’t want to, it is because he isn’t able to. It takes years of practice, therapy, and patience to turn this around. But under HB 1461, he no longer has years. Before he has had a chance to calm down, a task that can take an excruciatingly long time for a kid who has to work twice as hard to overcome his own brain to do so, he’s out. And let’s be clear, “out” in this context will most likely mean “seclusion,” a practice that is traumatizing and creates worse behavior. Before he has reached the end of first grade, he’s been effectively criminalized for something he cannot control yet. Criminalized for being different. Criminalized for being a kindergartner. Parents of neurodiverse children know our kids are different. We know that we are different when we are taking our kids to expensive occupational therapy (usually not covered by insurance) to learn impulse control skills. We know they are different when we are spending hours of our day calling different pharmacies to track down medications that are in short supply. We know they are different when we are trying to navigate the byzantine 504 plan/ IEP process, sometimes begging school administrators to give our kids what they need to thrive in school. We spent nights awake worrying that despite all we do to help, if we even have the time and money to get that help, the world may still be cruel to them. With HB 1461, Delegates Wiley and Fowler are guaranteeing that our kids WILL be singled-out, punished, and excluded based on behaviors that they cannot control.. Not only does this violate the terms of their individualized education plans, but this also violates their right to Free and Appropriate Public Education.

This bill will disproportionately harm black, brown, and disabled students, all of whom are subject to disproportionate disciplinary measures already. As the mother of a neurodivergent child, who sometimes has outbursts when overwhelmed, this kind of bill terrifies me. It makes students like mine LESS and not MORE safe in school. Further it i runs contrary to up to date neuroscience about seclusion and restraint practices. PLEASE if you support thay federal law that all students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education in a least restrictive environment, you HAVE to oppose 1461. I cannot believe we are even discussing this. It’s dehumanizing. I am utterly disgusted with every politician who voted yes in the HOD and I will be heartbroken if it passes the senate. DO BETTER for disabled students.

Vote this bill down! A million times no to giving CHILDREN 3 strikes and they are out of school. It is a child’s job to be a child and that means making mistakes and learning from them. There does need to be consequences but educators should be working on this and not politicians who have proven to us repeatedly that you know nothing about children, education or empathy.

Young children especially those in elementary school and sometimes those going through puberty cannot fully control their behavior. There is a wide range of behaviors that could be considered disruptive by one teacher but not another. Students should not be subjected to a three strike policy for behaviors that are beyond their control and can be called disruptive based on the biases of individual teachers. This bill will permanently harm students who are neurodivergent or for any number of reasons not conforming to a specific teacher's standards for non disruptive behavior.

Vote NO on HB 1461. Children should not be punished or excluded from learning based on behaviors they are unable to control because of their stage of development or an undiagnosed disability.

House Bill 1461 would require the Virginia Department of Education to establish a uniform system for disciplining disruptive behavior in class and removing a student from the classroom. For non-violent “disruptive” behavior, the bill would implement a three strikes and you’re out policy. “Disruptive” in this bill is so broadly defined that it is unclear as to what exactly qualifies a child for removal. Each and every parent should ask themselves: “Could my K-12 child’s common behaviors be considered disruptive?” Please vote NO on HB1461 With HB 1461, Delegates Wiley and Fowler are guaranteeing that our kids WILL be singled-out, punished, and excluded based on behaviors that they cannot control.. Not only does this violate the terms of their individualized education plans, but this also violates their right to Free and Appropriate Public Education. Please vote NO on HB1461 Thank you, Stair Calhoun Fairfax

For non-violent “disruptive” behavior, the bill would implement a three strikes and you’re out policy. “Disruptive” in this bill is so broadly defined that it is unclear as to what exactly qualifies a child for removal. It is open to interpretation and everyone has their own idea of what is too much. This will impact neuro diverse and black adn brown children to the greatest extent. Public school is for all children. Teachers should receive more training, or there should be resources devoted to situations where a child is being disruptive. No child should be "out" for non-violent behavior. Each and every parent should ask themselves: “Could my K-12 child’s common behaviors be considered disruptive?”

Say NO to HB1461! As a parent of a child with ADHD, who already hates going to school because it takes every once of his being to regulate himself during the day, this bill will make it so he has no chance to succeed. These kids are not being disruptive just to be disruptive. Every kid is different and learns differently. We should be supporting an inclusive learning environment - not going back to the days of the 40s and 50s where discipline with a ruler and force was acceptable. It's clear the writers of this bill either don't have kids or don't have kids that would be adversely impacted by this bill. Shame on you for introducing this bill.

I OPPOSE HB1461. As a mom to a son with Autism, ADHD and other issues this scares me. Each child is different and they are not cookie cutters. We need more mental health care in schools NOT this. Please vote no on HB1461/

VOTE NO to HB 1431 Our kids are not "standard;" therefore, you cannot standardize a procedure to deal with discipline, especially when there is clear evidence that discipline standardization will not prevent disruptive behavior, but may push kids who have impulse control issues out of the classroom. Those of us whose children have ADHD know that surprising things can trigger an outburst, and expecting a child whose anxiety has been triggered to "calm down" is about as possible as avoiding an obstacle when you are slipping on ice--it is out of their control and they need space and time to calm down. They also need to learn coping skills over their lifetime of education in public schools, not a three strikes and you are out disciplinary action which will result in increased punishment and exclusion, with no reduction in "disruptive behaviors." It is also clear that some groups will ALWAYS be targeted for discipline no matter their behavior due to race, ethnicity, religion. gender, gender identity, disability, or language. Do not criminalize our kids. Offer them opportunities to learn in a safe environment with well-trained teachers who can support their needs.

As the parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD in second grade in Fairfax County, I write to express my strong opposition to this legislation. At 8 years old, my son comes home each day knowing he is different than the other kids in class. He tries as hard as he can to fit in because he desperately wants to make friends and thrive in his classroom. And I love how inclusive, accepting, and supportive his elementary school is to make that happen. HB 1461 would create uniform standards for discipline of students that includes removal of children from the classroom for "disruptive" behavior. This bill would penalizes students like my son simply for being themselves and trying to fit into a general education classroom. My son is incredibly intelligent and is a so-called "twice-exceptional learner"; a student with neurodevelopment disorders and a high IQ. He needs intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to learn the social communication and emotional regulation skills that are challenging for him. The best place to receive that is in a general education setting. HB 1461 would make it easy to exclude him for being "disruptive", a subjective issue that could be as minor as blurting out answers at inappropriate times or making vocalizing "self-stimulating" noises, a harmless common aspect of autism. Children like my son are not the problem in a classroom. They have just as much right to receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment as any other child. This bill would circumvent the legal rights of numerous students and make it easier to discriminate against them rather than to help them. I see that the bill now has a section to create a stakeholder work group on the issue of students with disabilities. That is an unacceptable fig leaf that gives cold comfort to parents like me. The bill would be binding law; the stakeholder work group would be an ex post facto advisory effort with no authority. Rather than punishing students, it would be far more productive to engage students, parents, and teachers about what classrooms need to be successful. Removing students is not the solution; appropriately resourcing and supporting teachers to meet all students' needs is. I strongly oppose this proposal, and urge all Delegates to reject it and protect the rights of students with disabilities like my son.

We appreciate Del. Wiley's desire to support teachers being challenged by disruptive student behavior. VCASE is very concerned still with the substitute that still only focuses on student removal and ignores root causes of behavior and the many prevention strategies that could be employed. We must keep minority students with disabilities out of the class and school removal pipeline, where they are disproportionately punished with removal.

The bill, as presented, shows that its Parton and co-patrons showed no care or even considered the impacts that this will have on students of color and disabilities. Virginia has experienced this "three-strike" rule era. I myself am a product of this; I can tell you from experience that this will have a disparate impact on students of color and students with disabilities with no plan to ensure these students do not fall behind or have a reduced education experience. A bill of this nature must have detailed instructions to the administration, and, frankly, should have a JLARC or other committee study on this matter. This is our commonwealth's most important investment, and our work for our students will impact them throughout the rest of their lives. Additionally, this administration has proved to themselves that they are unwilling and incapable of providing equity within our school system. Virginia remains one of the top 10 states for education in the nation because of our values in equity and social and emotional learning. This bill will further the administration's damage to education and its mission of creating a toxic public K-12 system to push its agenda of private, unregulated school choice programs. Within itself has issues of fair and appropriate education. I urge the committee to pass indefinitely/vote down

As a taxpayer and voter, former school board attorney, and former special educator, I oppose this bill on a number of grounds. The proposal for uniform statewide criteria that require the classroom teacher to perform summary removal of a student who might be regarded as violent, or to perform removal of a student based on three instances of disruptive behavior, is misguided and not based on research-based data. Nor does it advance proper educational objectives or provide for the well-being of the school community. First, Virginia is a commonwealth. The local school board has the legal authority to determine what policies and regulations are to be in effect in its school division, including those to be be followed in its code of student conduct. Model policies and procedures are available from the VSBA, which leaves the discretion to the school boards. Mandates from legislators and bureaucrats in Richmond are not appropriate. Consider this: that it is for the local school division to determine, in consultation with its residents, and its community of families, agencies, and congregations, whether and how it is prepared to meet the needs of the disruptive student once the student has been removed from the program of education that the student is entitled to. There is a greater context within which these decisions must be made, beyond classroom management concerns or available staffing levels on any given day. Consider also: that even the classroom teacher who would be required by this bill to remove the student is not fully protected. The teacher is called upon to make a decision in the heat of the moment, which may later be second-guessed in the calm comforts of a courtroom where a judge or jury decides whether or not the teacher's actions or methods were reasonable. What if the teacher does not remove a student before the violent student causes harm to another student -- is the teacher liable for that? And the teacher's actions may or may not be in compliance with the federal laws based upon protection from discrimination based upon racial or disability or gender equality, which is another potential liability faced by the teacher and the school division under this bill. In conclusion, as legislators, you should steer clear of this bill, and instead focus on providing better supports and training for building administrators and teachers in our public schools who are faced with these situations. Legislators and the VDOE should be funding and making available training and staffing levels that will better address solutions for violence and disruptions in our classrooms, as well as in our school buildings and on our school buses.

Comments Document

Please see attached PDF that outlines why the VA NAACP Education Committee's opposes HB 1461.

I am reaching out today to urge you to OPPOSE HB 1461 on the grounds that it will put our Students with Disabilities and Students of Color at EXTREME Risk. Please take this opportunity to help expand and improve " Keeping All Students Safe Act". When you are sending kids out of the classroom that is considered seclusion and it is now taking us back and not forward. Our family experienced this first hand in 1st grade. I had to hire advocates who knew the laws to get child's needs met at school. A child can't learn if he doesn't feel safe and supported by professionals. Let's provide more education and training to support our Neurodiversity population. They are not broken and do not need to be fixed. They need to accepted and supported! HIS NEEDS WERE NOT BEING MET EMOTIONALLY/SOCIALLY AND HE WAS NOT SAFE! (Fairfax County Schools). Teachers have enough on their plate and should feel safe in a classroom, but not at the expense of children who are helpless and who do not have their needs met by school administrators/ districts! TOP DOWN IS WHERE WE NEED A CHANGE! If families do not have the resources to educate themselves and advocate for their children what happens to them and their future? I have included some resources that explain why we need to STOP this now and get our children/Teachers more support from top down! We know better and should do better!! https://livesinthebalance.org/ " When Kids get secluded they get lost" https://livesinthebalance.org/advocacy/public-awareness/ https://www.nassp.org/top-issues-in-education/position-statements/school-discipline/ Some of these district-level factors include “whether or not schools’ discipline disparities are remedied, conducting careful selection and training of principals, providing support for teacher and leadership training, initiating changes to the school discipline code of conduct, and providing the specific behavioral supports and services that students with disabilities need” (Losen, et al, 2015). https://www.illuminateed.com/blog/2021/02/disproportionality/ According to the American Psychological Association, “exclusionary discipline encompasses any type of school disciplinary action that removes or excludes a student from his or her usual educational setting” (American Psychological Association Services). Several studies (Girvan, E. J. et al, 2017; Monahan K.C. et al, 2014; Welch, K. et al, 2014), including research done by the United States Government Accountability Office, illustrate students of color, boys, and students with disabilities most often experience significant punitive actions such as suspensions and expulsions when compared with their peers. This trend was found across all school types regardless of factors such as overall school poverty and grade level (United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Requesters, 2018). There is a well-documented link between exclusionary discipline and an increased likelihood to drop out, exhibit delinquent and potentially criminal behavior, and spend time in the corrections system (Balfanz, R. et al, 2014; Monahan K.C. et al, 2014). Research indicates a strong correlation between exclusionary discipline practices and overall academic failure, but many educators cite in-the-moment escalation as the determining factor in selecting a consequence. This leaves little room for more objectively weighing the benefits and drawbacks of disciplinary actions.

Comments Document

HB 1461 oppose see attachment Hb1497 support Hb1507 oppose Hb1731 support HB 1967 support Hb1980 Support Hb1982 support

Please vote NO to VA HB 1461. The bill will have a devastating impact on Black students, students with disabilities, and low-income students, who are many times more likely to be disciplined in school for the same behaviors exhibited by White students. The bill includes vague language and little specific detail regarding what constitutes “violent” and “disruptive” behavior, and frightening requirements that teachers exclude children from the classroom based on these broad assessments. Also troubling was the addition of wording around “hairstyle” as an item for which a child might be excluded from school. Black students across the nation are disciplined for wearing natural hairstyles like dreadlocks and braids. Including this language in the definitions is a dangerous red flag in already dangerous terrain. Research shows that White teachers tend to view Black students as angrier and more aggressive, and to discipline them more harshly and more often than White students. In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) we have a 60% minority population and an 84% White teaching force. Research on discipline disparities and race, and the data for FCPS, which show Black students and students with disabilities disciplined 3-4 times more often than White students, suggest that the proposed HB1461 will have catastrophic impacts on our students. Additionally, we are concerned that this bill prohibits systems from holding teachers accountable for their behaviors toward children if those behaviors, regardless of their nature, are deemed to be “reasonable.” Teacher stress is high; class sizes are growing as staffing shortages increase; students report unhealthy levels of mental/emotional strain. All this, combined with existing biases in discipline for students of color and special education students, requires greater care and accountability of disciplinary actions, not less. Teachers need training and support to assure they are meeting students' needs, while maintaining safe and supportive classrooms. Demanding that teachers institute developmentally inappropriate, pedagogically unsound, and categorically unsuccessful 3-strikes policies does not make classrooms safer or better, but it will almost certainly feed the school-to-prison pipeline and deny countless Black and brown children, boys, and students with disabilities the benefits of a good education. As a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia and a parent of a child who has experienced trauma and we need to do better!

My name is Chris Jones, and I represent VASCD. Thank you for allowing me to submit written comments on HB 1461. We oppose this bell because we believe the impact of a universal, one-size-fits-all approach to disruptive behavior would be detrimental to student success, particularly because it would not account for student differences and the circumstances some of our children face. Furthermore, a three-strikes rule would lead to more exclusionary practices, which would exacerbate the learning gaps we see not only with academics but with social and behavioral outcomes as well. Instead, our focus should remain on empowering and trusting our teachers and school leaders to work with families and students, and our energy should shift to providing them the necessary resources and supports needed. We prefer to see student codes of conduct left to the localities for school boards and divisions to work with their communities to identify specific issues and send appropriate resources and supports to better serve our teachers, school leaders, families, and ultimately Virginia's students.

As a mother to a neurodiverse child, this bill would be detrimental to his success in a public school setting by streamlining non-violent offense response. This should be handled at the local school level with the administration and the parents. This is not something that should be streamlined. Kids do not all fit in the same box and there is not a “one magic solution” for all kids and all situations.

My name is Nicole Miller, chapter operations manager for the Autism Society Tidewater Virginia. We strongly opposed HB 1461. Please VOTE NO on HB1461. This bill requires the Department of Education to create a uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior in schools. Exemptions for disabled students won’t protect those who are not yet diagnosed with a developmental disability. Local school districts should control how they manage students and no one-systemic approach can anticipate the needs of all children. This bill is important to me because my son has Autism Spectrum Disorder level 2, borderline cognitive functioning, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. My son's IEP team has come together when any behavioral challenge came up, and even before he had an IEP, we always came together and found an individualized and adaptive solution that worked for my student, his classmates, and teacher. This bill would eliminate push for collaborative planning and problem solving within the school and home network. Please do not limit options for our administrators, teachers, families, and most importantly our students. Thank you!

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

This bill would be to the detriment of many of our marginalized and disabled students. Please do not allow this bill to stand and subject further harm, within public schools, to the already most vulnerable.

This Bill will cause harm to the children and families in Virginia. Black and Brown children are already singled out in school . We are working on reducing inequality. Do not create more policies that will cause harm to Virginia families. Challenging behaviors should be addressed by mental health professionals not educators. Please vote NO to this bill. Virginia's Black and Brown youth and families deserve better.

The Fairfax County NAACP urges you to vote NO to HB 1461. The bill will have a devastating impact on Black students, students with disabilities, and low income students, who are many times more likely to be disciplined in school for the same behaviors exhibited by White students. The bill includes vague language and little specific detail regarding what constitutes “violent” and “disruptive” behavior, and frightening requirements that teachers exclude children from the classroom based on these broad assessments. Also troubling was the addition of wording around “hairstyle” as an item for which a child might be excluded from school. Black students across the nation are disciplined for wearing natural hairstyles like dreadlocks and braids. Including this language in the definitions is a dangerous red flag in already dangerous terrain. Research shows that White teachers tend to view Black students as angrier and more aggressive, and to discipline them more harshly and more often than White students. In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) we have a 60% minority population and an 84% White teaching force. Research on discipline disparities and race, and the data for FCPS which show Black students and students with disabilities disciplined 3-4 times more often than White students, suggest that the proposed HB1461 will have catastrophic impacts on our students. Additionally, we are concerned that this bill prohibits systems from holding teachers accountable for their behaviors toward children if those behaviors, regardless of their nature, are deemed to be “reasonable.” Teacher stress is high; class sizes are growing as staffing shortages increase; students report unhealthy levels of mental/emotional strain. All this, combined with existing biases in discipline for students of color and special education students, requires greater care and accountability of disciplinary actions, not less. Teachers need training and support to assure they are meeting students' needs, while maintaining safe and supportive classrooms. Demanding that teachers institute developmentally inappropriate, pedagogically unsound, and categorically unsuccessful 3-strikes policies does not make classrooms safer or better, but it will almost certainly feed the school-to-prison pipeline and deny countless Black and brown children, boys, and students with disabilities the benefits of a good education. We at the Fairfax County NAACP urge you to vote against HB 1461 and we welcome the opportunity to work together to bring outstanding educational opportunities in supportive, nurturing and successful classrooms to every child in Virginia. Sujatha Hampton, Ph.D. 2nd VP/Education Chair Fairfax County NAACP Michelle Leete, President Fairfax County NAACP

The proposed VA HB 1461 is unequivocally ableist and racist. It will disproportionately affect students with disabilities, students of color, male students and students who have experienced trauma. The bill will put Autistic students, those with ADHD, those with communication disorders and others developmental disabilities at great risk. It is well established by multiple studies that students with disabilities, male students and students of color are all disproportionately disciplined by schools. In August 2022, the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights published a report illustrating these disparities. This disproportionate impact is seen across the US and VA. In FCPS students with disabilities and Black students are 3-4 times more likely to be disciplined than their peers. The language of the bill is so vague and subjective as to allow school staff an extremely wide berth in defining both violent and non-violent “disruptive” behavior. This subjectivity will result in inconsistent implementation of this law. Ambiguous wording can be interpreted by adults to justify abusive treatment of complex students with neurological differences and communication disabilities. The law itself flies in the face of expected and healthy child development. It is developmentally appropriate for younger children not to know or understand social rules and developmentally appropriate for tweens teens to rebel against those rules. Part of learning (and schooling) is to teach students expected social behavior and to help students manage and navigate conflict and difficult periods of development. If we immediately punish students harshly and without nuance or exception for expected biological behavior we are literally creating a law that punishes them for behaving appropriately as children. The following quotes illustrate these points: “Abstract reasoning and adolescent rebellion are typical types of adolescent behavior... they are a normal part of psychosocial development.” (“Adolescent Development," from Youth.gov) “...children who are unable to express themselves well may be more likely to have aggressive behavior or temper tantrums.” (“School-age Children Development: Well Child ages 6-12” from Mountsinai.org) “Kids with  ADHD have a hard time controlling their impulses and tend to grab things ... They also find it hard to wait their turn and frequently interrupt others. ...When these struggles cause disruptive behavior, it’s often misunderstood as defiance. If your child mostly acts out in school, they could have an undiagnosed learning disorder. They might lash out or refuse to follow directions because they’re frustrated by schoolwork. Or they might be trying to hide their struggles by getting teachers to focus on their behavior instead.” (“Disruptive Behavior: Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed - Tantrums and defiance may mask issues that aren't apparent to teachers and parents” from Childmind.org) Finally, the “3-Strikes” VA HB 1461 is modeled on 3-Strikes crime bills which have been proven to be ineffective in preventing crime and deterring criminals. Our schools need to be safe, and our staff supported, but this bill is actually endangering to children and adults in schools. To endorse this law would do immeasurable damage to our most at-risk students. Sincerely, Diane Cooper-Gould Special Education Advocate

We write to you to share our very strong opposition to Virginia House Bill 1461 - which would require the VA Department of Education to establish a uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior. Fairfax County SEPTA opposes this bill due to the many results that will occur if it is enacted: Disproportionate class removals for students with disabilities and for Black students, as well as the intersectionality of these two populations Increased learning loss for these students as they are denied access to education Increased school-to-prison pipeline numbers This bill will mandate class removals for subjective interpretations of behavior without addressing the underlying reason for the behavior (and, therefore, not addressing how to change the behavior). It will disproportionately affect students with disabilities and Black students. We strongly oppose this legislation. Education for students with disabilities is federally mandated to be individualized. Every student is unique in their strengths and needs, and every disruptive “behavior” situation has a unique cause. Following best practices,such as Collaborative and Proactive Solutions or Positive Behavioral Interventions, staff do not respond to every disruptive situation in an identical manner. This bill would mandate uniform responses that therefore would not address individual students’ needs nor best practice responses. Per a 2022 report by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, “Students with disabilities are subject to inequitable discipline” and “Black students with disabilities have the highest disproportionality in exclusionary discipline and are more likely to be punished for subjective offenses, like ‘disorderly conduct’.” These student populations already are disproportionately suspended when compared to white and non-disabled peers. Additionally, per this report, Virginia has one of the highest disproportionality rates in the country for referrals to law enforcement. Fairfax County SEPTA (Special Education PTA) represents the over 30,000 FCPS students receiving special education services, the staff and families who support them. Each of these students is an individual, with their own unique story. We are not just numbers on a page.


The proposed VA HB 1461 is unequivocally ableist and racist.  It will disproportionately affect students with disabilities, students of color, male students and students who have experienced trauma.  The bill will put neurodivergent students at great risk including Autistic students, those with ADHD, those with communication disorders and others with various specific learning and developmental disabilities.  

 In August 2022, the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights published a report showing students with disabilities, males and Black students are disproportionately disciplined by schools. In Fairfax County, students with disabilities and Black students are 3-4 times more likely to be disciplined than those without disabilities.  

It may seem “reasonable” on the surface that “violent” disruptive behavior would cause a child to be removed from the classroom, however behaviors as mild as ripping papers, shouting, or throwing a toy have all been deemed “violent” by school staff. The language of the bill is so vague and subjective as to allow school staff an extremely wide berth in defining both violent and non-violent “disruptive” behavior. This subjectivity will result in inconsistent implementation of this law. The law itself flies in the face of expected and healthy child development.  Children are EXPECTED to be somewhat disruptive.  It is developmentally appropriate for children not to know or understand social rules during early development, and developmentally appropriate for tweens and older teens to rebel against those rules. Part of learning (and schooling) is to teach students expected social behavior and to help students manage and navigate conflict and difficult periods of development.   If we punish students harshly and without nuance for expected biological behavior we are creating a law that punishes them for being human and behaving appropriately as children.   The following quotes help to illustrate these points: 


 1. “Abstract reasoning and adolescent rebellion are typical types of adolescent behavior. .. they are a normal part of psychosocial development. ”  (“Adolescent Development," from Youth.gov)


 2. “... children who are unable to express themselves well may be more likely to have aggressive behavior or temper tantrums.” (“School-age Children Development: Well Child ages 6-12” from Mountsinai.org)


 3. “Kids with  ADHD have a hard time controlling their impulses and tend to grab things ..They also find it hard to wait their turn and frequently interrupt others. Plus, they have a hard time focusing ...When these struggles cause disruptive behavior, it’s often misunderstood as defiance...
If your child mostly acts out in school, they could have an undiagnosed learning disorder. ” (“Disruptive Behavior: Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed - Tantrums and defiance may mask issues that aren't apparent to teachers and parents” from Childmind.org)  Finally, the “3-Strikes” VA HB 1461 is modeled on 3-Strikes crime bills which have been proven to be ineffective in preventing crime and deterring criminals.  In fact, according to the ACLU, 3-Strikes laws may actually increase the likelihood of violence against those in authority.   Diane Cooper-Gould Advocacy Co-Chair, Past President and Co-Founder Fairfax County Special Education PTA Special Education Advocate

Teachers and parents need clear guidance as to how disruptive students are addressed. Teachers have enough to deal with considering the huge class sizes, wide range of learning loss, and behavioral issues. Public school leadership must adequately address this issue and not put this on the shoulders of teachers - who are already stretched too thin. BTW, I support having Resource Officers and metal detectors in all schools. Schools should be as secure as Federal Buildings and politicians' offices.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

I strongly oppose the Virginia Board of Education supplying pornography to any school system in the state. Those individuals including county, school, superintendents, librarians, school administrator and teachers.must know they are breaking VA State code(s) on the distribution of child pornography . Clearly, it ‘ is against the law, and they must resign and face criminal prosecution.

SUPPORT

HB 1448 - We need model policies. HB1461 - Equitable: all treated the same. HB 1475 - Parents pay for public schools, kids should get the benefit even if homeschooled, no taxation without representation type of idea. HB1657 - Very workable. HB1903 - Local schools have materials split by schools. Have 3 kids in different schools, parents work, this is impossible to keep up with. This will make things easier for parents.

I am absolutely opposed to HB1461, which would infringe on local control of school boards to adopt their own policies. Disciplinary guidelines should be drafted and implemented by experts and teachers, not politicians in Richmond.

As a tax payer, I support this bill. Uniform disciplinary standards for students in public ensures all students are treated equally throughout the state. Standards should be set so as to deter such behavior and eliminate such distractions from the classroom. Such actions take away from valuable learning time in the classroom. Teachers and staff should not have to tolerate behaviors that are tolerated at home. They don't get paid enough for that.

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

This practice already exists in fairfax county public schools. Or at least it did when I was a student there. It was a disaster. It was discriminatory. Students started seeing me as an easy bully target because of it. I nearly took my own life. We don’t need to pour gasoline on the fire. Please stop this bill now!

• Disruptive behaviors are most often stress responses, that is, they are behaviors that occur in response to a triggering of the brain’s unconscious “threat detection” center. Strss behaviors are not choices, they are not intentional misbehavior. The solution needs to occur before the threat detection center is triggered. • Behavior is a signal. When a child persistently engages in distressed behavior, the adults aren’t understanding the signal. What we should be saying to children exhibiting distress isn’t, “GET OUT”, but rather “What’s wrong?” And “how can we make your pain stop?” • Removing students from classes is purely punitive; it is not corrective or preventative. It may quiet the classroom temporarily, but it increases the stress level of the class. It deprives the struggling child from the opportunity to learn and from the support of the school community. Punishment is not the answer. Increasing the “felt safety” of each child is the answer. This occurs through warm, compassionate relationships. • Three strikes policies fail to support struggling students, they do not address root causes and they do not serve as a deterrent for children in classrooms. Years of experience in the criminal justice system have demonstrated the ineffectiveness of such policies. • This bill is counter to the Governor’s proposal to increase mental health support for students. • Students with disabilities and neurodifferences including ADHD, autism, mental health challenges, and trauma are the most vulnerable, the most likely to have heightened sensitivity of their brains’ threat detection center, and thus the most likely to be negatively impacted by such a law. Exemptions for disabled students won’t protect those who are not yet diagnosed. Since Black children are diagnosed, on average, 3 years later than white children, this would disproportionately impact Black children. Disabilities and known diagnoses are not the only factors that result in high stress and subsequent stress responses. Non disability related factors include poverty, domestic violence, sexual abuse, parents divorcing, and the death of parent/sibling/grandparent. • We know these things now in 2023. We don’t have to resort to drastic strategies that do not work. There are a variety of successful approaches that (1) recognize the signs of stress and reframe the behavior of the child, (2) recognize the source(s) of the stress (3), reduce the stress, (4) help the student learn what it feels like to experience calm, and (5) help the child restore energy – restore their body’s homeostatic processes, so they are able to access the cognitive part of their brain.

Please VOTE NO on HB1461. This bill requires the Department of Education to create a uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior in schools. Exemptions for disabled students won’t protect those who are not yet diagnosed. Local school districts should control how they manage students and no one-systemic approach can anticipate the needs of all children. This bill revisits the criminalization of behavior that Virginia was beginning to turn away from. Please Vote No on HB1461.

This is a bill that should be a no brainer. Kids who are homeschooled should have the opportunity to play high school sports. Why deny them this access? The parents of homeschoolers pay county taxes which funds the public school system, by not allowing participation it's unequal treatment. All kids, homeschooled or public schooled will benefit from this bill being passed.

Hi. My name is Jenifer Messer. I am the mother of the 12 year old with Tourette Syndrome whom just left a comment. We were both signed up to speak today but apparently are no longer allowed to. My daughter is currently in 7th grade public school. Like I said, she has Tourette Syndrome. The past school years have been awful for her for the most part. Most people do not understand TS and have no clue how to respectly deal with a child who has it. My daughter is an A & B student, excels in theatre and track & field. She's tries to hide her tics at school but it's getting harder and harder. She has a 504 plan but some of the teachers and staff still punish her for things she can't control so we are now looking at other options for her schooling for 8th - 12th. Being homeschooled via a Virginia University online homeschool program is an option but Virginia doesn't have HB1475 (the Tim Tebow Bill) in place like 31 other states. This is unfortunate because kids like my daughter deserve the right and may need to be homeschooled but will get left out of sports. She needs to run track and field for her mental health. It's a break from Tourette Syndrome. Because she gets left out at school and bullied, her mental health suffers. Please pass this bill and say YES to my daughter being able to be homeschooled and play sports. She deserves this right. If this bill is Not passed, we will most likely leave the Commonwealth and go to Tennessee where she has this option. This is not a red or blue issue. It's a child's mental health issue. VOTE YES for my daughter and others like her. My daughter hopes to get a scholarship to run track in college. She needs this bill to be passed and I know Tim Tebow would approve because he is a champion for kids with disabilities and a champion for homeschooled kids playing sports.

Hi. My name is Laken Thompson and I'm 12 years old. I have Tourette Syndrome and currently attend Auburn Middle School in Montgomery County. I signed up to speak but apparently we aren't allowed to anymore so I'm writing. This bill is very important to me. I run track & field and excel at it, meaning I win. I'm a sprinter and jumper. I plan to leave AMS at the end of the school year because the past 2 years have been terrible. I get bullied and have lost many friends due to my tics. I just feel like my school does not understand my disorder even though I have a 504 plan. My family and I are now looking at other schooling options like homeschooling. Passing the Tim Tebow Bill would allow me to homeschool and still run track. My Tourette Syndrome goes away while I run. So I jerk, scream or do the other tics. Running is freedom for me. Track is incredibly important to me. I hope to get a scholarship for college to run at Liberty University. My tics are currently bad and I deserve the right to be homeschooled if needed but I can't imagine not being able to run track. My question to the Delegates...Why wouldn't you want to help kids like me who need to be homeschooled but want to also play competitive sports? Whether Democrat or Republican, WHY would you say no to this bill? Please think of me and vote YES to the Tim Tebow Bill. I deserve the right to do schooling in a manner I need and to also play sports.

My name is Mike Trost and I live in Loudoun County. So far the excuses I have heard for excluding homeschooled athletes from participating in interscholastic sports programs are pathetic. The idea that public school athletes are held to higher academic standards than homeschooled ones is not only an unproven claim but a false one. As we know, public schools have a long history of padding the grades of athletes so that they could still compete, and we've seen over recent years how academic standards and grading standards have been significantly lowered in the public schools. And yet the Virginia High School League is telling parents that they can't trust them to hold their children to the same academic standards as the public schools do. It's outrageous on its face. Do the right thing--stop excluding homeschooled athletes from competing with their public school peers. Their parents pay local and state taxes that go straight into the public schools' coffers, and yet their children can't even participate in the sports programs that they are helping to fund.

As a public school student in the State of Virginia, I firmly support this bill. Homeschooled students deserve the same opportunities as those in public school, especially VHSL Sports & Academics. Most homeschooled students don't have a choice to go to public school, mainly because their parents won't let them. This bill will allow for students and parents to reach a middle ground and allow the parent to keep their child home, and allow the student to be just like other high schoolers. I applaud Delegate March for introducing this bill and encourage all members of the House K-12 Subcommittee, Education Committee, and full Floor to support this bill.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

I strongly oppose the Virginia Board of Education supplying pornography to any school system in the state. Those individuals including county, school, superintendents, librarians, school administrator and teachers.must know they are breaking VA State code(s) on the distribution of child pornography . Clearly, it ‘ is against the law, and they must resign and face criminal prosecution.

Please give this bill full consideration. Children who are home-schooled deserve an opportunity to participate in interscholastic programs.

Comments Document

HB1475- While we would love to see homeschool students participate in activities, Career & Technical Student Organizations, such as SkillsUSA and the Technology Student Association, require specialized training not necessarily available through homeschool instruction. HB 1508- Education Success Accounts seem to take funding from public schools. Comprehensive schools around the state provide students access to career and technical instruction not available through home school means. HB 1695- Students absolutely need the extra support to access career pathways however the language should be inclusive enough to allow for flexibility of position title. As a current district-level work-based learning specialist, the manpower need is great but the positions will look different across districts and possibly even schools as a result of student career interest and labor market data. I have attached the Virginia ACTE Advocacy card for more information on ways to support Career & Technical Education.

HB 1448 - We need model policies. HB1461 - Equitable: all treated the same. HB 1475 - Parents pay for public schools, kids should get the benefit even if homeschooled, no taxation without representation type of idea. HB1657 - Very workable. HB1903 - Local schools have materials split by schools. Have 3 kids in different schools, parents work, this is impossible to keep up with. This will make things easier for parents.

I oppose HB1475. This bill comes along every year and every year it is rejected for the same reasons: it is unfair to make students who attend public school every day to have to compete against students who don't.

Homeschooled students should be allowed to participate in public school activities provided they meet reasonable criteria. Taxpayer dollars fund public schools whether we have children attending school or not. If we are promoting inclusion, this is one step towards that goal.

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

Comments Document

HB 1461 oppose see attachment Hb1497 support Hb1507 oppose Hb1731 support HB 1967 support Hb1980 Support Hb1982 support

Middle Resolution supports this bill.

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Please vote in favor of this bill. I know most parents of children are in favor of this. We brought children into this world to be raised by their parents. Thank you. Debbie Vreeland

I support HB1507, and would like to add that parents should be able to receive not only attorney costs refunded, but damages also. Many people, however cannot afford attorneys to fight the endless funds the School Boards seem to always have, with lawyers at their disposal using taxpayer funds against parents and/or students. This is not equality nor equity.

Chair Coyner and members of the Education Subcommittee Early Childhood Innovation: My name is Alex Nester and I’m the political director of PDE Action. We are a nonpartisan organization working to reclaim schools from divisive political activism through policy reform. Parental rights in public education is one of our top issues, and we believe it should be a bipartisan one. And so, I am here to share my support for House Bill 1507. If the recent National Merit Scholarship story doesn't speak to the importance of legislation like House Bill 1507, then I don't know what does. Fairfax and Loudoun County decided to not tell students or parents about National Merit Scholarship Commended Student status. It is clear now that this was no clerical error, but yet another example of school officials thinking they knew what’s best for children. And yet again, they could not have made a worse decision. House Bill 1507 is aligned with Virginia's parental rights law: “A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.” The bill would ensure that school districts are creating policies that codify and support that very simple, yet vital, statute. There are countless incidents in addition to the one noted above that speak to the necessity of House Bill 1507. For example, past model guidance for transgender students explicitly stated that schools should not be required to notify parents if a child decides to identify as the opposite sex at school. Fairfax County, Harrisonburg, Loudoun County, and other districts have adopted policies that say parents may not need to be notified if their child decides to adopt another gender identity at school. These are troubling policies, which essentially mean young people will be living a double life . This will create increased mental health issues as students struggle with keeping secrets from their parents. In the end, it is the parents, the families, that will support these young people well into adulthood--not the teachers or school administrators. Barring all judgment on modern concepts on sex, gender and gender identity, it is unconscionable that Virginia public schools have adopted policies that explicitly seek to exclude parents from these conversations. Schools have shown time and time again that they are incapable of making the right decisions for a child’s wellbeing. Yet, schools tell us that parents can’t be trusted. Parents play a lifelong role in raising their children. Teachers, administrators and counselors come and go. They do not cheer children on like their parents. They do not have a lifetime commitment to our children. Parents love unconditionally. Parents were the first to sound the alarm bells about the harmful effects that months or year-long school closures had on their children’s academic performance and mental health. But experts, teachers union top brass, and corporate media drowned them out and demanded that schools remain closed in the name of safety, long after we knew that Covid-19 did not impact children in the same way it affected the elderly. In some northern Virginia districts, those school closures lasted more than a year. Virginia parents deserve to be in the drivers’ seat when it comes to the education and upbringing of their children. House Bill 1507 is a vital piece to this puzzle. I proudly support House Bill 1507.

You do not get to choose any part in raising my children. Hands off!! We've had enough!

I write to support HB 1507. Both the U.S. Constitution and the Commonwealth of Virginia Constitution clearly support parental rights. It is time the local School Boards and all Virginia educational policies support those rights of parents by providing complete transparency and making available to parents all curricular, counseling, and policy changes that are implemented. It is this lack transparency that has led to the confusion and obfuscation of parental access and caused much of the confusion and distrust on the part of parents. This clearly written bill will end this problem. Please pass HB 1507.

I support this bill 100% and this bill is detrimental to insuring parental rights will not be trampled upon any more and that the parent and only the parent will parent their child's social-emotional well-being and lifestyles that align with their children's and parents' beliefs and helps hold officials accountable for any violations. Parents do not need the government as co-parents to their children. This bill will "Provide opportunities for parental involvement in several ways, including providing parents of students enrolled in the local school division direct access to and an opportunity to review, upon request, the complete curricular content in the local school division and the option to opt out of policies, surveys, research studies, or programs of instruction that are inconsistent with the parent's beliefs, values, or goals and standards for his child." I support this bill 100% as written and must go through.

I support this bill 100% and this bill is detrimental to insuring parental rights will not be trampled upon any more and that the parent and only the parent will parent their child's social-emotional well-being and lifestyles that align with their children's and parents' beliefs and helos hold officials accountable for any violations. Parents do not need the government as co-parents the government. This bill will "Provide opportunities for parental involvement in several ways, including providing parents of students enrolled in the local school division direct access to and an opportunity to review, upon request, the complete curricular content in the local school division and the option to opt out of policies, surveys, research studies, or programs of instruction that are inconsistent with the parent's beliefs, values, or goals and standards for his child." I support this bill 100% as written and must go through.

HB1507: I support the constitutional rights of parents to direct childrens' education. HB1575: I support Delegate Walkers SWAT bill. HB2269: I support using these pandemic relief funds for schools.

Edu-Futuro’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty in immigrant communities largely through educational support. Our beneficiaries come from fully 61 different countries of origin, and most of our beneficiaries are English language learners. By incentivizing the acquisition of an endorsement in English as a Second Language instruction, HB 1824 will necessarily improve the staff to student ratio for ELLs. To that end, Edu-Futuro wholeheartedly supports Delegate Avoli’s HB 1824. I also support this bill as a private citizen and second generation immigrant myself, and I am very pleased to see that on the Senate side, my own Senator, Jennifer Boysko, is this bill’s chief co-patron. I also want to express my support in my personal capacity as a former public school teacher for Delegate Simonds’ HB 1696. Thank you.

These bills are so important to the family, to our children. Please pass these bills!

I fully support this bill.

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

I fully support this bill.

I fully support this bill.

While HB1508 seems like a step in the right direction towards expanding school choice in the Commonwealth of Virginia, it explicitly excludes children whose parents are already making the sacrifice to send them to private or parochial schools. Access to the potential savings that the bill would enable should not be restricted solely because a family has already chosen to make the sacrifice required to send their children to private or parochial school. School choice is school choice, regardless of when that choice was made. The bill should be amended so that it benefits ALL Virginia students, including those who do not currently attend public schools.

Comments Document

Dear Chairperson Davis and Members of the House Appropriations - Elementary and Secondary Subcommittee: As a Virginia resident, a parent, and State Director for American Atheists, which has more than 1,700 constituents in Virginia, I write in opposition to HB 1508.

We highly support ESA's! Please bring this to Virginia parents and students. This is vital in our success to keep up with other States who have higher Educational ratings than we do. Thank you for helping the children in this great Commonwealth.

Please support HB1508. One's zip code should not determine the quality of one's education. I see Education Success Accounts as being similar to Pell Grants for K-12 education. They can be used at any institution whether public or private.

I fully support HB 1508. Fairfax Public Schools, where all 3 of our children were enrolled, are failing students by bringing academic standards down in the name of equity and by indoctrinating in the Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ, and transgender ideology instead of teaching reading, writing, math, and sciences. That was the reason we took our last son out of the public school and enrolled him in a private school with a price tag of $20,000 a year. Education Savings Account will not only help families like our pay for the alternative education, but will make public schools think twice: should they continue with indoctrination and lose state funds or should they go back to education without indoctrination?

House of delegates committee members: I ask that you oppose HB 1508 as it is simply designed to take resources away from public education. Vouchers are well known to have been used in the attempt to see public education decline. I would respectfully remind all committee members that public education is the only institution that accepts clientele without condition to participate in that institution. Public education is a national security issue and as such should not be open to the whims of anyone who feels their child or constituent somehow can do better. Children do better when parents are involved; schools do better when they are faithfully supported. Public education, on the whole, is and has been consistent with raising the character and literacy of all who enter it. Vouchers are simply a means to lessen public education and eventually deny education through increasing the poverty of each school and lessening the educational standards of all who remain without vouchers. Thank you. Riad Mahayni Chesterfield County,

Support 1508, This bill gives much needed help to families to get the help their children need. It does not have to be used to take a child out of that school, but can be used to get help with tutoring and educational therapies and other resources to help their child succeed according to their individual needs. Help children and parents get the help they need that may not be available in their particular school.

Please oppose HB 1508. Voucher bills are often pitched as providing the opportunity for the economically challenged to access private educational alternatives. However, the private elementary school average tuition cost is $13,073 per year and the private high school average is $16,572 per year. Consequently, voucher programs are not going to result in bringing those programs into reach for many of our fellow citizens. I believe the real intent of voucher programs is to begin a movement away from public education for all and towards a private model of educational delivery. Instead of endeavoring to break a model that is one of the world's few attempts to educate all of its citizens up to the age of higher education, perhaps we should consider how best to commit ourselves to its success. This is our approach for all other public services like defense and public safety. Why then would we consider removing resources from this critical public mission of education to bolster the opportunities of our most well off citizens to the detriment of schools that are already at a disadvantage when confronting present day challenges. I hope that, instead of contributing to this draining of resources for the Commonwealth's schools, you will oppose HB 1508.

ExcelinEd in Action is pleased to support the expansion of educational opportunity for students as contained in HB 1508. Family-directed accounts like the ones created in this legislation empower families with the freedom to pursue the education options best suited to their students' individual needs and aspirations. A child can attend private school and receive speech therapy on the side. Another child can learn math and science online, English and history at home, see a tutor twice a week and save leftover money for future education expenses. With a Success Account, education is no longer “use it or lose it.” Parents, guardians and students decide where the best values are and can direct their child’s funds in the most efficient way. Thank you for your consideration and support.

I fully support Delegate March's bill HB 1396. I believe that all Virginia parents should have the maximum support from the Commonwealth to choose the best education environment for their children -- without regard to the previous year. I have three children. Each is different, as is universally true for all families. Each child has needed different challenges and learning environments to elicit the best outcomes. Each of my children has attended public schools, private schools and has been homeschooled. In my judgment each of those matches was advantageous -- and necessary -- for each child. Fortunately, I was able to afford these options, even though I was continually paying for public schools in the years each child was not using them. Many Virginians cannot do that. Many of their children fail to receive the opportunities in education afforded by true educational choice. That is not fair to them. It is not beneficial to Virginia -- it reduces the calibre of our labor force. Delegate Davis' bill, HB 1508, is less than "half-a-loaf". It restricts which parents and students can participate in the ESA program and it provides only about one-third of the resources given to public school students. Not a good deal. Not acceptable for Virginia.

I support HB1508. We all know that public schools are overcrowded and the student to teacher ratio is terrible. Classes are too big and public-school buildings are beyond capacity. This is the only legislation that addresses overcrowding. Please support this bill.

HB1508 is a watered down version of HB 1396. It should be dumped. Legislators should support HB 1396.

I have no money to send my children to anything but my local failing public school. I would like to have better access and HB 1508 would provide that.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

This bill please vote in favor for it would well benefit our children.

This bill please vote in favor for it would well benefit our children.

This bill would allow individuals who are being left behind in society due to financial restrictions to have the ability to access funds for more opportunities for their children. This bill is about empowering people more than anything else. I support this bill and hope it gets passed in this years general assembly. The education system needs a transformation, and this would be a first step.

School funding is limited. We should not support those who choose to attend private schools. Our public school teachers need adequate pay and resources. Keep the funds with our public schools.

Please note that in my opinion it is not the taxpayer's responsibility to financially support students and families NOT attending public schools. Funds are very limited and resources do not need to be taken away from the public schools.

Dear Legislators, I urge you to vote NO on HB1508 and speak out to your fellow subcommittee members with reasons why this bill is a disservice to VA children. Redirecting public school funds to families that choose to send their children to private school increases the opportunity gap for all children in Virginia. The purpose of a public education is for societal gain in addition to the personal gain of the learner. This means it is best for our entire society when we have high quality education, and the funding to ensure it, at the focus of our efforts, rather than allowing funds to be funneled towards private schools where we can not control the quality of education. Additionally, approving this bill would mean there would be less money for public schools. The funding and quality gap caused by this bill would be even wider and have an even harsher impact in southwest Virginia where schools are already under funded due to funding formulas. Thank you for your consideration of these points. Jocelyn Washburn

I strongly oppose HB 1508 Virginia Education Success Account Program. I do not approve of my tax dollars being spent to pay for a private education. I believe in a level playing field. This is an inappropriate use of my tax dollars. Public schools need increased funding, not reduced. Why not sent this bill to vote to the Commonwealth taxpayers? Our tax dollars need to support quality public education. Vouchers remove money from public schools. Public schools are part of our best achievements! This bill diverts funding from public education the money I pay in property taxes. I have not agreed to be taxed so that private schools can be funded. I support public education and am willing to pay my fair share toward the education of our community's children in public schools.

These bills are so important to the family, to our children. Please pass these bills!

To Whom it may Concern, Virginia already ranks at the bottom in per-pupil spending for public education even though it is one of the wealthiest states in the nation in median household income. Virginia already lacks in providing the necessary funds to support the Standards of Quality for education fully. Del. Davis has stated there is a huge need, especially in historically Black communities as an argument to support this bill. As a former educator in Virginia for over 40 years, I am offended by this narrative and see it as a distraction from the real issue. For as long as I can remember, Petersburg Public Schools, along with most school districts, have been sorely underfunded. There is too little evidence to support that vouchers significantly improve student achievement and black students and families are less likely to benefit from said vouchers. I strongly request that you don't support this bill and instead fund public education to its fullest so that ALL students can benefit.

I strongly oppose the Virginia Board of Education supplying pornography to any school system in the state. Those individuals including county, school, superintendents, librarians, school administrator and teachers.must know they are breaking VA State code(s) on the distribution of child pornography . Clearly, it ‘ is against the law, and they must resign and face criminal prosecution.

I oppose this bill! Taxes are meant to support public education. If there is a deficiency in a school or school system, extra resources should be provided. Removing students, and therefore funding, is not the answer. Our tax dollars are for the common good, not for individuals to use outside of the public school system.

Please oppose this bill. Every dollar spent on VESAP would be a dollar not spent on public education. A commitment to public education is a proud American tradition, from Thomas Jefferson to Horace Mann. Please uphold this tradition. You should not be defunding public schools. Public dollars for public schools!

It is our responsibility to use the limited resources (funds) directed toward public education for that purpose. As stewards of the public trust, I ask that you do not support this proposed legislation. I am a parent of four children who were successfully educated in the Montgomery County Public schools K-12. They are productive citizens contributing to the well being of communities in four different states. As a taxpayer, I expect state and local governments to have funding priorities directed to public, not private education. The proposed legislation introduced by Mr. Davis redirects essential funding for public education to individuals making choices to opt out of public education. That is their choice. It is not my obligation to support that choice at the expense of educating students in public schools. Your job is to ensure that educators throughout the Commonwealth are supported and encouraged in their efforts to provide a truthful, quality education for all eligible students. Excellent public education that values diversity and inclusion is essential to attracting and retaining employers to our region. The benefit to all students is access to state of the art resources and dedicated teachers that is insured by consistent, sufficient funding of public education . For those electing home schooling, their choice is personal; the responsibility of educating these children is owned by parents and guardians who likely want minimal accountability and governmental intervention. For families, guardians choosing private school, for whatever reasons, it is their responsibility, not mine or fellow taxpayers, to support that education. I ask that you carefully consider the reasons that this bill has been put forward in the first place. The motivations reside in dissatisfaction with some aspect of public education. Your job is to make public education the best it can be. That goal cannot be attained by reduced funding, which is the bottom line of this proposed legislation.

I don't believe that public school funding should be used for private schools.

I strongly oppose HB 1508 Virginia Education Success Account Program. I do not believe using public education funding to support private schools or homeschooling is an appropriate use of my tax dollars. Public schools need increased funding. Thank you, Susan Morikawa

I strongly oppose HB1508. Tax dollars need to support quality public education, not subsidize those who have the ability to pull their child from public schools (it's not possible for everyone). Vouchers remove money from public schools. When students are segregated into private schools, inevitably the least enfranchised students get left behind at public schools that are even worse off than before.In addition, public education is not just about providing students with the knowledge and skills allowing them to progress and thrive. It is also about preparing them to be active participants in a vibrant democracy. Strong public schools do this.

Comments Document

HB1475- While we would love to see homeschool students participate in activities, Career & Technical Student Organizations, such as SkillsUSA and the Technology Student Association, require specialized training not necessarily available through homeschool instruction. HB 1508- Education Success Accounts seem to take funding from public schools. Comprehensive schools around the state provide students access to career and technical instruction not available through home school means. HB 1695- Students absolutely need the extra support to access career pathways however the language should be inclusive enough to allow for flexibility of position title. As a current district-level work-based learning specialist, the manpower need is great but the positions will look different across districts and possibly even schools as a result of student career interest and labor market data. I have attached the Virginia ACTE Advocacy card for more information on ways to support Career & Technical Education.

It's very clear that individuals bringing bills or commentators haven't spoken to teachers in the schools or principals currently serving students. It's ridiculous that you wouldn't when bringing a bill that will directly impact your voting constituents. Students are important, so are teachers and principals. Please speak with them to appropriately understand what is going on inside schools when you bring policy to the floor.

I have fostered children for over ten years, and the faces of the children and their stories stay in my heart forever. I am also a mother of two teenagers. As a mother and caregiver for youth, I recognize that every child has very different talents. Reflecting on my experiences as a caregiver, I remember two teens I had to stay with me. I knew in my heart that with these teens' trauma, they were not ready to jump into public school yet. If we had this bill in place, I feel that their biological mother and I would have placed the teens in a private school. As for my children, My children are very different from each other. One child thrives in public school, and the other thrives in homeschooling. As a mother, withdrawing my son from public school was one of the most complex decisions. My biggest concern was the lack of education professionals available to implement IEP. Every other day there was a substitute teacher, and my child needed consistency. Today he is being homeschooled, and I can adjust the curriculum to the speed he needs to thrive. This bill needs to become law. EVERY child needs an education tailored to their success.

This Bill will benefit all children from lower income areas, it gives them the opportunity to strive and feel as if they are a part of something better than what they see daily. I'm totally in agreement.

This need to be passed

Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy. It is a great equalizer. It hasn’t been fully funded. Instead of diverting funds from our public schools to private entities we need to invest to support the system that educates 90 percent of Commonwealth’s children. Public schools not just provides education but also food, transportation, internet, child care, safety and security. Please say no to bill HB1508!

As the mother of three children with disabilities, I know first hand about how Virginia public school rape our children of a free and appropriate education. I used video recordings of the atrocities against my children to indict the City of Virginia Beach public schools in Virginia Beach and won the freedom of my children. I now advocate for all children to be free of the bondage called Virginia public schools that has historically failed children living in poverty, with disabilities or with melenated skin. This is why I subscribe to the business as usual theory. I know and believe that real change comes when we end the economical stronghold that Virginia's public schools has had for generations; diverting funds and fostering educational neglect. This is why I support HB1508. In fact, I don't think this bill goes far enough to help families pay for school choice. School choice empowers families with funding to meet the unique needs of every child; closing the educational gaps that currently exist in public schools today.

Universal public education is one of the great achievements of our nation. It astounds me that this bill, HB1508, proposes to divert from public education the money I pay in property taxes. I have not agreed to be taxed so that private schools can enrich their bottom line. I support public education and am willing to pay my fair share toward the education of our community's children in public schools. Why public? I vote to elect the school board. I can and have testified at school board meetings. I can see how my financial support is being used and voice objections when I disagree with school policy. I can and have read Standards of Learning and have commented on the revisions. And at a practical level, there are economies of scale when most children attend public school. Moreover, public education is a unifying force in our current divisive society. The SOLs include sorely needed civics education. They cover the STEM skills that have made our country a leader in technology. They include the literature that helps students develop empathy and care what happens to other people, even when they are different. If HB1508 were to pass, I would have no voice in the education of those students that used my taxes to leave public school. I would have no knowledge of what those students were or were not being taught. The people who pay the bills should have oversight of how government money is spent, not just the people who have a special interest in benefiting from this diversion of public school money. I oppose HB1508 and all schemes that take funding from public education to benefit private schools.

I strongly support this bill.

Please pass this bill. As citizens of the common wealth we need the ability to chose excellence for our children’s education. Creating competition always makes things better. This bill is a productive step in the right direction.

HB1508 - I currently have a 6th grader enrolled in private school. I took her out of public school 3 years ago due to the failing system. My wife an I have discussed putting her back in public schools due to the expense. We thought HB1508 would offer assistance and give us stability to keep her in private school. However, this bill excludes us from any benefit unless we place her back in public school for a semester and then put her back in the private school. I can’t image the emotional stress on a 12 year old of changing schools twice in the same year just to qualify for this assistance. That is, assuming the private school still has a spot for her; which is doubtful being most private schools already have a wait list. What a disaster for both the schools and students. This bill does nothing to help this parents who are already sacrificing and struggling to pay tuition. Please make an amendment to the bill to include those already attending private schools and make these benefits available to all children in Virginia.

Please oppose HB1508 that provides for public funds to go to parents to use for private school education for their children; thus reducing public funds for public schools. No fiscal impact information has been provided yet. That is needed before action or vote in this subcommittee. A Program Administrator is required at an undetermined salary -- probably a very high salary given the job description. VERY concerning is what "Education Service Providers" can do: Line 242: Education service providers shall be given MAXIMUM freedom to provide for the educational needs of a qualified student WITHOUT government control. Line 249: No education service provider shall be required to alter its creed, practices, admission policies, or curriculum to receive funds from a savings account pursuant to this article. Those statements are incredibly broad. Thus, there are no standards or limits on how our public dollars would be used. HB1508 would reduce funds available to our public schools, so please oppose the bill.

African American students in Virginia deserve a high quality education environment outside of the singular option the government offers. When you provide Black kids with a rich education of their parents' choice you reduce crime, teen pregnancy, generational poverty, and societal inequities, and we want to see the students in Virginia flourish not languish. Our students deserve to have education freedom. That's why we support HB1508. Black Minds Matter

What private school with quality services charges $6000 a year? Surely not one that provides meals, transportation and health care services. The bill is a boon for those who can already afford to pay the $13,000 to $21,000 yearly tuition at my area's local private school, for example.

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

Dear Legislator, While the Youngkin administration is addressing the recent devastating revelation that Virginia’s children have had dramatic loss of academic proficiency over the past five years, thousands and thousands of our children remain in public schools that are not providing a quality education. The learning loss continues as we try to figure out solutions. We need solutions and innovation now!! Forcing children to remain in failing public schools because they live in a certain zip code is a dereliction of our responsibility to our children. We can do better than this. My family and I ask that you support Education Success Accounts and the expansion of the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit program during this upcoming General Assembly. 2023 is an election year and as you learned two years ago, parents are activated and motivated to see changes. We look forward to seeing you support our family by voting "yes" on Education Savings Accounts and Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credits.

We are in favor of School Choice many children are in failing schools or they have physical or emotional disabilities the school they are assigned to by where they live doesn't meet the childs needs. Children should be able to be in school environments that meet their needs and talents so they can strive to reach their potential. Parents should be allowed to use their tax dollars sent to the government for education to enroll their child in the school of their choice or home school their child proving the best education tailored for their child. As for the argument that is take revenue away from public schools I disagree with less children in Public schools they are still getting the majority of taxpayer revenue while the parent is only getting a portion. Public schools get funding from taxpayers that don't even have children, or their children are grown and no longer in Public school. Public schools would have less children per classroom giving each teacher more time to spend teaching each class, we would not have to build more schools and we could lower costs by cutting back on Administrative staff where the majority of money is spent. Staff that deal with children with disabilities would be less if those children went to schools more equipped to handle that child's needs elevating disruptions in the classroom. The bill is a win/win for all concerned, Please support the bill and pass it out of committee.

This bill allows a public-school student’s parent to use 1/3rd of the student’s per pupil expenditure (PPE) in the form of an Education Savings Account (ESA) to provide their student with a non-public-school education, in accordance with existing state law governing compulsory education. The other 2/3rd of the PPE remains with the public school system to offset impact on teacher salary, cover fixed cost of school operation, and leave approximately 12.5% of the PPE as savings. The savings can be reinvested by the state in the remaining public-school students. HB1508 is a win-win for all stakeholders! It: (1) allows parents to exercise their fundamental right under Virginia Code § 1-240.1 to “make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child;” (2) reduces student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom; (3) eliminates the impact of a public school student’s withdrawal on teacher pay and fixed cost of school operation; (4) increases PPE for those students who remain in public school; and (5) delays the need to build new classrooms. Last, the ESA is funded by state money only: no federal funds or local school district funds are used. Kris Allen Policy Director Middle Resolution Policy Network

I full support this bill.

I fully support this bill.

I'm a parent to K-12 children and I fully support HB 1508. Educational Savings Accounts are needed for alternate forms of K-12 education.

Comments Document

Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments in favor of HB1555 and thank you to Del. Brewer for her leadership in bringing this Bill forward. The Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking ("VCAHT") is an alliance of service providers, attorneys, survivor-advocates, and community members on a mission to remove barriers preventing survivors from achieving a full and healthy life through public awareness campaigns, policy reform and enacting survivor-centered human trafficking legislation. VCAHT supports this Bill because it addresses prevention and identification in an age group which is part of the target population of those seeking to profit from the exploitation of others. Equipping this population with the tools they need to keep from being exploited is critical to reducing the numbers of individuals being exploited and the subsequent damage that is caused by that victimization to those being victimized and our communities. Accordingly, VCAHT urges the Subcommittee to vote in favor of this Bill. Thank you.

I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Please support this bill as it is the utmost importance

We oppose HB1555, requiring a human trafficking awareness and prevention training program at each public institution of higher education.  This bill proposes a misguided allocation of resources and use of public expenditure policy. Education funds should be used in an effective and efficient manner. This bill would require a mandatory indoctrination of all first-year students regarding an issue not at all related to their college major.   The real problem in education is the high cost of tuition and the fact that many students from underserved populations are not getting a college education. If and when a student does enroll in an institution of higher education, he/she should get an education in the degree they choose, not forcibly taught an unrelated ideology.

I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote.

Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!

I fully support this bill.

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

The Virginia Education Association opposes HB1726.

I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,

The City of Roanoke is a partner in the NW HUB and is supportive of the effort to establish the Goodwill's Excel Center in Roanoke, an adult high school offering opportunities to earn in-demand credentials while earning a diploma.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

I am sure that you all have similar feelings or personal stories regarding the manipulation and loss of personal freedoms beginning with the mandates of late 2020 and early 2021; some currently still being mandated here in Virginia. It is amazing to me that many countries outside the US are standing up and screaming no more- the injections and gene therapy Covid-19 serum is both dangerous and serves no purpose. For those of you that lost your positions/livelihood during the last few years; keep the faith. Whether you made this choice for health reasons, religious freedom, or individual choice you should applaud yourself for standing up for your personal rights and privileges. The time is coming that we will begin to see more and more of these unconstitutional acts begin to fall. Currently, North Shore University Health System employees won a $10.3M class action over the loss of religious freedom. New York City’s mandate for the injection was also overturned for municipal workers and all employees must be reinstated with back pay. Even our own DOD has stopped the mandate of these injections. These are a few cases out of numerous cases where the voices of the people are being heard. Here in the state of Virginia we are seeing many employees ban together to fight back and argue both the safety, efficacy, and lack of informed consent that these mandates provided. As you all know by now these Covid-19 mRNA injections DO NOT prevent the virus nor do they prevent the spread. Going back to Dec 11, 2020, the FDA EUA review committee even knew. The FDA committee pointed out in its discussions, and I quote “vaccine development has a long history and that the FDA is not aware of an example of ANY vaccine that is effective against mild disease that is also effective against severe disease”. Nature publication even has an article that the WSJ discussed where Growing evidence suggests that repeated vaccinations may make people more susceptible to the new Omnicron variant, XBB and could be fueling the virus’s rapid evolution. Senator Ron Johnson held a congressional hearing on Dec 7th with some of the worlds best doctors and researchers discussing that there are plenty of safety signals and current research showing that these injections need to be pulled from the market. Yet here we stand still discussing the risk of not doing so. Is anyone paying attention to the fact that 96+ countries have removed C-19 testing and vaccine requirements to enter? Shortages in higher education all over continue despite the push for the shot two years ago. The shortages that we see today are those that have left the field, are out with injury or are out with constant illness. Our reported weekly numbers rarely vary. So where are the benefits we were to see? Why should we continue what is not making a difference? I currently support this bill and think no one should be denied bodily autonomy- especially in an institution that "teaches" do no harm!

After 7 am meeting, then this one. HB 1689 - Please move to report. No one should die without benefit of spiritual help. *HB 1864 - No person should be required to input into their bodies something they don't want there, just to keep their job. We're not North Korea. *HB 1889 - Data shows that they are not at great risk of disease. HB 2057 - Why should people who have worked and paid thousands of dollars for decades, by denied Social Security because those who violated the law came here? Why shouldn't we put infrastructure and improve schools for African American communities FIRST BEFORE any others? Why do they deserve any thing before our veterans? Please PBI this bill. HB 2160 - In honor of those who lost family/friends & weren't allowed to see them at the end, please move to report. HB 2276 - The data is clear: children are not at risk of death from COVID. HB 2293 - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/comparingdifferentinternationalmeasuresofexcessmortality/2022-12-20 Sweden and Norway were essentially tied for the lowest “[p]roportional all-cause excess-mortality scores” (which “measure[] the percentage change in the number of deaths compared to the expected number of deaths (based on the five-year average [from 2015 to 2019])” among the listed European countries, looking at data from Jan. 2020 to June 2022: Their excess mortality was up 2.7%, compared to, say, 5.2% for Denmark, 7.1% for Finland, and 11.8% for the Netherlands. They had the lowest all causes death rate since COVID arrived and didn't do these long, lengthy lockdowns. Sweden had lower rate avg. excess death percentages: https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ERGExcessMortality.xlsx https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/covid-19-update-still-lots-of-idle-hospital-capacity/ noted on 4/25/2000 Roanoke Valley had 80 cases, 6 hospitalizations and 0 deaths compared to Arlington with 764 cases, 137 hospitalizations, 29 deaths. Elective surgery was banned in both, although the whole of Roanoke Valley had 0 deaths. HB2489 - Please move to report so that men can be given the support to become strong fathers.

Please support HB1889. No student/employee of a college should be forced to choose between a degree/employment or a medical procedure-- vaccination. There is risk to every vaccination and nobody can undo it once it's been injected. I bet that the majority of US colleges that mandated the Covid vaccine are CRIMINALLY negligent for injuring and/or killing at least one student or employee. That's how dangerous yet ineffective the Covid vaccines are, and when an institution coerces harm, that's a crime. Even better yet, create a bill that reinforces complete and full bodily autonomy for the entire state of Virginia! There is no situation where any Virginian should be forced to take any shot or medical treatment. Ever.

I support HB1889. Bodily autonomy is a fundamental human right and therefore no one should be forced to take the COVID 19 injection as a condition to attend or be employed by institutions of higher education. Further, this injection is still only approved under Emergency Use Authorization reducing the ability for injected persons to receive compensation in the event of a bad reaction or death. Since the injections have been available in Virginia, 22,457 deaths have occurred. Additionally, myocarditis, from which one can not heal , is one of the main side effects of this injection. Support HB 1889 and protect our freedoms to choose what we put into our bodies. Thank you.

As a mother of 2 recent graduates and 1 current student at Virginia universities I respectfully ask that you please support HB1889 to prohibit any Virginia colleges and universities from requiring covid-19 shots for enrollment. From the start of the covid pandemic, healthy college age students were never at risk for serious illness. In the summer of 2021, it was known that the covid 19 shots did not stop infection and transmission of the virus and there were reported cases of myocarditis and other adverse events in the college age cohort. Despite these facts, most, if not all, Virginia colleges & universities mandated these shots for the Fall 2021 semester. In order to continue attending their colleges, students were told to get the shots or get a medical or religious exemption. Medical exemptions were hard to get, doctors were reluctant to grant them even when they thought it was justified for fear of reprisal. Students who did not want to get the shots were told by their college or university that they could transfer somewhere else or take a semester off; both of which are terrible options for students in the middle of earning their degrees. Parents, by the thousands, complained to college & university administrators about them forcing unnecessary, unwanted Emergency Use Authorized shots which have absolutely zero long term safety data on their young adult children, but their concerns were ignored. Many students felt coerced into getting shots they did not want or need and sadly some Virginia college students suffered serious adverse reactions. As if being coerced into getting covid shots for the Fall semester was not bad enough, in December of 2021 during Christmas break, many Virginia colleges and universities decided to mandate covid booster shots due to an irrational fear about the emerging Omicron variant - even though it was known at the time to be much less virulent than the previous ones. So, once again Virginia's college and university administrators mandated a covid booster shot that the college age cohort did not need, and it was still true that the shots do not stop infection or transmission and there is still absolutely zero long-term safety data and many serious adverse events occurring from the covid 19 shots. And again, complaints from parents and students went out to the administrators of Virginia's colleges and universities and fell on deaf ears. Students who did not want to get the booster shot were told they could defer for a semester or transfer to a different college - all bad options. So, once again many of Virginia's college and university students were coerced into getting a shot they did not need and did not want. The Commonwealth of Virginia needs to stand up for medical freedom and choice and tell college and university administrators that they will never again be allowed to decide what shots college students should take. Also, the Virginia Department of Health should not be deciding what shots college students should take.

Please support HB1889 to prohibit any Virginia colleges and universities from requiring covid-19 shots for enrollment. From the start of the covid pandemic, healthy college age students were never at risk for serious illness. In the summer of 2021, it was known that the covid 19 shots did not stop infection and transmission of the virus and there were reported cases of myocarditis and other adverse events in the college age cohort. Despite these facts, most, if not all, Virginia colleges & universities mandated these shots for the Fall 2021 semester. In order to continue attending their colleges, students were told to get the shots or get a medical or religious exemption. Medical exemptions were hard to get, doctors were reluctant to grant them even when they thought it was justified for fear of reprisal. Students who did not want to get the shots were told by their college or university that they could transfer somewhere else or take a semester off; both of which are terrible options for students in the middle of earning their degrees. Parents, by the thousands, complained to college & university administrators about them forcing unnecessary, unwanted Emergency Use Authorized shots which have absolutely zero long term safety data on their young adult children, but their concerns were ignored. Many students felt coerced into getting shots they did not want or need and sadly some Virginia college students suffered serious adverse reactions. As if being coerced into getting covid shots for the Fall semester was not bad enough, in December of 2021 during Christmas break, many Virginia colleges and universities decided to mandate covid booster shots due to an irrational fear about the emerging Omicron variant - even though it was known at the time to be much less virulent than the previous ones. So, once again Virginia's college and university administrators mandated a covid booster shot that the college age cohort did not need, and it was still true that the shots do not stop infection or transmission and there is still absolutely zero long-term safety data and many serious adverse events occurring from the covid 19 shots. And again, complaints from parents and students went out to the administrators of Virginia's colleges and universities and fell on deaf ears. Students who did not want to get the booster shot were told they could defer for a semester or transfer to a different college - all bad options. So, once again many of Virginia's college and university students were coerced into getting a shot they did not need and did not want. The Commonwealth of Virginia needs to stand up for medical freedom and choice and tell college and university administrators that they will never again be allowed to decide what shots college students should take. Also, the Virginia Department of Health should not be deciding what shots college students should take.

Please support this bill. The requirement of an educational institution for any medical procedure whatsoever, including immunization against COVID-19, violates the bodily autonomy of individuals. Discrimination based on personal healthcare choices should not be allowed. Further, the health risks of COVID-19 immunizations are becoming increasingly clear. No person should be forced or pressured into receiving these shots.

I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

My name is Johanna Villalobos and I have served my country as a Foreign Service Officer for the last seventeen years. During this time my husband and I have become parents to three children. Our family has had the opportunity to meet new people, experience different cultures, and learn new languages while representing the people of the United States as diplomats abroad. These amazing experiences have been coupled with sacrifices and challenges. Among them are constantly changing schools from one country to another, not growing up with a traditional U.S. education, and our children not understanding the reality of their peers in the United States. My oldest son, Jonathan, is fourteen years old. He has been to eight different schools since Kindergarten, his one and only U.S. educational experience. Our return to the United States after ten years overseas required a great deal of planning and preparation. We researched school options for our kids and became extremely excited when we learned about the Virginia Governor's School Thomas Jefferson High School for Jonathan as he would be able to pursue his passion for science and technology in a nurturing and supportive environment. Thomas Jefferson High School would have been the perfect place for him to get the rigorous academic curriculum necessary to excel at the university level. Starting in the sixth grade, Jonathan knew he had to be extremely competitive to be considered for Thomas Jefferson. He worked hard and achieved excellent grades, especially in science and math classes. In eighth grade, his international school did not offer Algebra at that grade level, but because it was a requirement for Thomas Jefferson he took both his school´s math class and Algebra through an online U.S. based high school (at our expense). He completed the class successfully and was able to join the tenth graders in Geometry during ninth grade, another Thomas Jefferson requirement. Jonathan put in the work, excelled in school, and met the eligibility requirements necessary to be considered for admission at the Governor's School. That is with one major exception through no fault of his own, he was not resident in the school district at the time of application. He will be in the school district when the school year begins as I have been stationed in Washington, DC. However, my family can not count on the considerations given to military colleagues for our service to the people of the United States. The school discouraged us from even applying because there was no way around this requirement. My son's academic dreams and his hard work were completely disregarded when he was told he could not even try to compete for admission. I urge the Virginia State Senate to consider its constituents who sacrifice everything to serve our country as diplomats. Our families leave behind all we have ever known to live in far away and sometimes dangerous places, but when we return home our service is not recognized and our children are penalized for something completely out of their control. Please pass House Bill 1929. Our children's future depends on it.

Comments Document

AFSA urges the Virginia General Assembly to consider its constituents who sacrifice everything to serve our country as diplomats. Foreign Service families leave behind all they have ever known to live in far away and sometimes dangerous places, but when they return home, their service is not recognized, and their children are penalized for something completely out of their control. Please support and pass House Bill 1929.

My name is Anne Benjaminson and I have served as a Foreign Service Officer for more than 18 years. For the last 11 years, our two children have accompanied my husband and I on our overseas tours, living and attending school in Ukraine, Burma, and, starting this summer, Vietnam. While they have gained a deep understanding of other cultures and languages, our frequent moves have disrupted their friendships and required a lot of flexibility, something I appreciate deeply. With the goal of providing our children some stability and educational opportunity as they enter their teenage years, we purchased a house in Arlington in 2019. Along with the excellent schools in our own school district, we looked forward to giving our children the opportunity to compete for admission to a Virginia Governor’s School located just 11 miles from our home, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. We specifically sought out an assignment that would allow us to return to Arlington in time for our son to start 9th grade so that he could attend all four years of high school here. However, I was disappointed to learn that our son will be unable to apply to our nearby Governor’s School for 9th grade, as he will be attending an international school overseas for 8th grade. He was even more disappointed and has a hard time understanding how he would not be eligible to apply even though he attended four years of elementary school here and will be back for high school – all while we own our home and pay local property and income taxes. In all of our overseas assignments, which include Afghanistan, we have served alongside members of the U.S. military whose children are eligible to apply for admission to Governor’s Schools from overseas. We salute the service of our military colleagues. By passing HB 1929, the Legislature has an opportunity to acknowledge the service of civilian employees and the hardships such service causes for their family members. Allowing our children to compete for admission to Virginia Governor’s Schools is a step toward parity with our military colleagues, and will make Virginia a more desirable and welcoming permanent residence for Foreign Service personnel. I thank the Committee for your consideration of this bill and urge its quick passage so that our children can begin to seek the same educational opportunities as their peers. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of the U.S. Government.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Comments Document

HB 1461 oppose see attachment Hb1497 support Hb1507 oppose Hb1731 support HB 1967 support Hb1980 Support Hb1982 support

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Dear Legislators, On behalf of our volunteers and members, the Virginia Black Leadership Organizing Collaborative strongly supports HB 2021 and HB 2025, both introduced by Del. Roem. Our volunteers and members have fought hard for equitable school meal policies for our communities, and more importantly, our children, for years and the passage of these bills will bring us all closer to those goals. We know that access is key to getting families the help they deserve. If a family is in need of help that the school system provides, then the school board should make every effort to get that information to the parents and guardians of school age children. This becomes even more important when we are talking about providing children with quality and nutritional meals during the school days. Many studies have shown that children learn and behave markedly better when they are not hungry during the day. Information should and must be readily available to those who need it most. Thus, we support HB 2021 and HB 2025 because they take further steps to ensure that not only free & reduced meal applications are readily accessible, but HB 2025 also takes the extra step in providing that parents of students in public schools would be fully informed on updated SNAP benefits and eligibility guidelines. Let’s continue building upon the efforts that you all have made in the general assembly with the community in ending childhood hunger. Please, vote ‘YES’ on HB 2021 and HB 2025.Thank you so much for your consideration, hard work, and service to the Commonwealth. Sincerely, VA BLOC

Virginia PTA supports HB2021 (Roem). Proper nutrition is imperative to the health, development and academic achievement of children. We support efforts to make certain that parents are provided with information and resources, including expanded access to the Free and Reduced Meal Application.

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

The attachment are the short remarks that I have prepared in reference to HB 2076.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Virginia PTA supports HB2225 (Batten). Assessments can only provide valuable information if students, parents, and teachers receive that feedback in a timely manner. We support improving communications to students and parents regarding how to leverage growth assessments; the context of any score; and the impact of the assessment results on student future growth and achievement.

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

Full support

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

The Virginia Education Association opposes HB1726.

I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,

This excellent measure will reduce the cost of comprehensive community college support by Virginia taxpayers.

This should lower costs. FXCO has paid a premium for teachers with a masters,but can show no results.

Comments Document

We are supporting HB 2277 that will allow Virginia to utilize their 23 community colleges to move fairly quickly to end the growing teacher shortages in the state. A recently published article in the Community College Daily publication is attached. Hans A. Andrews, Ed.D.

Teacher Shortages and Florida Community Colleges offering Baccalaureate Degrees in Teaching A sample of both large and smaller Community Colleges out of the total of 27 colleges offering these programs The community colleges have been proposed as a major solution going forward. Florida has provided an example of the kinds of teacher preparation programs community and technical colleges can provide. Additionally, community colleges can contribute to increasing the number and diversity of a future cohort of K -12 educators. The solutions for teacher shortages, via community and technical colleges, are available throughout the country in the back yards of all American school districts! Miami Date State College • BS Early Childhood Education • BS Exceptional Student Education K-12 • BS Secondary Science Education • BS Secondary Mathematics Education Chipola College • BS Teacher Education in Elementary Education K-6 • BS Teacher Education in English Education • Bachelor of Science in Teacher Education in Exceptional Student Education • BS Teacher Education in Middle School Math Education (grades 5- 9) and Mathematics Education (grades 6-12) • BS Teacher Education in Middle School Science Education (grades 5-9) and Biology Education (grades 6-12) • BS Teacher Education in English Education South Florida State College • BS Elementary Education St. Johns River State College • Early Childhood Education

Resolving K-12 teacher shortages: New pathways are needed, and community colleges offer a way! An educational crisis has been growing for over a decade in the United States and many other places worldwide. The pipeline relied on for so long that the university system of educating future teachers has dropped below fifty percent of what it was just a decade ago. Over the years 2010 to 2019, 340,000 fewer students were preparing to become teachers than previously expected. A 50 percent decline is documented in nine states. Oklahoma reported that the University of Central Oklahoma had dropped teacher's enrollments from 1,800 to 856 in just seven years. Diversity enrollment concerns also continue to expand. Studies have identified some 15,000 fewer Black students enrolled across the country in teacher preparation programs in 2018 than in 2010. Over 60 teacher preparation programs in universities and colleges across the country have dropped their programs! Legislation in 2021-2022 Several states have recently attempted to respond to the growing crisis through legislation. But unfortunately, much of the recently passed new legislation involves patches rather than long-range solutions. Constant Carroll, former chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, stated that I will continue my efforts to ensure that, just like Florida, California can have its community colleges offer bachelor's degrees without limitation. The following are some of the results provided by community colleges being allowed to grant baccalaureate degrees in California: • Opportunity for students: Over half of the students in these programs would not otherwise have pursued a bachelor's degree. • Backgrounds: Some 60% enrolled from communities of color and disadvantaged backgrounds. • Affordability: Tuition for all four years costs just over $10,500. • Place-Bound: Most of the students are 'place-bound.' There are a significant number of community colleges in Florida presently offering Baccalaureate Degrees in education. The larger community colleges have a wider array of offerings than the more rural area colleges. Teacher shortages in every state have continued to grow over the past several years. Other than adding 'patches,' few legislative solutions have been difficult to identify. The previous pipelines for preparing teachers have been unable to keep up and have experienced enrollment declines. A few have even closed out their programs due to a lack of enrollment. Community colleges have been proposed as a practical solution in the future. Additionally, community colleges can contribute to increasing the number and diversity of a future cohort of K -12 educators. About the Authors Dr. Hans Andrews is the Distinguished Fellow in Community College Leadership through Olney Central College in Olney, Illinois. He is a former president of the college. Dr. William "Bill" Marzano is a Former Academic Administrator at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois. Dr. Greg Rockhold has served on the Board of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, President of the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators and Executive Director of the New Mexico Association of Secondary School Principals,

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book

HB1461 - This proposal is fair to all. HB1497 - Too expensive, major cities like Chesapeake/VB/Norfolk taxpayers can't afford more taxes to pay teachers. We need to pay for bus drivers. Get rid of 1/2 the administrative bloat, then you would have more $$$ to pay teachers, nurses and bus drivers. HB1507 - This is the main driver of the elections: constitutionally protect parent control. HB1691 - This would help with SRO's and given the fights in schools, is desparately needed. Please move to report. HB1704 - Needed now, given the rapes in LCPS. HB1733 - Not needed, they already can and do this. HB2021 - Always love to see parents provided with information. HB2264 - No more mission creep. Educate the kids: leave the psych stuff to another groups w/that focus. HB2405 - Excellent suggestion!

"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book