HB1423, HB1424, HB1514, HB1526, HB1554, HB1593*, HB1629, HB1700, HB1701, HB1713, HB1820, HB1821, HB1823, HB1824, and HB2124 because our students are having problems in public schools. More parents are removing their kids and sending them elsewhere. Previous attempts at helping only wasted tax dollars and we're not seeing anything but kids who don't know facts and can think critically. Time for a change. Lets move to report these bills and push our Virginia students to a better, more educated and equipped future! Please move to report these bills. Thank you.

"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!

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Respectfully submitted, Jacqueline E Lowe-Barton, M.Ed.

Please pass HB 1443 and remove the cap on Supplemental Basic Aid for Rappahannock County. The LCI calculation unfairly punishes our children in this rural county. We have a handful large landowners and a few dozen wealthy individuals who moved to this country and those entities skew the numbers, make us look like we have a larger tax base than we do. Meanwhile, our kids, many of whom are on free and reduced lunch, go without supports and programs they need and deserve. Thank you for your consideration and your service, Miranda Hope

To Whom It May Concern: Please enact HB 1443 so that Rappahannock County Public Schools may receive additional state funds to offset the impact of being saddled, for decades, with unreasonably high Local Composite Index ... now a hair’s thickness from the maximum of 0.8. The formula for calculating the LCI severely disadvantages at least two rural counties -- Highland and Rappahannock -- in comparison to “wealthy” urban locales. Rappahannock has the highest (or nearly the highest) income gap / wealth disparity in our Commonwealth* such that families who have farmed here for several generations are “land poor” in that they may be forced to sell land in order to pay their real estate taxes, as the $ per acre cost of land here has risen considerably in the past several decades. * The term “Commonwealth" is sadly ironic, as there is a huge wealth disparity between our poorest and our wealthiest citizen in Virginia ... a gap that is profoundly large in Rappahannock County, and thereby a detriment to the children in our public school system. Respectively submited, Barney O’Meara, 25 January 2023

Dear Senator Deeds, I am on the board of the Rappahannock County Public Education Foundation, named The Headwaters Foundation, and I am increasingly worried about the lack of State funding support for our public schools. Similar to other rural public schools, our school funding support is primarily from real estate taxes. Because most of the county is taxed at an agricultural use tax rate, our revenue is lower than the LCI presumes it to be. The County is having to pay 80% of the public school funding while the State of Virginia provides only 20%. In 2007, Chapter 847 of the Acts of 2007 remedied this problem by allowing Bath, Highland, Rappahannock and Surrey counties to enter into a cooperative agreement with an adjoining county to enable them to use the lower LCI of the adjoining county. The only problem with this remedy was that in 2008, Chapter 589 of the Acts of 2008 capped the level of support for Rappahannock County. At the request of the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors and the Rappahannock County Board of Education. Delegate Mike Webert , who represents Rappahannock County, introduced HB 1443 which would remove the cap. The bill will impact Rappahannock County and maybe Highland County. The Bill should be coming before the House Education and Human Services Committee and is expected to pass. There is no similar proposed legislation in the Senate. We are hoping that you will help us find a way to get this legislation enacted as it will make an enormous difference to the students of Rappahannock County and to the students in similarly situated rural schools with little cost to the State. With many thanks, Tanya A Paull

HB-1443 challenges systemic racism in school district funding. I support this bill as it would drastically improve the resources available in our rural, underfunded school system.

Dear Mr. Webert and your Colleagues: Please, please pass HB 1443 and remove the cap on Supplemental Basic Aid for Rappahannock County. Our children and families deserve it. Please work together and get it done. Thank you for your service.

Comments Document

Please see attached letter

January 25, 2023 Re: Letter of Support for HB 1443 Dear Members of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education: As a Rappahannock County parent and tax payer, I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Sallie Morgan 100 Wolf Mountain Lane Washington, VA 22747

Please support HB 1443 to lift the Basic Aid Cap for very small schools in Virginia. The current legislation, adopted in 2008, keeps Rappahannock County Public Schools capped at the 2007 level, and hampers our ability to collect our fair share of Basic Aid supplement. The bill would simply create a more equitable funding structure and allow taxpayers in Rappahannock County to have a more fair amount of their state taxes come back to the children of our community. Rappahannock County is the only locality that would be affected by this change. The amount of taxpayer money sent back to Rappahannock would be about a million dollars of our state budget, a tiny amount of the Commonwealth's budget that would be very meaningful to our County's ability to achieve excellence in education at our (small but mighty!) Rappahannock County Public Schools. Our community has worked together to advocate for this small but meaningful change, and we think that this is something our legislators should be able to agree upon as the fair thing to do to support our youth. Thank you for your support!

I am writing to convey my support of eliminating the cap placed on Basic Aid for rural counties who qualify through HB 1443. The lack of equitable and accurate state funding for our small-but-mighty county is concerning as we work tirelessly to provide opportunities for our younger population to grow and thrive. Our county is responsible for 80% of our district’s funding, while the Commonwealth provides 20%. Since much of Rappahannock County’s land is in agricultural use, tax revenue is limited; therefore, numerous additional efforts must be made to provide a high-quality education for our students. Our educators and students are wonderful, and they should not be at a disadvantage due to this cap on Basic Aid. I urge you to make strong efforts to remedy this issue. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I am writing in support of HB1443. The Headwaters Foundation, which supports Rappahannock County Public Schools, is becoming increasingly more worried about the lack of state funding support for our school system. Similar to other rural public schools, our school funding support is received primarily from real estate taxes. Because most of the county is taxed at an agricultural use tax rate, our revenue is lower than the LCI presumes it to be. Rappahannock County is now paying 80% of the public school funding while the State of Virginia provides only 20%. This gap leaves our children and educators with limited opportunities with regard to academics and extracurricular activities. Our students and educators deserve the opportunity to thrive and compete with other school systems in the state. If passed, HB1443 would put us well on our way to receiving critical funding needed to run our school system and serve students and educators in a meaningful way. Thank you for your time and attention to this very important bill - it matters!

Please support HB 1443. I am currently the Chair of Headwaters, The Rappahannock County Public Education Foundation, and I am increasingly worried about the lack of State funding support for our public schools. Similar to other rural public schools, our school funding support is generated primarily from real estate taxes. Because most of the county is taxed at an agricultural use tax rate, our revenue is lower than the LCI presumes it to be. The County is paying 80% of the public school funding while the State of Virginia provides only 20%. In 2007, Chapter 847 of the Acts of 2007 remedied this problem by allowing Bath, Highland, Rappahannock, and Surrey counties to enter into a cooperative agreement with an adjoining county to enable them to use the lower LCI of the adjoining county. The only problem with this remedy was that in 2008, Chapter 589 of the Acts of 2008 capped the level of support for Rappahannock County. At the request of the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors and the Rappahannock County School Board. Delegate Mike Webert, who represents Rappahannock County, introduced HB 1443 which would remove the cap. The bill will only effect Rappahannock County and possibly Highland County, however it would have a major impact on the ability of Rappahannock County to provide quality education to its public school students while having little impact on State Education funding in general

Please support the passage of HB1443. There are many comments submitted explaining in detail why the current enactment language restriction is very unfair to Rappahannock County's taxpayers, so there is no need repeat that information. Rural communities like Rappahannock County with small school enrollments are disadvantaged by the LCI formula (evidenced by the very high LCI values for Highland, Bath, Surry, & Rappahannock to name four). Each of these counties receives very limited state funding owing to their high LCI values (essentially maxed out) and the general assembly wisely found a way to allow schools such as ours to partner with nearby school districts to leverage their lower LCI values. This partnership concept is a great idea, unfortunately for whatever reason, the benefit to Rappahannock County (alone) was capped. Please level the playing field and eliminate this unfairly applied cap.

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision.

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision.

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. I urge your support of HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full supplemental basic funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two (2) small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Thank you for your consideration of this matter and for your service to our Commonwealth and our small community.

I am writing to support passage of HB 1443 which would increase the state share of basic aid for students in the Rappahannock County Public Schools. The Local Composite Index (LCI) used in determining state funding to RCPS is greatly flawed when assessing our local financial realities. Less than 15% of our property is taxed at fair-market value, a number that is 50% of the LCI equation. 40% of the LCI equation is local adjusted gross income. Having worked for Headwaters Foundation from 2014-2019 helping graduating seniors navigate the financial aid process, and continuing to sit on Headwaters' Scholarship Committee, I have seen a good number of the Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for our population. Additionally, from 2015-2017, I ran Headwaters’ After-School Enrichment Program, handling scholarship requests from elementary school students in need to participate in this program. I feel confident from seeing this data and from my time living in Rappahannock County that the LCI income portion is in no way indicative of the income of the majority of our school community. Our students are deserving of additional support, something the passage of HB 1443 would help. Thank you for your support and for working to reduce the current inequity of the state funding formula. -Kathryn Habib, Board Secretary, Headwaters Foundation

I sincerely hope HB 1443 can pass and give Rappahannock County much needed relief from a formula for disbursing state aid to public schools that seems very unfair to our taxpayers. I have long supported our public schools, and greatly admire what they have accomplished with so little. Please help.

As a resident of Rappahannock County for many years, having attended the local county schools, and now as a member of the teaching faculty at RCHS, I simply cannot express how influential the outcome of this bill could be for our students. We have a longstanding tradition of making the absolute best out of what we have, which we know we are lucky to have. But the simple truth of our county demographics is that there is an enormous divide between those who have large estates on swaths of acreage, and the vast majority of students that I see walking our halls, having been one myself. As a biology teacher, I wonder before assigning a project, "Will my students be able to get to one of the nearby towns and buy art supplies? Is that going to put a strain on anyone's family, to have to buy things for a school project?". It almost brings me to tears writing this, because I have been that very family as a child and although my parents always found a way, I could see how hard it was for them at times. Having to choose between what might be the very best option for teaching my students a difficult topic, and what they, or I, might be able to afford breaks my heart. As it becomes increasingly difficult for working class families to afford to live and work in our community due to the driving force of increasing property values, folks are faced with a choice. When I was a student just over 10 years ago, our enrollment was certainly higher, and even then we saw many students leaving the public schools for local private schools or homeschooling. Myself included. At the top of my class, I took a scholarship at a nearby private school that was offering an advanced biology course that I was unable to take at Rappahannock due to lack of interest (lower enrollment/fewer options) and I would bet that budgeting was also a factor. To whom it may concern, please consider the impact that the additional funds associated with this bill could bring to the lives of our students. Help me provide the generations of the future with the best quality education possible without having their family income play a factor in lesson planning. Our students deserve to feel like they have the same opportunities as students of all socioeconomic strata. Thank you for you time and consideration.

I'm writing to support passage of HB 1443 which would increase the state share of basic add for students in the Rappahannock County Public Schools. As a past chair of the Headwaters Foundation, and a member of several citizen committees for the RCPS, I've worked with other concerned citizens for the past 10 years to maintain local public funding for our schools--a challenge given the demographic realities of Rappahannock County and the impact of the LCI formula. While the citizens of Rappahannock County will continue to bear the burden of providing 80% of the cost of public education, passage of this bill would help reduce the current inequity of the state funding formula. Thank you for your support. Dr. Gary J. Aichele, Washington, VA

Dear Delegate Webert and the Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Public Education, Re: Letter of Support for HB 1443 Please pardon my copying the text of this message. It is much too complicated an issue for me to rewrite the salient points. I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. Enactment language in Chapter 589 of the 2008 General Assembly placed a cap where the sum of the Basic Aid and Supplemental Basic Aid cannot exceed its FY 2007 Basic Aid payment of $1,129,280. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Respectfully submitted, Kathryn Treanor 117 Mossie Lane Amissville, VA 20106

HB 1443 proposes to remove the cap that greatly inhibits the funding that Rappahannock County should receive based on the supplemental basic aid formula. Rappahannock youth are placed at a real disadvantage because of the current cap. Please vote for HB1443 and support the deserving children of Rappahannock County Virginia. Sincerely, William A Johnston

Comments Document

I am writing in support of HB 1443 which will remove a cap placed on a state subsidy program to small rural schools who qualify. This bill effectively addresses a long-standing issue of state underfunded basic aid to Rappahannock County Schools. Section 22.1-98.2, Code of Virginia, provides additional state funding to school divisions serving fewer than 1,100 students in the prior school year, in a locality that has a local composite index (LCI) of .6000 or greater, and has 65 percent or more of its local taxes generated from real estate taxes when an eligible county enters into a cooperative agreement with adjacent counties to allow supplemental aid to be based on the adjacent county’s LCI. In the last fifteen years, only two of the four eligible school districts in the Commonwealth have used this provision; however, a cap placed on supplemental basic aid in 2008 prevents only Rappahannock County from receiving the full value of this subsidy. This cap has not been lifted or changed to account for annual adjustments for rising costs, resulting in restricting the allocation to a funding level 15 years old, very nearly negating the costs of the service-sharing agreement Rappahannock County Public Schools currently holds with Madison County Public Schools. Also, as Highland County, the only other county in the Commonwealth utilizing this subsidy, is not subject to this cap, a greater inequity exists in the distribution of this important program. For example, in FY 21, Highland County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $681,224 based on Augusta County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.3769 in lieu of Highland’s composite index of 0.8000. Highland County’s FY 21 fall membership was only 184 students. Conversely, Rappahannock County received a Supplemental Basic Aid payment in the amount of $321,404 based on Madison County’s FY 21 composite index of 0.4738 in lieu of Rappahannock County’s composite index of 0.7990 even though Rappahannock County’s FY 21 fall membership was 766 students. Please consider supporting HB 1443 which will allow Rappahannock County to receive the full funding for which this provision was designed. The total fiscal effect of this action on state funding is minimal as it currently only impacts two small school districts and potentially only four small districts should all eligible districts utilize the provision. Rappahannock County continues to face fiscal challenges when working to fund innovative programs, nevermind its obligation of basic operations. With many competing priorities, unique demographics, an aging population, declining school enrollment, and limited capacity to generate tax revenue at the locality level, sustaining and building upon these types of programs requires innovative problem-solving to uncover alternative sources of funding. Two years ago, RCPS partnered with the County Government to establish the School Innovative Finance Taskforce (SIFT) to focus on researching solutions to these unique funding challenges. The Supplemental Basic Aid Amendment addressed in HB 1443 is one of the key recommendations of SIFT aimed at maximizing already available state revenue by removing an antiquated FY 07 cap on solely Rappahannock County’s distribution of this critical state subsidy program. We thank you for your time in considering this bill.

How soon we forget the nightmare that was distance learning. Or maybe none of you experienced that. These school aged children that lost time in the classroom for reading instruction will be MISSED if this FULL expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act is not passed. There are a key group of children that, yes, are soon to be in middle school (in school year 2024-2025) and struggle with reading due to the havoc caused by Covid. Please support and fund this HB1526 bill in its entirety. All of these house bills go to strengthen our schools with providing parents the knowledge they need to advocate for their children and better equipping teachers to teach within their large and neurodiverse classrooms (1:5 students are dyslexic). thank you for your service to our great Commonwealth.

I urge you to passing both HB 1526 and HB 2137. Both of these bills promote literacy programs and support desperately ended for Virginia students, especially those who struggle with reading.

As you may be aware, dyslexia a common learning disability for students of average to above average intelligence. Dyslexia affects a student's ability to read accurately and fluently and communicate his/her thoughts in writing. Since kindergarten, our son struggled with reading skills and was never accurately identified as a dyslexic in elementary school. We have spent thousands of dollars in evaluations and before-school tutoring. We pulled him from Chesterfield County public schools after 6th grade because his teachers were unable to address his IEP goals and none of his teachers nor the special education administrators were aware of specific interventions for dyslexic learners. My husband and I had to assume an unexpected private school tuition debt of $28,000/year which is truly a financial hardship on us. Thank you for unanimously passing the Virginia Literacy Act last year. Please support HB1629 and HB15265 to provide the much-needed support and interventions for dyslexic students and their families. Parents of dyslexic children, many educators and neurobiologist understand the nuances of dyslexia. As our state representatives, we hope you understand this disability to better support our kids in their most critical stages of learning! Reading is such a foundational skill to ensure a country of productive citizens! Thank you for your concern and support.

My name is Rebecca Warner and I am a founding member of Decoding Dyslexia Virginia DDVA. Ten years ago a group of mothers in Virginia started the Virginia chapter of Decoding Dyslexia. We were the 12th state to join what is now a national movement with chapters in every state as well as other countries across the globe. The dream was to not only raise dyslexia awareness and create laws to support our young children in grade school, but it was also to recreate how literacy is taught in the state of Virginia. We knew it meant a deeper conversation with higher education, policymakers, and researchers who truly understood the science of reading. HB1526 and SB1175 embody what I had fondly called the "Cadillac" of legislation. Our group envisioned doing away with teaching methods that were not evidence researched and replacing these methods with proven strategies that were backed by science. We knew we needed teachers trained in these methods, we parents needed full transparency, and we needed it all done with fidelity. This is what HB1526 and SB1175 offer. It will take time. It will take resources. It will take a cultural shift and a great deal of patience. I knew 10 years ago that my legislative effort and DDVA work would not benefit my then 10 year old son, but I knew it would help other families and perhaps my grandchildren. Finally. The Cadillac just pulled up.

My name is Shannon Duncan and I am a founding member of Decoding Dyslexia Virginia. We can't thank you enough for coming together to pass and fully fund the Virginia Literacy Act last year. I am writing to ask for your support of: HB1526 - Delegate Carrie Coyner's Virginia Literacy Act Expansion bill will expand evidence-based literacy instruction, teacher professional development, and increase reading specialists for our 4th through 8th graders. (Mirroring bill in the Senate SB1175) HB1629 - Delegate Carrie Coyner's Parent Data Portal bill will provide parents with timely access to their children’s state-sponsored assessment data so that they can participate in data-informed decisions about their children’s education. HB2137 - Delegate Karrie Delaney's bill will empower parents with the knowledge of what core/intervention curriculum is being used by each school, in addition to the job description and contact information for reading specialists/dyslexia advisors. This data must be shared publicly on the VDOE website. We are in the midst of a literacy crisis in Virginia and we need to invest in our children's literacy by ensuring they receive a curriculum rooted in science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction. We must pass HB1526/SB1175 into law and fully fund this enormous undertaking so that the children hardest hit by the pandemic (those K-2 students during the pandemic) aren't forgotten because they will be out of reach of the Virginia Literacy Act when it takes effect 2024-2025 school year. ALL children, K-8, deserve teachers who can hit the ground running and impart foundational literacy skills during their academic careers without the current wait-to-fail model that was in place for my own daughter who couldn't learn to read. Parents are their children's first and best advocate and it's important that data relating to their literacy is easily and equitably accessible no matter what district their children attend in Virginia. Reading is a right!

HB1423, HB1424, HB1514, HB1526, HB1554, HB1593*, HB1629, HB1700, HB1701, HB1713, HB1820, HB1821, HB1823, HB1824, and HB2124 because our students are having problems in public schools. More parents are removing their kids and sending them elsewhere. Previous attempts at helping only wasted tax dollars and we're not seeing anything but kids who don't know facts and can think critically. Time for a change. Lets move to report these bills and push our Virginia students to a better, more educated and equipped future! Please move to report these bills. Thank you.

I support HB1526 because our schools are failing to teach children how to read. Thanks to years of research, we now know absolutely the right way to teach reading. Passing HB1526 ensures all of our teachers in Virginia in grades 4-8 will be using the techniques proven to foster literacy and STOP using the techniques proven to hamper literacy. Voting 'yes' for HB1526 will be the easiest decision our lawmakers will have in this legislative session.

ExcelinEd in Action is pleased to support the expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act contained in HB 1526. A comprehensive early literacy policy that includes strategies to support teachers and administrators, students and their families will ensure that students have the foundational reading skills needed to learn, graduate and succeed. Virginia took a huge step forward with the passage and enactment of the Virginia Literacy Act last session, but this expansion to grades 4-8 ensures that struggling readers won't slip through the cracks as they progress in their educational career and that teachers have the training and tools necessary to serve all students. Thank you for your consideration and 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

HB1526 support: I have trained hundreds of publicly schooled kids who have fallen through the cracks to read more proficiently through core cognitive skills strengthening overlayed with a structured and explicit reading program based on the Science of Reading, delivered via a one-on-one brain training approach. I know how the brain learns to read and how to train it to read. The meta-analysis research is very clear, if kids are not reading on grade level by forth grade, around 75% of those never read on grade level. In at-risk populations, that lowers their opportunity to get a quality education and reduces their choices in life, further reducing the chances they can break out of the poverty cycle in which they were born. Thus, it is justifiable that reading is a civil right, and one which doesn't stop at 3rd grade. The 4th-8th graders contemplated in this bill are very segment most at risk of giving up on learning as a way up because there is very little remedial reading intervention today, only accommodations. If we don't intervene, we will see these numbers reflected in our public assistance and penal system down the road. Deal with the problem up front (high ROI), or pass the buck and chronically manage the symptoms downstream year after year. Thanks for your support.

I have trained hundreds of publicly schooled kids who have fallen through the cracks to read more proficiently through core cognitive skills strengthening overlayed with a structured and explicit reading program based on the Science of Reading, delivered via a one-on-one brain training approach. I know how the brain learns to read and how to train it to read. The meta-analysis research is very clear, if kids are not reading on grade level by forth grade, around 75% of those never read on grade level. In at-risk populations, that lowers their opportunity to get a quality education and reduces their choices in life, further reducing the chances they can break out of the poverty cycle in which they were born. Thus, it is justifiable that reading is a civil right, and one which doesn't stop at 3rd grade. The 4th-8th graders contemplated in this bill are very segment most at risk of giving up on learning as a way up because there is very little remedial reading intervention today, only accommodations. If we don't intervene, we will see these numbers reflected in our public assistance and penal system down the road. Deal with the problem up front (high ROI), or pass the buck and chronically manage the symptoms downstream year after year. Thanks for your support.

HB1526 asks that we expand the Virginia Literacy Act to include grades 4th through 8th so that they may receive evidence-based literacy instruction aligned with science-based reading research. As an intake coordinator for a psychology practice, I hear too many stories from parents who are just realizing that their children can not read at grade level during their first year in high school. Schools miss non-readers too often. Most parents are not told about a literacy problem until 4th grade or later, so we must include these grades within the scope of The Virginia Literacy ACT. This is especially true after the COVID years. Thank you.

The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce strongly supports HB 1526 introduced by Del. Coyner. It is critical that we provide funding to ensure that students who struggle with literacy have an equal opportunity at a quality education. On a personal note, I did not learn to read until the 6th grade. I was fortunate enough to have a mom who fought for me to get the resources in public school that I needed. When the public schools couldn't get me caught up, thanks to my mom's advocacy and dedicate research, my parents found a school that was dedicated to help children who struggled with literacy. Furthermore, I was also fortunate enough to have a father who taught me that failing doesn't define you, but it makes you stronger. Unfortunately, many children who struggle with literacy, do not see this. Even with my positive influences, it was not until I was in my thirties that I truly began to comprehend my father's teachings and see my failures in the classroom as a badge of honor, not a stigma. If it weren't for parents, I wouldn't be here today. I am outliner in the community of those who struggled with literacy as a child, not because I am special, but I have been very lucky. Delegate Coyner's bill will help ensure that all students have the opportunity to an equal education like I did. I deeply appreciate her effort and I hope the rest of the subcommittee can find it in their hearts to make the same investment in the next generation of Virginian's that my parents made in me.

Good morning members of the Education - Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee, my name is Kathryn Haines and I am Vice-Chair of the Chesterfield County Public Schools School Board, a Board firmly committed to the science of reading. I would like to share a few words of support for HB 1526 and HB 1629. If you have read the “2022 Across the Aisle Report: What Voters and Parents Want in Education by the Hunt Institute,” (https://hunt-institute.org/resources/2022/11/2022-across-the-aisle-report-what-voters-and-parents-want-in-education/) you know that these days there seems to be a larger than usual discrepancy between the desires of the loud minority and the silent majority (for example, the silent majority does not support vouchers). I am grateful to the Hunt Institute for reaching through the political noise to capture the concerns of this majority. The Hunt Institute report surveyed parents to judge support for various proposals to improve public education. One of the proposals that received exceptionally strong support? To implement evidence-based literacy programs in classrooms to improve student reading levels. When I testified on behalf of the VA Literacy Act last year, I threw out several facts on why evidence-based literacy programs are critical to the future success of our kids. I am going to assume everyone is now familiar with those facts and so I will emphasize instead that this bill is the kind of support that your constituents need and expect. In Chesterfield, where we are deeply aware of the widespread support for kids reading on or above grade level, our top performance objective is that CCPS students (including reporting groups - Black, Hispanic, FRL, SPED) will demonstrate on approved SOL assessments an English performance (reading and writing) of at least 80%. Expanding and FUNDING the VA Literacy Act will help us meet our goals as a board. I would like to draw your attention to the need to fully fund this bill. The VA Literacy Act last year came with a price tag of two million for Chesterfield (the State covered about 1 million). I am pleading with this committee to either fully fund the expansion or to free up dollars for local funding by lifting the support cap. Lifting the support cap would result in an additional ten million dollars to Chesterfield from the State. The money is there, all you have to do is to urge your colleagues to put kids before politics. I will close by offering a warm thank you to Delegate Coyner for championing this bill.

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

"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.

HB: 1556 k-9 detection team setting dogs loos on children, studies show that dogs can attack when they sense fear (walking dog behavior.com) (BCA animal hospital) . $50,000.00+ price tag! And this doesn’t include housing food. Not included in the cost is the direct cost of the trainer and law enforce t personal. Where will the funding come from?! The children will become scapegoats, unwarranted CPS cases, what schools will be targeted. Canines can be trained to be anti black (the Marshall project june 23, 2021. This brings an uncomfortable sense of Birmingham, Alabama. A VAST amount of students would benefit from mentors rather than a K-9 unit. As Chesterfield county has the MEGA MENTORS PROGRAM which has been successful. thus will be helpful to allow parents into schools rather than K-9 units HB 1695: Public high school Career Coach the following amendments should be implemented to this Bill. there should be no less than 3 staffed job coaches, collaboration with parents , school counselors, SPED COORDINATORS , apart of the IEP team, expanded to 7th grade, HB1696: teacher lunch : in order for myself to support this bill these are the questions I have. where will the additional staff be obtained while the teachers take their breaks? Has the teacher shown that they have provided direct substantive support to their students/families , attended and provided support during iep meetings. HB 1733 I do not support this bill the student shall be allowed to speak by simply providing their first and last name, grade and school name. Either verbally and or writing their name on the sign up sheet. (Assistance shall be provided by parent or caregiver) ( if needed.) the student may not have access to signing up online.

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

I am wholly opposed to HB1556, a reckless bill that would do nothing actually to secure school buildings. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to allow for K-9 detection teams in schools and their very presence would create a climate of fear instead of an atmosphere of learning and imagination. Overpolicing of schools also has disproportionate impacts on Black and Brown students and students with disabilities. If leaders in Richmond were serious about improving school safety, they would do something about gun storage in homes where a minor is present, to address the rising tide of gun violence in Virginia. That would be a real solution to a real problem. But instead, this subcommittee is taking up half-thought-out measures that would merely put the fox in the henhouse instead of solving the real issue.

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

HB1423, HB1424, HB1514, HB1526, HB1554, HB1593*, HB1629, HB1700, HB1701, HB1713, HB1820, HB1821, HB1823, HB1824, and HB2124 because our students are having problems in public schools. More parents are removing their kids and sending them elsewhere. Previous attempts at helping only wasted tax dollars and we're not seeing anything but kids who don't know facts and can think critically. Time for a change. Lets move to report these bills and push our Virginia students to a better, more educated and equipped future! Please move to report these bills. Thank you.

To Whom It May Concern: I am currently an ESOL teacher in Prince William County Schools. The school in which I work is nearly 65% English learners. I can attest to the fact that our current funding model is leaving English learners behind. I urge you to pass HB 1823 and HB 182 to provide better opportunities for our English learners. If these bills pass, we could provide more adequate state funding to support EL students and come closer to the national average for state supplemental support. It would also provide more academic rigor to our English learners. These students have the potential to be our next leaders if they are given the right support. Additionally, the opportunity to increase funding for community schools and wraparound services to support immigrant families is essential to English learners' success. Finally, as an educator, I strongly urge you to fund Virginia Board of Education updates to the Standards of Quality to increase EL instructor to student ratios more for students with less English proficiency as national experts recommend. This could make all the difference in the success of English learners. Thank you for your consideration, Emily Kubiak

"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, Juan Santacoloma support both bills as consider they crucial for the professional, personal and community future of many English Language Learners. We in Virginia provide all children K-12 education and we cannot abandon those who are in an extra need of support. These students deserve the opportunity to success, demonstrate they are good members of the Commonwealth and when possible pay back with their jobs, taxes and in many cases offering job opportunities to others in our communities. As an English Language Learner I exactly know how important is to receive any support from others. Believe me, it is crucial for our future development. When children receive positive support and help, they are going to return the same to our Commonwealth.

Edu-Futuro supports HB 1823, which expands access to college & career readiness programs for English Language Learner students (ELLs), as it provides school divisions the ability to better support ELLs students enrolling in a certain career, technical & apprenticeship programs, and college readiness and preparation programs and courses for high school ELL students, will help make sure ELLs students have meaningful access to these important programs.

Greetings Chairman and members of the Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee. It is my honor to introduce myself as Fabiana Parker, a dedicated teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Spotsylvania County Public Schools and the proud recipient of the Virginia Teacher of the Year award for 2023. I am honored to address you today in support of bills H1823 and HB1824. As an ESL educator, I am keenly aware of the pressing concern of the shortage of educators who possess the skills and qualifications to effectively support English-language learners (ELLs) in Virginia's public schools. Despite the challenges that we have faced in addressing this issue, the reality remains undeniable, that ELLs constitute the fastest-growing demographic among public school students, currently making up approximately 10% of the total student population in the United States. It is projected that this number will reach as high as 25% by 2025. These statistics serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the inadequate support and resources provided to our ELL students. While it may appear that we are currently managing to cope with this issue, the reality is that we are on the brink of a crisis that demands immediate action. To address this pressing shortage of educators, it is imperative that we take action to recruit and retain more highly qualified ESL educators in the Commonwealth to effectively meet the unique needs of ELL students. As nearly a quarter of all public school students in America will soon be English-language learners, it is essential that aspiring educators receive exposure to diverse schools and classrooms. However, this alone is not enough. As the number of ELL students continues to grow, policymakers at both the local and state levels must engage in candid and courageous discussions about ways to increase funding for ESL programs and to recognize and compensate the dedicated educators who work tirelessly to support these students. Although funding is only one aspect of the equation, it is a crucial foundation for ensuring our most marginalized students - including ELLs - receive the support and resources needed to succeed. In order to ensure that English-language learners have the opportunity to succeed, it is our responsibility to provide them with the necessary resources and support by offering funding for the implementation and expansion of career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness programs and courses specifically tailored to the needs of high school students who are limited in their English proficiency. These programs and courses provide a vital foundation for the students' future success and should be made widely accessible to them. In conclusion, I strongly urge the Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee to support bills H1823 and HB1824, as they are crucial in addressing the pressing concern of the shortage of educators who possess the skills and qualifications to effectively support English-language learners in Virginia's public schools. It is our responsibility to ensure that these students are given the opportunity to succeed, and it is imperative that we take action to recruit and retain more highly qualified ESL educators, increase funding for ESL programs, and provide funding for the implementation and expansion of career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness programs specifically tailored to the needs of ELL students. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Good Morning everyone, My name is Micael, I was an ELL student in high school, and now I’m a student at Richard Bland College of William e Mary. I’m sending this to emphasize the importance of ELL resources. Virginia’s state supplemental funding for ELL students is 13.5%, just one-third of the national average (39%). I was 14 when I got to the U.S. and started my freshman year in high school, only being able to speak a few words and greetings. I had so much to say, but couldn’t let it out, because if I had spoken, no one would understand what I was saying, it felt like I had to not just translate my words but also myself to a new country and culture. Some days I would feel so stuck, like a recently born bird that just wants to fly and whistle around, but can’t because it hasn't learned how yet, so it is forced to stay on a single tree. I was fortunate enough to have ELL resources in my high school, including all four-course levels of what was called ESL classes back then. If it wasn't for those classes and the teachers that were teaching them, I wouldn’t have passed my college preparatory classes and my SOLs, and therefore I couldn't have graduated. Perhaps I wouldn't even be speaking here today without the help of an interpreter. It’s because of those teachers and classes that I was able to succeed in my courses in my first semester of college, including Honors English. Now, why am I telling you this? Why is there a need for me to brag about the amazing ESL system I had in high school? Because not everyone in Virginia has access to those resources, I actually happened to have friends who had to come to my school, because their school didn’t offer certain levels of ESL, or just didn’t have them at all. In a traditional school year, Henrico County Public Schools have around 3,500 ESL students enrolled throughout the school district. This past year, however, the system saw around 4,400 ESL students enrolled. ESL needs to be expanded within those schools and more teachers need to be hired to face that demand, which requires support from the state. I come here today to emphasize the importance of those resources and how much they help those students and their families whether it is by helping their parents understand what a paper says, managing their business, or asking a question at a grocery store. These resources play a big role in the graduation rates of Virginia schools and their accreditation. I today on behalf of my family, friends, and students without English proficiency who have just recently come to Virginia, ask that support for ELL education increases. Thank you

HB1423, HB1424, HB1514, HB1526, HB1554, HB1593*, HB1629, HB1700, HB1701, HB1713, HB1820, HB1821, HB1823, HB1824, and HB2124 because our students are having problems in public schools. More parents are removing their kids and sending them elsewhere. Previous attempts at helping only wasted tax dollars and we're not seeing anything but kids who don't know facts and can think critically. Time for a change. Lets move to report these bills and push our Virginia students to a better, more educated and equipped future! Please move to report these bills. Thank you.

To Whom It May Concern: I am currently an ESOL teacher in Prince William County Schools. The school in which I work is nearly 65% English learners. I can attest to the fact that our current funding model is leaving English learners behind. I urge you to pass HB 1823 and HB 182 to provide better opportunities for our English learners. If these bills pass, we could provide more adequate state funding to support EL students and come closer to the national average for state supplemental support. It would also provide more academic rigor to our English learners. These students have the potential to be our next leaders if they are given the right support. Additionally, the opportunity to increase funding for community schools and wraparound services to support immigrant families is essential to English learners' success. Finally, as an educator, I strongly urge you to fund Virginia Board of Education updates to the Standards of Quality to increase EL instructor to student ratios more for students with less English proficiency as national experts recommend. This could make all the difference in the success of English learners. Thank you for your consideration, Emily Kubiak

"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, Juan Santacoloma support both bills as consider they crucial for the professional, personal and community future of many English Language Learners. We in Virginia provide all children K-12 education and we cannot abandon those who are in an extra need of support. These students deserve the opportunity to success, demonstrate they are good members of the Commonwealth and when possible pay back with their jobs, taxes and in many cases offering job opportunities to others in our communities. As an English Language Learner I exactly know how important is to receive any support from others. Believe me, it is crucial for our future development. When children receive positive support and help, they are going to return the same to our Commonwealth.

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.

Edu-Futuro supports HB 1824, as it incentivizes teachers to obtain appropriate credentials to teach English as a Second Language to English Language Learners (ELLs), similar to Virginia’s existing National Board Certification incentives. This program would increase the number of Virginia teachers who have the skills to assist ELLs to adjust quicker to American Society.

Greetings Chairman and members of the Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee. It is my honor to introduce myself as Fabiana Parker, a dedicated teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Spotsylvania County Public Schools and the proud recipient of the Virginia Teacher of the Year award for 2023. I am honored to address you today in support of bills H1823 and HB1824. As an ESL educator, I am keenly aware of the pressing concern of the shortage of educators who possess the skills and qualifications to effectively support English-language learners (ELLs) in Virginia's public schools. Despite the challenges that we have faced in addressing this issue, the reality remains undeniable, that ELLs constitute the fastest-growing demographic among public school students, currently making up approximately 10% of the total student population in the United States. It is projected that this number will reach as high as 25% by 2025. These statistics serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the inadequate support and resources provided to our ELL students. While it may appear that we are currently managing to cope with this issue, the reality is that we are on the brink of a crisis that demands immediate action. To address this pressing shortage of educators, it is imperative that we take action to recruit and retain more highly qualified ESL educators in the Commonwealth to effectively meet the unique needs of ELL students. As nearly a quarter of all public school students in America will soon be English-language learners, it is essential that aspiring educators receive exposure to diverse schools and classrooms. However, this alone is not enough. As the number of ELL students continues to grow, policymakers at both the local and state levels must engage in candid and courageous discussions about ways to increase funding for ESL programs and to recognize and compensate the dedicated educators who work tirelessly to support these students. Although funding is only one aspect of the equation, it is a crucial foundation for ensuring our most marginalized students - including ELLs - receive the support and resources needed to succeed. In order to ensure that English-language learners have the opportunity to succeed, it is our responsibility to provide them with the necessary resources and support by offering funding for the implementation and expansion of career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness programs and courses specifically tailored to the needs of high school students who are limited in their English proficiency. These programs and courses provide a vital foundation for the students' future success and should be made widely accessible to them. In conclusion, I strongly urge the Early Childhood/Innovation Subcommittee to support bills H1823 and HB1824, as they are crucial in addressing the pressing concern of the shortage of educators who possess the skills and qualifications to effectively support English-language learners in Virginia's public schools. It is our responsibility to ensure that these students are given the opportunity to succeed, and it is imperative that we take action to recruit and retain more highly qualified ESL educators, increase funding for ESL programs, and provide funding for the implementation and expansion of career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness programs specifically tailored to the needs of ELL students. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Good Morning everyone, My name is Micael, I was an ELL student in high school, and now I’m a student at Richard Bland College of William e Mary. I’m sending this to emphasize the importance of ELL resources. Virginia’s state supplemental funding for ELL students is 13.5%, just one-third of the national average (39%). I was 14 when I got to the U.S. and started my freshman year in high school, only being able to speak a few words and greetings. I had so much to say, but couldn’t let it out, because if I had spoken, no one would understand what I was saying, it felt like I had to not just translate my words but also myself to a new country and culture. Some days I would feel so stuck, like a recently born bird that just wants to fly and whistle around, but can’t because it hasn't learned how yet, so it is forced to stay on a single tree. I was fortunate enough to have ELL resources in my high school, including all four-course levels of what was called ESL classes back then. If it wasn't for those classes and the teachers that were teaching them, I wouldn’t have passed my college preparatory classes and my SOLs, and therefore I couldn't have graduated. Perhaps I wouldn't even be speaking here today without the help of an interpreter. It’s because of those teachers and classes that I was able to succeed in my courses in my first semester of college, including Honors English. Now, why am I telling you this? Why is there a need for me to brag about the amazing ESL system I had in high school? Because not everyone in Virginia has access to those resources, I actually happened to have friends who had to come to my school, because their school didn’t offer certain levels of ESL, or just didn’t have them at all. In a traditional school year, Henrico County Public Schools have around 3,500 ESL students enrolled throughout the school district. This past year, however, the system saw around 4,400 ESL students enrolled. ESL needs to be expanded within those schools and more teachers need to be hired to face that demand, which requires support from the state. I come here today to emphasize the importance of those resources and how much they help those students and their families whether it is by helping their parents understand what a paper says, managing their business, or asking a question at a grocery store. These resources play a big role in the graduation rates of Virginia schools and their accreditation. I today on behalf of my family, friends, and students without English proficiency who have just recently come to Virginia, ask that support for ELL education increases. Thank you

Comments Document

My name is Nethra Purushothaman and I am a middle schooler, and this is my written testimony. In the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session, I would like to see the following happen: Pass House Bill 1852: Public school buildings & facilities; construction & renovation, renewable energy generation facility HB1852 directs the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to develop and make recommendations on strategies to assist interested school divisions with incorporating renewable energy generation facilities in the construction or renovation of school buildings. The bill requires the Commission to report the recommendations to the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2023. This bill will give school divisions a better opportunity to acquire renewable energy. It will add educational benefits and allow students to have access to the real-world technologies that will be part of their future. It also can provide an opportunity for those that want a hands-on career installing solar which is a growing trade. But, most importantly, it will save schools precious funds. Money that can be used to increase teacher wages, improve school curriculum and help underserved students and communities. Middlesex County in south-eastern Virginia is a rural, conservative community, who originally perceived solar energy as too expensive. However, they ended up installing solar panels on 3 of their public school facilities and will save $4.74 million over the 25-year life span of these systems. Hanover County, Virginia installed solar panels on 4 schools which saved the county $202,000 between the years 2020-2022 due to rising standard electricity costs. Renewable energy prices are plummeting and savings are increasing dramatically. This is the future of energy. In Louisa County, Virginia, solar-powered wi-fi stations helped the 40% of students without reliable internet access, to connect online during the pandemic. Louisa County is expected to save $8 million through its solar systems, and with spiked energy costs in 2021 they already saved $4,000 within 6 months. These savings are being used to add new academic programs and maintain existing ones. Schools are struggling to pay their bills, and teachers are advocating for collective bargaining. At a time when prices at the gas pump are skyrocketing and oil and gas are becoming increasingly expensive day by day this is a chance to save Virginians and tax payers money. In 2022, weather disasters have cost the U.S. at least $165 billion not including the snowstorms in late December. More and more people are experiencing blackouts and damage from severe weather, which is leaving more people without electricity and heat for prolonged periods of time. Schools are not only learning environments, they are also community spaces and serve many other needs. They need to be resilient and cost effective - both of which can be met by assisting schools in acquiring renewable energy systems. Sources: New York Times: Solar Energy School Funding Richmond News: VA Schools Utilize Solar Energy

My name is Ariya Lee. I’m a middle schooler in Fairfax County. In this written testimony, I write about renewable energy and why it’s a better choice and deal than fossil fuels. In the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session, I would like to see the passing of House Bill 1852, which would “direct the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to develop and make recommendations on strategies to assist interested school divisions with incorporating renewable energy generation facilities in the construction or renovation of school buildings. The bill requires the Commission to report the recommendations to the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2023.” The bill aims to help school divisions to incorporate renewable energy in school buildings. House Bill 1852 would be beneficial, so all interested schools can be run on renewable energy. And financially, renewable energy is the better choice as well, especially for solar. The small amount of solar panels on my school’s roof —only eleven panels— saves hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year. The Inflation Reduction Act gives more savings opportunities for renewable energy. With the Inflation Reduction Act, 30% of the cost of solar can be saved. Annandale High School, a school in FCPS is estimated to save $11,000 to $22,000 in energy costs per year through solar installation—a form of renewable energy. In Hanover County, Virginia installed solar panels on 4 schools. That action saved $202,000 between the years 2020-2022 There are so many schools with this chance, but the schools have to be able to support renewable energy in the first place. Renewable energy is becoming more efficient—and cheaper. Renewable energy will keep the global temperature down and therefore prevent more natural disasters. The increasing number and intensity of natural disasters poses a threat to all. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “The U.S. has sustained 338 weather disasters since 1980 where overall damage costs hit or went past 1 billion dollars. The total cost of all these events is over 2.2 trillion dollars.” And what about when fossil fuels run out? Fossil fuels could run out by the end of the century, and unless we have switched completely to renewables, there will be a major energy crisis. Due to the war in Ukraine, gas prices skyrocketed, hitting up to five dollars a gallon. This war illuminated the fact that we can no longer rely on other countries so heavily for our energy sources. Pass HB 1852 to save schools money to be used for the community and collective bargaining. And finally, renewable energy is a much more reliable energy source. Pass this bill so money can be saved in schools, giving more funding for educational opportunities and teachers. Renewable energy is a reliable, good-deal source of energy. It is the future.

Our neighborhood elementary school is being renovated. The plan includes a new two-story building, and based on the distance from any obstructions is a perfect candidate for solar on the roof. But it is not part of the plan and noone can tell me why. Solar saves money and provides clean energy to the grid and federal incentives are there for offsetting the upfront costs. Adding solar later will be more expensive. Clearly the planning needs to come early and from the commission that oversees all school renovations and building - so please put that guidance in place by supporting this bill.

I support parents being informed of sexually explicit materials being in the school library and/or classroom. I also support removing sexually explicit materials from K-12 buildings. Curating AGE-APPROPRIATE materials for K-12 schools is NOT the same as "book banning." If a book is available for purchase at a bookstore, online, or can be reserved at a public library - then it is certainly not "banned." What can we expect next from the far left? How about 50 Shades of Grey for 10th grade English?

"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.

We support the following bill: HB 1560 High school students; development of Title IX and sexual harassment prevention training modules. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1379 We oppose the following bills: HB 1379 Public elementary and secondary school libraries; catalog of printed and audiovisual materials, etc. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1379 HB 1434 Student records; name change, court order required. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1434 HB 1448 Public school library materials; DOE to make recommendations, model policies, selection and removal. SIncerely, Sue Sargeant and Ron Smith 1318 William Street, Fredbg 22401; Rachel Sargeant 812 Daniel St, Fredbg VA 22401

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.

Before we had bills like these parents and school libraries worked together to ensure that children read the books most appropriate for them. These bills do nothing to foster relationships between school libraries and parents, instead they put those who care about children in adversarial positions. School library catalogs are already available on school websites to any member of the public which makes many of the requirements within these bills redundant. Adding requirements to notify parents every time a book is checked out puts an undue burden on already understaffed schools. These bills do nothing to further education, they do everything to stifle access and the love of reading.