Comments Document

DOD written testimony attached. Oral testimony can be provided via Zoom.

I am with Virginia Moms for Change and oppose this bill.

I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change - a gun violence prevention organization. I support HB498 and oppose: HB222 & HB676. Please do something to prevent innocent children from dying just so people think they have the right to hunt at a moments notice.

I am a volunteer with Virginia Moms for Change, and I oppose this bill.

Our children deserve to be taken care of at licensed institutions and by those who have proper employment requirements.

I am writing this morning on behalf of all family members who may be impacted by this bill. In 2012, my 13 week old niece, Camden Lafkin, died tragically in an unlicensed daycare facility. After her death, my sister Elly Lafkin worked tirelessly to create new regulations in Virginia surrounding daycare. Delegate Orrock and Committee, by even considering this bill you all would unravel a huge step forward that Virginia has taken in the care and safety of our youngest citizens. Not a day goes by that I don't think of Camden. I wonder what she would look like, how she would act, what kind of person she'd be (a great one, undoubtedly). We should be getting ready to celebrate Camden's birthday, but instead we are preparing to gather at her graveside. My sincerest hope is that none of you know that unending ache that comes from losing a child. Please, think of Camden and all the others who we have lost to preventable causes in childcare. Please do not pass HB222 - it is, quite frankly, a risk to Virginia's children.

Oppose HB222 I write to oppose HB222 because all Virginia children and families deserve access to childcare that is safe and held to consistent standards. This bill will repeal the minimum health and safety rules for care in RE childcare centers. Rules such as safe sleep, staffing ratio, lead testing and carbon monoxide monitoring. Often, RE childcare is the most affordable option to families and safety precautions that can jeopardize the life of a child should not be different for these families and businesses than others. Please help us keep what childcare we have consistently safe so that Virginia families can know that whatever kind of care they are accessing, the minimum safety requirements are being met.

Parents For Life supports HB222. Thank you for HB 222 Delegate Orrock.

Good morning. My name is Alex Guzmán, and I am the Public Policy Officer at ChildSavers, 100-year-old nonprofit providing trauma-informed youth mental health and child development services throughout the Commonwealth. I am here this morning to speak in support of HB 358, Delegate Simond’s safe sleep bill. Our Child Development Services staff at ChildSavers work directly with child care programs – child care centers and home-based programs. Staff provide technical assistance to support licensing requirements, to help providers become licensed or voluntarily registered, and to help strengthen the quality of programs. In FY23, we served 546 providers across Virginia. Safe sleep practices are something you would think that everyone knows. But, what we see is that many people are not familiar with the safe sleep guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. For people working in licensed child care programs, compliance with the safe sleep guidelines is required. The safe sleep guidance also applies to license exempt care and to religious exempt care. The only category of regulated care that is not required to follow any safe sleep practices is Voluntarily Registered care. It’s a loophole. And, one that can have deadly consequences. The most frequent cause of deaths in babies is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. Many SIDS cases turn out to be an unsafe sleep arrangement. The American Academy of Pediatrics has reviewed infant deaths over the years. To reduce the likelihood of SIDS, they have recommended guidelines for safe sleep. It’s time to make sure that all regulated child care programs in Virginia are required to utilize safe sleep practices. These guidelines can help save lives. Please support HB 358 and pass the legislation today.

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

As a retired early childhood development specialist and child care program director I know the importance of funding for early care and education. Everyone benefits when young children’s development is supported. 90% of the brain develops before age 5. The emotional and physical health, social skills, and cognitive and linguistic capacities that emerge in the early years are all critical for success in school, the workplace, and in the larger community. Thank you for supporting this vital bill.

On behalf of the League of Women Voters Virginia, I strongly support House Bill 419. This bill strengthens the funding formula and maintains educator incentives - both of which are critical to improving the quality and accessibility of child care in the Commonwealth. Only 57% of demand for child care in Virginia is being met in the current system. That's nearly half of Virginia's children not getting access to the care their families need. This bill would ensure that much-needed funds would be allocated towards child care and, once allocated would never revert back to the general fund.  As a mom of three spending over $35,000 per year on child care, I urge your support for House Bill 419, a pivotal step towards securing a brighter future for Virginia’s children and families.

I am writing in support of HB419. As a parent and early child educator, preschool is vital to students success in kindergarten and beyond. I see a huge divide in my kindergarten class socially, academically, and behaviorally of students who attended good preschool and those who did not.

I am respectfully asking for help with this very important bill I'm working two jobs and still trying to stay afloat with barely even being able to spend quality time with my kids. Thank you Darline Meriwether

Vote YES on HB 419 to provide a stable source of public funding to early childhood education. The early childhood education system is not working for Virginia's families. Many families struggle to find safe, affordable, high-quality childcare or spend a significant proportion of their paychecks on childcare. Finding a the solution to this problem will require significant, sustained public funding, which this bill will provide. Relying on the whims of the legislature or the governor each year for funding creates instability and insecurity, further troubling an already troubled marketplace. This bill is a necessary investment in early childhood education. For Virginia's economy to work, a stable childcare system is vital, and this bill takes us a step closer to that stability.

Please support HB 419; it's clear that our nation and the commonwealth are in the midst of a childcare crisis, and we need to take meaningful, sustained action to address it. HB419's greatest strength is its commitment to sustainability; we cannot depend on a given budget or administration to determine whether early childhood is worth funding. This is a common sense piece of legislation that could have a practical, huge impact on the way we plan for childcare and early childhood development.

I support this companion bill to SB54 as the state seeks to place early childhood education on the full education continuum. This means funding this part of the system and strategies in this bill will build that in. It is also critical to recognize and incentivize teachers in high quality early learning settings who are the everyday heroes. They are helping working parents by providing full-day, full-year child care and usually don’t receive a living wage themselves. Let’s keep the momentum going to invest in early education for VA’s future - our children!

PLEASE GO TO HENRICO SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MARCH 14, 2024 LINK BELOW. READ THE LAST COMMENT ON PAGE 9 AND THE THIRD COMMENT ON PAGE 27. THIS IS WHY MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE LEGAL https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/henrico/Board.nsf/files/D3CJHX4D404E/$file/Written%20Comments%203-14-24.pdf

Good morning. My name is Alexander Guzman and I am the Public Policy Officer at ChildSavers, a 100-year-old nonprofit organization providing trauma-informed youth mental health and child development services throughout the Commonwealth. I am here this morning to speak in support of HB 508, Delegate Laura Jane Cohen’s child care substitute bill. At Childsavers, we work hands-on with over 500 child care centers across the Commonwealth. In the current competitive jobs market, we often hear child care programs are understaffed. Someone left for a higher paying job at Target, or Walmart, or McDonalds. Sometimes they give two weeks notice, sometimes they leave or resign on the spot. Exacerbating the staffing shortage is that staff may call out sick, or they need to take time off because their own child is sick, or they have paid time off like a vacation day. Between vacancies and call-outs, child care centers can really be in a bind trying to make sure that they have adequate staffing within each classroom. Sometimes this means that a child care center will open late. Sometimes it means that a child care center will close early. Sometimes it means that the Director will pause her responsibilities running the center for the day to be in the classroom. Too often, parents are impacted if they have to pick up their children early due to staffing shortages. HB 508 would enable communities to operate a child care substitute pool. The public school system regularly places substitutes. A similar child care substitute system is needed within communities as well. The substitutes would be background check cleared and meet all Virginia child care training requirements, including CPR certification. Please support HB 508. It’s time for Virginia communities to be able to tap into a child care substitute system. Thank you.

I write in support of HB536. This bill clarifies what it means to be bullied in a public school setting. As Unitarian Universalists we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people as already respected by the Virginia Human Rights Act (§ 2.2-3900 et seq.) in places of employment. It is simple common sense that a student learning how to navigate the world would be protected from bullying in school in exactly the same ways as an employee in a workplace. Speech that causes harm, exclusion, and othering needs to be recognized for the dysfunction that it is and has caused in our society. We urge advancement of this long overdue measure of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

I write in support of HB536. This bill clarifies what it means to be bullied in a public school setting. As Unitarian Universalists we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people as already respected by the Virginia Human Rights Act (§ 2.2-3900 et seq.) in places of employment. It is simple common sense that a student learning how to navigate the world would be protected from bullying in school in exactly the same ways as an employee in a workplace. Speech that causes harm, exclusion, and othering needs to be recognized for the dysfunction that it is and has caused in our society. We urge advancement of this long overdue measure of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

Support HB 536 --- and support our children in the schools!

Comments Document

Dear Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee on Education, I write to you on behalf of GLSEN, the leading national organization on LGBTQ+ issues in K-12 education. GLSEN is committed to ensuring that all youth – including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and intersex youth – have equal opportunities to thrive, grow, and reach their full potential. GLSEN works to build safe and affirming learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth while advancing racial, gender, and disability justice in education settings. GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey (NSCS) has consistently found that students identify lower rates of bullying and harassment in schools where there is an anti-bullying policy that enumerates and expressly prohibits bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Enumeration is necessary to protect all students as research has consistently shown that students experience less bullying, feel safer overall, and that teachers are more likely to intervene to prevent incidents of bullying in schools with enumerated policies. According to the NSCS (2021), only 13% of LGBTQ+ students in Virginia identified that they attended a school with a comprehensive anti-bullying/harassment policy that included specific protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Only 11% had a policy or official guidelines to support transgender and nonbinary students. Given the high percentages of LGBTQ+ students in Virginia who experience harassment at school, and the limited access to key resources and supports, we urge this committee to advance this bill and provide safe learning environments for all students. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation that specifically prohibits bullying and harassment of students in K-12 schools based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We urge the Virginia legislature to pass and implement this common-sense, widely adopted policy with all due haste. This written testimony and more information can be found in the file attached. Thank you!

Comments Document

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is grateful for the opportunity to comment in support of House Bill 536. Transgender students experience pervasive bullying and harassment at school with severe implications for their mental health and academic opportunities and performance. By including gender identity among the enumerated characteristics protected by state anti-bullying policy, HB 536 will make schools safer for transgender students. Please see the attached document for NCTE's full statement.

Comments Document

The attached document was written in support of HB 536 and highlights the positive outcomes associated with explicit LGBTQ+ protections in anti-bullying laws.

Comments Document

My name is Shannon McKay, I'm the Executive Director of He She Ze and We, a nonprofit that supports Transgender and Nonbinary people by empowering their families, allies, and communities to create life-saving, inclusive environments. I ask you to support HB536! School is where Virginia's youth spend the majority of their time. It is important that all students are respected and protected from bullying and harassment in their learning environments. To ensure that all underrepresented and marginalized students are included in protective anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies, it is important to be specific. LGBTQ students, especially gender diverse students, in VA public schools often receive harassment which includes mental, verbal, and/or physical abuse at much higher rates than their cisgender peers. LGBTQ students of color, experience much higher rates. HB536 would adjust the definition of "bullying" in the context of public education to specify that the real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor and victim includes such a power imbalance on the basis of the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, religion, or other distinguishing characteristics of the victim. By enumerating the language in a policy to include underrepresented and marginalized communities, it would protect the students whom are most vulnerable. Acknowledging the existence of students in these communities, may even help promote understanding, compassion, and respect of differences. Please vote YES on HB536! So that all of the students of all of the intersections of identities listed above can feel seen, valued, respected, and protected. Virginia has been on the right side of history in regards to laws and legislation that protect LGBTQ+ youth. I hope you will continue to protect all VA youth, which means including transgender youth. Please see the attached document with a few stats from the Trevor Project referring to the harm that anti-LGBTQ and anti-Trans legislation causes on the mental health of LGBTQ students. Thank you, Shannon McKay

Please support HB 536

I am writing in support of HB 536. As a current high school student who identifies as LGBTQ+, I have witnessed the effects of anti-LGBTQ+ behavior on my peers, and therefore recognize the importance of anti-bullying and harassment legislation that explicitly protects LGBTQ+ students. All students, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, should feel safe and supported at school, and the best way to ensure this is through legislation that clearly defines and prohibits this behavior. My peers and I deserve a safe space where we can learn without fear of bullying and harassment, and we are relying on legislation such as HB 536 to help make this a reality.

As a gay man who grew up in a small town, I was bullied all of my life. This has had a lasting impact on my self-esteem. Teachers and staff did nothing about it. If fact those doing it were on sports teams so no action would have taken. Young folks need to have protections in place.

I support HB 536. This legislation helps provide clarity to enable a school system to formulate effective policies with regard to bullying.

As a high school teacher for over twenty-five years and the mother of a non-binary child, I ask you to support HB 536. Throughout middle and high school, my child suffered mental health issues, including suicide ideation, which could have been averted if society and schools better understood the vulnerability of LGBTQ+ youth. Please help protect future young people by giving them this support.

YES

Support YES

I am writing in Support of HB 536. Established policies help students, teachers, parents, and all school staff have a support system that weathers changes in administration. Schools with anti-bullying policies report less bullying. Enumerating specific groups allows for conversations about what we all share as humans, and the opportunity to learn that there is strength in diversity. In Virginia, only 32% of LGBTQIA+ students reported the harassment they experienced; of those 32%, only 27% reported a resulting change. That's approximately 3 in 10 students reporting bullying, and then just 1 of the 3 youths experiencing any external validation of their trauma, any sense of community, sense of safety. I am childless by choice and I believe that any child has right to expect that all the adults involved in their care can be trusted with their health and well-being. I believe children have the right to feel safe at school at I believe HB 536 is a way to foster that safety.

Chair and Subcommittee Members, My name is Narissa Rahaman. I am the Executive Director of Equality Virginia, the leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in Virginia. We are in support of House Bill 536 and thank Delegate Cole for championing this critical piece of legislation that will make Virginia schools safer for all students, not just some. Current Virginia anti-bullying law does not enumerate any specific groups of students who must be protected but protects students generally. GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey has consistently found that when LGBTQI+ youth report that their school has an anti-bullying policy that enumerates and expressly prohibits bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, they are more likely to report their harassment and bullying. No student should fear going to school, but the vast majority of LGBTQ+ students in Virginia regularly heard anti-LGBTQ+ remarks. - 55% regularly heard school staff make homophobic remarks (55%) and negative remarks about someone’s gender expression (70%). - Additionally, most LGBTQ+ students in Virginia experienced anti-LGBTQ+ victimization at school. - They also experienced victimization at school based on religion (21%), disability (37%), and race/ethnicity (21%). - Most never reported the incident to school staff (68%), and of those who had, only 27% of LGBTQ+ students said that it resulted in effective staff intervention. GLSEN Research has found that students who attended schools with an enumerated policy heard fewer homophobic and racist remarks compared to students with no anti-bullying policy. These students were also less likely to perceive bullying, name-calling, or harassment as a problem at their school compared to students in schools with a generic policy or with no policy. Enumerated anti-bullying & harassment policy also supports our educators. Educators in schools with enumerated anti-bullying policies reported higher levels of comfort addressing bullying based on sexual orientation (77.7% v. 53.9%) and gender expression (72.3% v. 52.2%) than educators in schools with no anti-bullying policy. Educators report feeling “somewhat” or “very comfortable” intervening in bias-based bullying behavior based on sexual orientation (77.7%), gender expression (72.3%), and race (80.5%) in schools with an enumerated anti-bullying policy. House Bill 536 is one step in ensuring Virginia’s K-12 schools are free from bullying harassment. We urge you to support this legislation. Thank you.

I am writing in support of HB 536. As a high school counselor, it is exceedingly helpful to clearly and definitively name protected groups in anti-bullying and harassment policies when working to create a safer school environment. Clear and specific definitions provide school boards, principals, and all school employees with explicit guidance on both their actions and the expectations for student behavior, as well as the appropriate school response when these actions/behaviors are not followed. There is also extensive research showing that when antibullying and antiharassment school policies specifically list all protected classes, schools are rated as safer and have fewer incidents of bullying/harassment. As a result, students are more likely to remain in school and graduate on time.

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF VIRGINIA STATEMENT OF SUPPORT HB625 CIS of Virginia is the leading implementer of the community school framework in Virginia, serving 163 schools in partnership with 25 of the highest-need school districts, reaching 114,000 (or one in ten) Virginia students. Our evidence-based model is centered on the delivery of integrated student and family supports services within schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. CIS of Virginia urges your support of HB625 to create an Office of Community Schools within the Virginia Department of Education. This important initiative will provide a framework to support the implementation and expansion of community schools throughout the state, allowing more students to benefit from the comprehensive services and resources that community schools offer. Community schools have emerged as a proven and effective strategy for improving educational outcomes, particularly for students from low-income families and underserved communities. By addressing the non-academic barriers to learning such as poverty, health issues, and lack of family support, community schools create a holistic approach to education that fosters academic success and overall well-being. As a centralized resource for implementing and coordinating community school initiatives across Virginia, the office will ensure that community schools have the necessary support and infrastructure to thrive, and will serve as a hub for sharing best practices, resources, and data-driven strategies. For decades, CIS has demonstrated the transformative impact that these models can have on students, families, and communities. By offering a range of academic, health, and social services, community schools provide a safety net for students and families, addressing their needs in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. This approach not only improves student attendance and outcomes, but also strengthens the overall school community. The proposed Office of Community Schools would be instrumental in supporting the expansion of community schools, helping to identify schools that would benefit from adopting the community school model and providing the necessary resources and technical assistance to facilitate their transition. By leveraging the expertise and experience of the office, school districts across the state can more effectively implement and sustain community school initiatives. Furthermore, through collaboration with community organizations, local agencies, and education stakeholders, an Office of Community Schools can facilitate partnerships that enhance the range and quality of services available to students and families and help ensure that community schools are able to meet the diverse needs of their student populations. The impact of community schools extends far beyond academic achievement. These schools have been shown to improve school climate, increase parental involvement, and strengthen community engagement. By integrating services that address the social, emotional, and health needs of students, community schools help create a positive and supportive environment that fosters long-term success and a stronger workforce for the Commonwealth. Thank you for supporting this important initiative to help create a brighter future for the students of Virginia. Sincerely, Mark Emblidge, Ph.D. Founder and President Communities In Schools of Virginia

Hello. I am a parent of a 9th grader, and 1st grader and I have a Four year old starting school this fall. I believe that all of these bills will work hand in hand to bring a positive change to the Norfolk Public Schools System. Many of Norfolks schools are performng below average specifically in low income communities that are majority black. The public schools in these communities have a history of being underserved and overlooked. I believe that all students should have a quality education that will prepare them for success and ensure that they excel not only academically, but also socially and economically. The implementation of a community schools model would significantly improve the performance of the students while helping the community thrive. Community school based model assess the specific needs of the school and the community and work together with each other and organizations to provide solutions to the problems that the school needs to tackle to ensure that the students staff and parents thrive. Also, increasing childrens access to school couselors is a need that can be very beneficial to the success of students and can take the some of the burden off of the teachers. Lastly, but definitely the most important is the need for a competitive salary for our teachers. They have one of the hardest and most essential roles in the field and that is building the next generation. Teachers serve as mentors, couselors, and sometimes even mediators. Some of our teacher even have to deal with hostile enviroments. In my opinion, They deserve top dollar because they are the backbone of the community. All in all I support each of these bills and I hope that they pass.

Comments Document

DOD written testimony is attached. We will be available for oral testimony via Zoom.

Comments Document

DOD written testimony attached. Oral testimony can be provided via Zoom.