The disAbility Law Center of Virginia supports any effort to ensure that students with disabilities and their families are well informed of their rights, including their right to FAPE under IDEA and reasonable accommodations under the ADA when they are dually enrolled in high school and a comprehensive community college.

As a new parent, I am very concerned about what and how public schools will be educating my child. I want an OPTION to send my child through an alternative education program and still not be required to pay taxes to something that I am specifically not using because I don't trust the quality of education that it produces. I also believe that this will increase the quality of the education produced in public schools because it will force them to now be competitive with private institutions.

I support these Bills! Most of our schools have been teaching selective content leaving out the facts. Teachers must keep their views out of the lessons. For decades, the public school curriculums are one-side. Why? There must be a variety of materials on both sides to ensure that students have access to make their own opinions based on facts.

Comments Document

Honorable Members of the House Education – K-12 Subcommittee – Thank you for the opportunity to voice support for a paid family leave program for educators as proposed in HB2286. Educators are tasked with shaping the next generation, yet too often, they are not afforded the support they need to care for their own families. Paid family leave is a critical tool to ensure teachers support they need to stay in the classroom as their lives outside the classroom change and evolve. Research shows that paid family leave improves employee retention, reduces burnout, and supports healthier outcomes for families. For educators, these benefits ripple outward, strengthening the stability and success of the students, schools, and communities they serve. Teacher turnover not only harms student performance, but it is also a logistical and financial burden, costing districts around $9,000 per teacher. Besides retirement, personal life circumstances such as pregnancy, childcare, and family care responsibilities are the primary reasons teachers leave the profession. By providing paid family leave, we not only affirm the dignity of the teaching profession but also invest in a stronger, more resilient education workforce that can continue to have positive impacts on students. I urge you to support this important policy and ensure that educators have the time and resources they need to care for their families while continuing their vital work in our schools with our students. Thank you for your leadership and for considering this crucial step forward for educators and their families. Sincerely, Ashley Mullins National Legislative Director ExcelinEd in Action Resources: • ExcelinEd Paid Parental and Family Leave FAQ: 2024_Parental Leave_FAQ • According to the most recent data on teacher turnover from the National Center for Education Statistics, 15% of teachers who leave the profession do so due to “personal life circumstances” including pregnancy, childcare, and family care responsibilities – this reason for leaving the profession is second only to retirement. • A recent RAND report found that only 32% of teachers reported having access to paid parental leave benefits, and fewer than half of those with benefits found them to be adequate. The report suggests that increased access to such policies may be an effective teacher retention strategy.

My name is Jesse Kell and I serve as the head of school at Elijah House Academy - our mission is to provide an excellent liberal arts education that is financially accessible to pre-K through 8th grade students of metro Richmond. The heart of our mission is to serve families that are economically disadvantaged. This year 85% of our students qualify for the scholarships the EISTCP provides. This represents over 150 students. To date our education improvement scholarship foundation has received ~$5MM in scholarships for EHA students as well as students attending other Richmond private schools. Regarding House Bill 2759, EHA advocates for a sunset repeal that would ensure our students have the scholarship money they need and thus offer Richmond families an accessible choice in education. Regarding House Bill 2762, EHA advocates removing limits on disbursement of these scholarship funds so as to further benefit the students and families that want an accessible choice in education. Thank you for your work on these important bills and for allowing me this opportunity to express my support of them.

Whether and to what extent to employ SROs in some or all schools within a school district is a policy decision that ought to be left to each locality. While some believe it to be self-evident that the presence of SROs on school premises makes those schools safer, there is little by way of definitive evidence to back this up. Furthermore, the presence of SROs is associated with increased disciplinary actions and referrals to law enforcement, with students with disabilities and Black students disproportionately affected by these negative consequences. Thus, the overuse of SROs may contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. Given these concerns, dLCV believes that local school districts ought to be able to weigh the pros and cons of expanding their use of SROs and decide for themselves whether and to what extent to employ SROs in their schools.

My name is Jesse Kell and I serve as the head of school at Elijah House Academy - our mission is to provide an excellent liberal arts education that is financially accessible to pre-K through 8th grade students of metro Richmond. The heart of our mission is to serve families that are economically disadvantaged. This year 85% of our students qualify for the scholarships the EISTCP provides. This represents over 150 students. To date our education improvement scholarship foundation has received ~$5MM in scholarships for EHA students as well as students attending other Richmond private schools. Regarding House Bill 2759, EHA advocates for a sunset repeal that would ensure our students have the scholarship money they need and thus offer Richmond families an accessible choice in education. Regarding House Bill 2762, EHA advocates removing limits on disbursement of these scholarship funds so as to further benefit the students and families that want an accessible choice in education. Thank you for your work on these important bills and for allowing me this opportunity to express my support of them.

Comments Document

Re: Please Vote NO on HB 2551 The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) is the only organization in the country founded and run by homeschool alumni that advocates for laws and policies that protect homeschooled children. CRHE exists to ensure that homeschooling is an educational tool used to lovingly prepare children for an open future. CRHE strongly opposes HB 2551 and urges legislators to vote no. HB 2551 removes the parent-qualification requirements from Virginia’s homeschooling statute. This means that any parent or guardian of a child in Virginia could homeschool that child - even if the parent or guardian has not graduated high school. The result would be that a parent or guardian could teach - and declare that their child had successfully completed - grades that the parent or guardian had not themselves completed. There is no evidence in the literature, or in the lived experiences of the homeschooled adults that CRHE represents, that this change to Virginia’s law would improve the lives of homeschooled children. In fact, CRHE has grave concerns that this change would increase the chance that homeschooled children in Virginia experience educational neglect. Some might point to the rare situation where a parent without a high school diploma recognized by the Commonwealth is nevertheless capable of homeschooling their child. But the homeschool statute already provides for that possibility. Subsection (iv) of paragraph A states that individuals without a high school diploma can nevertheless homeschool their child if they present “evidence” to show that they are able to “provide an adequate education for the child.” This provision provides flexibility while also safeguarding children’s right to an adequate education. No change is needed. Please vote no on HB 2551. ------ Re: Please Vote NO on HB 2598 The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) is the only organization in the country founded and run by homeschool alumni that advocates for laws and policies that protect homeschooled children. CRHE exists to ensure that homeschooling is an educational tool used to lovingly prepare children for an open future. CRHE strongly opposes HB 2598 and urges legislators to vote no. HB 2598 provides an additional mechanism for stopping conduct already prohibited by Section 22.1-254.1(G) of the Virginia Code. Namely, school districts are not allowed to share information about the homeschooled children in their districts with Virginia’s Department of Education. That prohibition prevents Virginia’s Department of Education from knowing how its homeschooled children are faring. It also prevents comparisons between counties so that we can better learn which policies most benefit homeschooled children. CRHE opposes such restrictions on the sharing of data because a child’s education should not be a black box. Please vote no on HB 2598.

I strongly support this bill, which upholds the rights of parents to direct the education of their children without unnecessary and subjective barriers imposed by school boards or superintendents. Parents are the primary educators of their children, and this legislation rightly acknowledges that a parent’s ability to provide a meaningful and effective education should not be determined by arbitrary criteria such as a diploma or other qualifications. Education is not a one-size-fits-all process, and removing these restrictions empowers families to make decisions that best suit their children’s unique needs, learning styles, and values. This bill maintains accountability by requiring parents to submit a curriculum description and evidence of academic progress, ensuring that students are growing academically without infringing on parental rights. It appropriately shifts the focus from bureaucratic oversight to the child’s actual educational progress and well-being. I urge lawmakers to support this bill and affirm the fundamental right of parents to educate their children at home without unwarranted interference or judgment from school boards or superintendents.

Comments Document

Re: Please Vote NO on HB 2551 The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) is the only organization in the country founded and run by homeschool alumni that advocates for laws and policies that protect homeschooled children. CRHE exists to ensure that homeschooling is an educational tool used to lovingly prepare children for an open future. CRHE strongly opposes HB 2551 and urges legislators to vote no. HB 2551 removes the parent-qualification requirements from Virginia’s homeschooling statute. This means that any parent or guardian of a child in Virginia could homeschool that child - even if the parent or guardian has not graduated high school. The result would be that a parent or guardian could teach - and declare that their child had successfully completed - grades that the parent or guardian had not themselves completed. There is no evidence in the literature, or in the lived experiences of the homeschooled adults that CRHE represents, that this change to Virginia’s law would improve the lives of homeschooled children. In fact, CRHE has grave concerns that this change would increase the chance that homeschooled children in Virginia experience educational neglect. Some might point to the rare situation where a parent without a high school diploma recognized by the Commonwealth is nevertheless capable of homeschooling their child. But the homeschool statute already provides for that possibility. Subsection (iv) of paragraph A states that individuals without a high school diploma can nevertheless homeschool their child if they present “evidence” to show that they are able to “provide an adequate education for the child.” This provision provides flexibility while also safeguarding children’s right to an adequate education. No change is needed. Please vote no on HB 2551. ------ Re: Please Vote NO on HB 2598 The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) is the only organization in the country founded and run by homeschool alumni that advocates for laws and policies that protect homeschooled children. CRHE exists to ensure that homeschooling is an educational tool used to lovingly prepare children for an open future. CRHE strongly opposes HB 2598 and urges legislators to vote no. HB 2598 provides an additional mechanism for stopping conduct already prohibited by Section 22.1-254.1(G) of the Virginia Code. Namely, school districts are not allowed to share information about the homeschooled children in their districts with Virginia’s Department of Education. That prohibition prevents Virginia’s Department of Education from knowing how its homeschooled children are faring. It also prevents comparisons between counties so that we can better learn which policies most benefit homeschooled children. CRHE opposes such restrictions on the sharing of data because a child’s education should not be a black box. Please vote no on HB 2598.

I am totally in favor of this bill which allows for an injunction to prevent the disclosure of personal information by students receiving home instruction or their parents. This legislation is crucial for protecting the privacy of families choosing home education, ensuring their personal and educational data remains confidential within the local school division. Privacy Protection: This bill directly addresses privacy concerns, safeguarding sensitive information from being shared outside the local context, aligning with the principles of privacy protection established in cases like Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo (2002), where student privacy was a key issue. Parental Control: It reinforces parental rights by giving them control over how their child's educational data is handled, respecting the family's decision to educate at home without fear of unwarranted external oversight. Encourages Home Instruction: By ensuring the confidentiality of home instruction details, this bill encourages more families to opt for this educational path, knowing their privacy will be legally protected. Reduces Bureaucratic Overreach: It limits the potential overreach of state or federal entities into local educational decisions, promoting local autonomy in line with the principles upheld in Milliken v. Bradley (1974). Legal Recourse: Providing a clear legal mechanism for families to seek injunctions against improper disclosure empowers them, ensuring they have a means to protect their rights proactively. Supports Educational Diversity: This legislation supports the diversity of educational choices by removing one of the barriers to home instruction, fostering an environment where different educational philosophies can thrive without external interference. I wholeheartedly support this bill for its comprehensive approach to privacy, parental rights, and educational freedom, making it a significant step towards respecting and protecting the choices of home-educating families.

I support HB2608

I strongly support HB2608. Asian American communities in Virginia have tirelessly advocated for more accurate and inclusive history education—education that truly reflects the contributions and experiences of diverse groups. It's essential that Virginia students gain a comprehensive understanding of our nation's history, rather than just selective portions. This bill is a meaningful step forward in ensuring that history education respects and represents all Virginians. I believe it will foster greater understanding and mutual respect among future generations.

I strongly support HB2608. Asian American communities in Virginia have tirelessly advocated for more accurate and inclusive history education—education that truly reflects the contributions and experiences of diverse groups. It's essential that Virginia students gain a comprehensive understanding of our nation's history, rather than just selective portions. This bill is a meaningful step forward in ensuring that history education respects and represents all Virginians. I believe it will foster greater understanding and mutual respect among future generations.

I support HB2608. Asian American communities in Virginia have worked hard to advocate for more accurate and inclusive history education that acknowledges the contributions and experiences of diverse groups. It is important that Virginia students learn the full history of our country, not just parts of it. This bill is a good step toward teaching a history that respects and represents all Virginians, and I believe it will help build greater understanding and respect among future generations.

I Kee Jun, support HB2608. By prioritizing well-rounded curricula, this bill will help students gain a better understanding of the contributions and histories of diverse groups, including Asian Americans. HB2608 ensures that history education reflects the experiences of all Virginians, fostering greater knowledge, respect, and connection in our communities.

I am in support of HB2608, which strengthens the Board of Education’s responsibility to ensure that Virginia’s history standards and instructional resources are comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally responsive. As an advocate for integrating Asian American history into K-12 education, I believe this bill is an important step toward creating educational materials that reflect the diverse experiences of all Virginians.

Comments Document

I am writing on behalf of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to express our support for VA HB 2618, which would improve the indoor air quality of public school buildings in Virginia and ensure the health and wellbeing of students, teachers, and staff.

Comments Document

It is no secret that Virginia's Public Schools are aging and infrastructure across the state is in dire need of updates and replacement. One major component of this infrastructure that must be prioritized and addressed this legislative session is indoor air quality. As a mother of a two year old that will likely become a Virginia public school student in just 2-3 years, this issue is very important to me. Our daughter was born at 32 weeks which meant her lungs were still underdeveloped, as is the case with most premature babies. Unfortunately this has put her at a higher risk for respiratory issues and even led to a 3 day PICU stay when she was just 8 months old due to RSV. Since then any time she has gotten sick we end up having to use a nebulizer with albuterol to help her stop coughing and are concerned that she may be asthmatic throughout her adolescence. Aside from these health concerns, our daughter is highly intelligent with a fondness for reading and loves to sing and dance while learning her numbers and letters and her father and I know she has a bright future ahead of her. It is now up to you as legislators to ensure that her learning environments and the staff that work in them are safe and have the opportunity to participate to the best learning experience possible in our public schools because her and her peers deserve it. I urge you to vote "yea" to move this legislation forward and to do what is right and what is best for each and every student and staff member in Virginia's public schools. Attached is a fact sheet created to support SB1413, the senate version of HB2618

Comments Document

The attached written testimony is in reference to HB 2618. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments.

Comments Document

The attached written testimony is in reference to HB 2618. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments.

Comments Document

In Favor Testimony for HB 2618 from Brenda Silvia-Torma, Fairfax, VA 22031

Please support Delegate Helmer's bill HB2618 on indoor air quality in schools. Students and school staff have a right to learn and work in spaces with clean air. As a public school teacher in Fairfax County, I have observed many cases of mold. In one case a pregnant colleague was ordered by her doctor to take an extended early maternity leave because of the risk to the baby when she presented with an eye irritation that only went away during extended school breaks. This issue needs quick action.

Comments Document

My name is Carla Okouchi, proud parent of two Fairfax County Public School students, FCPS music teacher, and Fairfax Education Association President-elect. Families are counting on each of you to protect the quality of our public schools while ensuring that student and staff health and safety remain a priority. I strongly support HB2618 and urge you to support this bill as an action grounded in our values. Indoor Air Quality in schools is an urgent public health crisis. Employees and students suffer from chronic mold issues, causing ongoing illnesses and absences. I experienced the loss of my voice due to black mold exposure in our schools and was almost forced out of this profession. Thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments are lost to mold and must be replaced yearly. I was able to transfer out of a sick building and continue to organize with families and employees who are concerned about this issue across the Commonwealth. Research shows safe indoor air quality enhances student learning, improves test scores, reduces chronic absenteeism and healthcare costs. This legislation is a commonsense public health and occupational safety measure. Properly maintaining our HVAC systems allow us to proactively address air pollution from wildfires and enables us to safely keep our schools open. HB2618 creates transparency surrounding the indoor environmental conditions of school buildings. The data generated could be used to better advocate for additional Federal grants to fund HVAC improvements and energy-efficiency solutions. Clean air is a human right. As parents, we send our most precious children to school facilities expecting them to be safe from harm, including invisible hazards of black mold, COVID-19, Flu, and RSV. I urge this committee to protect our students and staff by supporting HB2618 and their right to clean indoor air quality.

Good afternoon, My name is Anne Forrester. I am a Richmond resident, Richmond Public Schools teacher and the proud president of the Richmond Education Association. I strongly support HB2618 and urge you to support this bill. For the past year and a half, REA members, RPS families and members of the community have been organizing to draw attention to the unsafe and unhealthy indoor air conditions in many Richmond Public Schools facilities. I personally suffered from chronic sinusitis in 2022 and 2023 when I worked at Boushall Middle school, which I knew was being triggered from something in the building. A few months after I transferred out of the school, my former coworkers returned to classrooms with visible mold growth all over the walls and furniture. By organizing with our community, we were able to get our district and Richmond city council to fund much needed repairs to roofs and HVAC systems in last year's budget process. However, we need the general assembly to do its part in ensuring students and staff have clean air in buildings. What I want to point out is I was able to transfer out of a building making me sick. My students do not have that luxury. In fact, many of our students and their families also live in housing that has issues with mold and other allergens. They should at least be able to come to school and not have their health further jeopardized. I think one of the most upsetting things we discovered during our advocacy last year was when it came to testing. After most of the buildings in our district were tested for mold, nearly all of our preschools had mold accumulation, even dangerous molds such as black mold. That means our youngest students, or are the least able to advocate for themselves, whose immune systems are still developing, and who are at the highest risk of developing asthma were disproportionately exposed to mold and unhealthy air at school. You shouldn’t have to have to be as outspoken as I am to not be made ill from your workplace or school. I’m not a very religious person, but I think there is a bible verse that is relevant here, Matthew 25:40 , “As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me”. We can not ignore the issue of indoor air quality just because most people will be fine. What about the least of these: the preschoolers, the elderly, the disabled and immunocompromised, those too scared of losing their jobs or retribution to come forward and report workplace health concerns. I urge this committee to stand with the most vulnerable in our communities and our right to clean air in public buildings and support HB2618.