Dear House of Delegates, I am disheartened by the lack of high expectations and standards for Virginia’s schools. Many politicians and people believe throwing money at the issue will fix it. Nope Where are the parents, guardians of the students who are being disruptive and causing harm? It was Never about the salary! It was always about the poor policies, low standards and expectations for the students. Stop making excuses for some and not the others. All schools must follow The Student Code of Conduct. Fact: there are teachers and administrators who are too lazy to follow the policies and be consistent. I refuse to let this go because I know we must be fair. Schools that allow bad behavior instead of discipline and accountability are shameful. Look at our society now. Please stop covering up bad behaviors with low standards, excuses, and now metal detectors. Stop lowering standards in one place and raising standards in another. Encourage hard work and dedication without government dependency. Please stop dividing us into groups based on race, religion, gender, etc. Where is the home?

The Virginia Association of School Superintendents stands in support of HB 1604, HB 1829 and HB 1831. Thank you Dr. Tom Smith VASS

An Achievable Dream supports HB2017 as it provides a clear framework for collaboration between schools and student support agencies. By ensuring responsible data-sharing practices, the bill enables nonprofits to deliver targeted and effective programs that address the unique needs of students across the Commonwealth.

ForKids supports this bill and thanks the Delegate for bringing this legislation forward. ForKids serves seven cities in the Hampton Roads region, providing shelter, case management, educational support, and mentorship to low-income K-12 students. It takes our frontline workers roughly a year to build relationships and trust with each school's front desk; when staff changes occur, we often have to start over. We believe this legislation will be welcomed by fellow student support agencies and public-school districts, as it provides much-needed safeguards while creating bridges to support Virginia children. By expediting the exchange of time-sensitive information between school districts and nonprofit student support organizations, this bill will enhance our collective efforts to serve students effectively. We all value privacy protections and seek to build a brighter future for Virginia's students. With high levels of chronic absenteeism and a clear need for academic support for McKinney-Vento children, this legislation is a significant step forward for the Commonwealth.

Hello, thank you for taking the time to read my testimony. I am here to ask you to support HB2053. My name is Melissa Martin, I am a first year public school teacher from Orange County, Va. I am also a mom to an 11th grade daughter with dyslexia. I am also here in my capacity as an advocate with Decoding Dyslexia Virginia. I hold a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education and Elementary Education that I received in June 2022. My daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2018. Today, after years of advocacy on my part, and a lot of hard work on her part, she is in 11th grade, holding a 3.8 GPA and taking college classes. Because of her struggle I wanted to become a teacher and help kids like her. There was just one problem, my college education did not prepare me to teach children like my daughter. In my courses dyslexia was defined, and I was taught which tests could be given to identify it. There were no lessons on how to teach these students to read, there were no lessons on how to identify dyslexia. Nothing that told me it could be identified as young as 5.5 years old, nothing told me that reading skills needed to be taught a specific way in order for these kids to learn to read. I knew more about how dyslexic kids needed to be taught from my own research to help my daughter than a newly graduated teacher. I found that I knew more than ALL of her special education teachers as well. This is why HB2053 is so necessary! HB2053 asks that the VDOE audit teacher preparatory programs so that they are aligned with the Virginia Literacy Act that the General Assembly passed in 2022. The VLA will do no good if we are not training future teachers correctly. We need to hold our institutions of higher learning accountable, they need to align their instruction with state law. Asking them to “self report” is a joke! Human nature says that we want to hide our mistakes, well thats no different when it comes to our institutions of higher learning. If this bill becomes law then they will be required to change their programs which will cost them money and they don’t like to spend money. Reading should be a civil right no different to freedom of speech. Without the ability to read a person is doomed to failure. By ensuring our students are good readers we ensure no only their future but our own. Let’s ensure our new teachers are fully trained to teach students to read instead of doing what we do now, and that is constantly “playing catch up” by asking teachers to take time from the students and their own families to go back and learn how to teach these kids to read. In speaking with my colleagues last week they are all frustrated at being asked to teach kids how to read when they do not know how to do this! They were not prepared by their colleges and now are having to take many hours of Professional Development to learn how to do this and it is not in depth enough. Let's start getting ahead by teaching new teachers correctly while we help those who are already teaching with retraining. We are failing our children, we need to remember that they are the future of this state. It is our responsibility to educate them to the best of our ability and prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow. They cannot lead if they cannot read.

Please support HB2053 When a teacher knows they have successfully taught a child to read, you will keep a teacher in your school system. Please make sure that the curricula provided to our preservice teachers align with the Virginia Literacy Act by periodically reviewing the programs that are taught within Virginia teaching colleges. A principal once expressed to me that reading instruction begins with our teaching colleges. We need to go to the source for our teachers and students, so please support HB2053.

My name is Kelly Huff-Snyder and I am asking you to support HB2053. HB2053 asks that the VDOE audit teacher preparatory programs so that they are aligned with the Virginia Literacy Act that the General Assembly passed in 2022. The VLA will do no good if we are not training future teachers correctly. We need to hold our institutions of higher learning accountable, they need to align their instruction with state law. We can’t wait for them to assure us they are doing the right thing because we continue to have teacher preparation programs that are not adequately training teachers. Instead we are constantly asking teachers to take time from the students and their own families to go back and learn how to teach these kids. Having to retrain teachers is detrimental to students. I removed my children from public school because they were not getting what they needed academically and by having them fall behind, it hurt them psychologically. We had some very nice teachers in public school but they can’t teach what they do not know. Reading is fundamental to all subjects including math and if our elementary teachers do not know how to teach reading then you are doing a disservice to the students. All of this re-training takes time but it also takes money and in this day and age we don’t have the money to be spending on what teachers should already know. Please do the right thing and hold higher institutions accountable for preparing our teachers.

We don’t have time to spare in getting Virginia Colleges and Universities on board with ensuring they teach our educators instruction based on the Science of Reading and can properly identify students with learning disabilities. I am one of many parents who spent thousands of dollars having to hire tutors to teach my son how to read. I hope we can change that for future generations and that the burden of having teachers properly educated is on the Universities and colleges, not school districts having to fill the gaps in their education (which is what is happening now). Thank you for your support!

I am the Chair of the LCPS School Board and a parent leader with Decoding Dyslexia Virginia. Please support and pass Delegate Reaser’s proposed bill HB2053 (2025) and put “more teeth” into prior legislation passed in 2022 (HB419); by requiring an appropriate active baseline audit of the education preparation programs complete with a rubric, accompanying metrics, and report to the Education Committees. The problems we have with literacy instruction started in higher education and that is where they must be fixed before we see any kind of movement in NAEP or SOL. If preservice teachers do not come out of educator prep programs (EPP) prepared to teach reading, then we are throwing away taxpayer money and undercutting the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). My son, who is dyslexic, was one of the millions of students not identified Virginia’s balanced literacy screener PALS because it was not aligned with the science of reading. When finally flagged in 2nd grade, he wasn’t provided appropriate early intervention because his reading specialists used “reading recovery.” He was initially found “not eligible” for SpEd because LCPS assessors didn’t know what to look for in assessments. I fought for eligibility. Even still, he was not provided appropriate specialized instruction because his SpEd teachers were not familiar with science of reading. My journey is not unique. I paid for advocates, private evaluations, tutors, and finally private school in the middle of 7th grade because our teachers didn’t learn about how to screen, intervene or teach reading using evidence-based, structured literacy instruction including systematic, explicit, cumulative teaching and science-based reading research in EPP. I have spent almost 10 years of my life working with DDVA to write, advocate and pass bipartisan literacy bills: 1. Dyslexia training modules (2016, HB842) 2. Dyslexia advisor bill (2017, SB1516) 3. Reading specialist bill (2018, SB368) - a total bust due to higher ed self-report “assurance forms” with no accountability. 4. PALS screener workgroup bill (2019, SB1718). I also participated in the workgroup. 5. Parent notification of literacy screening and intervention bill (2020, HB410) 6. SCHEV workgroup bill (2020, HB904) designed to help higher ed discuss and figure out science of reading instruction and how to provide it in their EPP. 7. Science of reading intervention bill K-3 (2021, HB1865) 8. Reading recovery removal from add on funds bill (2022, HB418) 9. HB419 (2022) working in combination with HB319 (2022) VLA requiring a 7-year literacy audit of EPP, (predecessor to Delegate Reaser’s current proposed bill HB2053.) Last year, as a School Board member, I still had to vote to provide 4 more days of professional development for our teachers to learn the science of reading. K-12 public schools are having to bend over backwards to replace balanced literacy curriculum and resources, un-train and re-train general education teachers, reading specialists, English language specialists, special educators, and administrators. We are continuing to put the financial burden on the backs of taxpayers and oftentimes, at the mental and physical expense of K-12 staff, when the problems could be solved, or significantly reduced, if issues were addressed upstream: in the college prep programs responsible for educating our teachers BEFORE they begin their careers. It is time to move past higher ed resistance and truly hold them accountable.

Getting a GED in prison can be a challenge! I have been a tutor at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center for two and a half years. The overall process of obtaining the General Education Diploma (GED) can be an extensive challenge to an offender. An inmate is given a placement test. This test consists of reading, language, and math to determine his existing educational skills. The students are then ranked in tiers according to their level of comprehension and ability to perform successfully in the three tested areas of the placement test. Then the student is assigned to a prescribed curriculum of study known as the TABE Curriculum. TABE has four levels which increase in difficulty from E, M, D, to A. After advancing to Level A, the GED Ready Test is administered in house. The test is designed to evaluate the student and determine whether he is ready to actually take the official GED Test. Previously, the GED Ready Test was a prescreening procedure to determine whether the student would successfully pass the official General Education Diploma Test. The Ready Test was eliminated during the pandemic due to cost, lack of manpower, and time restrictions. This denied those with the ability to pass the GED test from taking it and adding more time to their educational training. The testing proctors were not always available when testing schedules were announced to students deemed ready to take the official GED Test. Sometimes the students had very short windows to prepare themselves for the test. Other times the proctors would have to reschedule the test due to institutional delays or shutdown/lockdown procedures. Study materials are limited and this to frustrates the student that really wants to apply themselves in preparation for taking the GED. Test. Often times the students would become frustrated or ill prepared to successfully pass the test because of these disruptions to the learning process. Many students would simply give up trying to take the test under such unreasonable and challenging circumstances. But those student's that forged onward to accomplish the goal of mastering the GED had a thirst to succeed. The final reward is graduation day and a feeling of pride within themselves for meeting the challenge head on in accomplishing their goal in a prison setting. Returning back to society in an ever more competitive world, a GED Diploma opens the door to better opportunities that were never available to the student prior to earning their GED. In some cases, it opens the door to pursue a college degree or a vocational trade and stop living a life of criminal activity. As a tutor and fellow incarcerated offender at Lawrenceville Adult Education School Authority, it gives me great pleasure to aide and assist my fellow incarcerated brothers to achieve their educational goals. Jonathan Lewis, #2044213 Lawrenceville Correctional Center - Transitional Community

One of the proudest moments of my incarceration was on May 12th, 1996 when I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia while incarcerated at the Southampton Correctional Center. It was a promise that I managed to keep to my mother who died of breast cancer on June 14th, 1994. During that same year, on September 12th; President Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order to eliminate the "PELL GRANT" for all incarcerated persons both Federal and State. It was the worst executive decision that any chief of state, or, legislative body could have done. When I arrived at the Southampton Correctional Center on July 12th, 1982. I had only a high school diploma to my academic creditability. I was a high school graduate with honors from the Indian River High School of the Class of 1977 in Chesapeake, Virginia. My family could not afford to finance my college education upon graduation from high school. So, I enlisted in the U.S. Army with the hopes of gaining a military career and furthering my academic education. Unfortunately, I was injured during my military training and medically discharged under honorable conditions from my intended goals. I learned that goals may be altered due to the struggles that our personal choices undergo on the journey of life. But that burning desire to achieve the impossible never left my spirit. I was the first son and member of my immediate family circle to achieve that impossible goal of obtaining a college degree. Yes, my first academic achievement during my incarceration was earning a Career Studies Certificate in Supervision on June 12, 1987 from Paul D. Camp Community College in Franklin, Virginia. Afterwards I earned an Associates in Arts and Science Degree in Education from Paul D. Camp Community College May 12, 1989. The Paul D. Camp Community College was the only local college program that took the initiative to see the benefit of bringing a high educational opportunity inside the prison walls to young men who needed to be given a second chance at succeeding in life upon their reentry to society. I meet some of the finest educational professionals from Paul D. Camp Community College who truly inspired us to thirst for a high educational opportunity. Those that could afford to achieve the financial assistance of the Pell Grant and win scholarship endorsements to complete their chosen academic goals became better men both in the prison environment and upon their release back to society. They became mentors and tutors in the prison community that inspired others to want to achieve and earn their General Education Diploma - G.E.D., or, purse a college degree. Today, I have my sights on pursuing my Master's Degree. I still have that thirst to achieve the impossible... it will be done and more someday soon. Second chances are earned. Thank you, Jonathan D. White VaDOC No.#1161021 Lawrenceville Correctional Center - Transitional Community

Both the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Valley Justice Coalition support this bill to expand education in the facilities--especially college education. Education for those incarcerated has shown to lower recidivism rates and increase employment on release. Please vote YES for HB2158.

Dear Committee Members, I am writing you in support of HB2158, which establishes a comprehensive educational system within Virginia’s correctional facilities and creates the Virginia Prison Education Task Force. What we have learned is that education is an important element for those who are incarcerated. Education lessens the likelihood that someone will recidivate, it is imperative to help them reform, and it gives them a better chance for stable employment once they are home. For those who are serving longer sentences, it gives them purpose and it also helps them to grow as individuals. This could create more positive spaces within the Department of Corrections. Public Safety also includes preparing our returning citizens to be contributing members of society. That starts with an education. Please support HB 2158.

Comments Document

Dear Chairperson Simonds and Members of the Subcommittee, My name is Bobby Vassar. I have been a Virginia resident since 1965 and currently live in Richmond. I’ve served in leadership roles for three Virginia governors and on boards for four others, including five years as Chairman of the Virginia Parole Board and eight years on the State Board of Corrections. This experience has shown me the critical role education plays in reducing recidivism and fostering successful reintegration. I strongly support House Bill 2158, which establishes a comprehensive educational system within Virginia’s correctional facilities and creates the Virginia Prison Education Task Force. The Case for Expanding Higher Education in Prisons Safer Communities Through Reduced Recidivism Education is a proven tool for reducing recidivism. Research shows that incarcerated individuals participating in higher education programs are 66% less likely to reoffend. My experience on the Parole and Correctional Boards affirms the stark difference education makes. It fosters accountability, critical thinking, and hope—qualities that contribute to safer communities. Fiscal Responsibility and Long-Term Savings Incarceration costs Virginia $61,000 per person annually. Expanding prison education can significantly reduce these costs, with national estimates suggesting savings of $365 million annually. House Bill 2158 is both morally and fiscally prudent, aligning public safety with taxpayer savings. Addressing Racial and Economic Disparities Black individuals comprise 43% of Virginia’s incarcerated population, despite being only 20% of the state’s residents. Education is a powerful equalizer that can dismantle systemic barriers and break cycles of incarceration and poverty. By enacting HB2158, Virginia can address inequities while providing new opportunities for historically marginalized communities. Strengthening Virginia’s Workforce and Economy Equipping incarcerated individuals with certifications and degrees addresses critical workforce shortages while stimulating economic growth. Education reduces dependency on social services, offering transformative benefits to individuals, their families, and communities. Breaking Intergenerational Incarceration Cycles Education’s impact extends to future generations. When incarcerated parents earn degrees, they model resilience and success for their children, reducing the likelihood of intergenerational justice involvement. Challenges and Opportunities Virginia has made strides with programs like Second Chance Pell, but these reach only a fraction of the 14,000 incarcerated individuals in the state. HB2158 addresses barriers limiting education access: Technological Gaps: Expanding digital infrastructure ensures access to modern educational tools. Program Availability: Broadening access eliminates waitlists and restrictive eligibility. Teacher Compensation: Competitive salaries attract skilled educators to correctional facilities. House Bill 2158 represents a transformative step forward. It strengthens public safety, reduces costs, addresses inequities, and builds a more inclusive economy. I urge you to support this bill. Virginia has an opportunity to lead in reentry success, workforce development, and community safety. Thank you for your consideration. I am happy to answer any questions. Respectfully, Bobby Vassar Former Chair, Virginia Parole Board

Comments Document

TESTIMONY BY Jasmine L. Tyler Executive Director, Justice Policy Institute RE: House Bill 2158 Education - K-12 Subcommittee Establishment of General System of Schools for Incarcerated Individuals Monday, January 27, 2025 Dear Chairperson and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony in strong support of HB 2158, a transformative proposal to expand higher education opportunities within Virginia’s correctional facilities. My name is Jasmine Tyler, Executive Director of the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). I also teach public policy at Georgetown University inside the Washington, DC Jail, where I’ve witnessed the life-changing power of education. As a Virginian, this issue is deeply personal. My father, who earned his GED while incarcerated, demonstrated how education can transform lives even in the most challenging circumstances. Programs like those proposed in HB 2158 provide tools to break cycles of incarceration, promote rehabilitation, and empower individuals to reenter society as skilled, hopeful contributors. The Impact of Education Education fosters hope and purpose, encouraging incarcerated individuals to envision better futures. Research shows that higher education reduces recidivism by up to 66%, saving taxpayer dollars while enhancing public safety. Programs like Second Chance Pell equip individuals with credentials for high-demand careers, addressing Virginia's severe labor shortage, where there are 48 workers for every 100 available jobs. Fiscal and Workforce Benefits Virginia spends $61,000 per year to incarcerate one individual. Expanding higher education could reduce costs by lowering recidivism rates, potentially saving millions annually. Yet, only 600 of Virginia’s 14,000 eligible individuals currently access these programs. HB 2158 creates pathways for broader participation, aligning educational opportunities with workforce demands in fields like healthcare, technology, and skilled trades. Addressing Equity Virginia’s incarcerated population reflects systemic inequities—43% are Black, though Black residents represent only 20% of the state population. HB 2158 advances equity by providing tools for economic stability and upward mobility, breaking cycles of intergenerational incarceration and creating stronger families and communities. Learning from Proven Models States like New York and California have demonstrated the success of robust prison education programs. New York’s Bard Prison Initiative graduates boast a recidivism rate below 2%. Virginia has the opportunity to replicate these successes and become a leader in correctional education. Conclusion HB 2158 is a forward-thinking solution to Virginia’s challenges, reducing incarceration costs, strengthening the workforce, and advancing equity. I urge the subcommittee to vote in favor of this transformative legislation, reaffirming the belief that every individual has the capacity to learn, grow, and contribute to our shared future. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jasmine L. Tyler Executive Director, Justice Policy Institute

Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the subcommittee. My name is Bennett Snyder. I am a senior at William & Mary, and I am currently serving as president of William & Mary’s Food for All, which is the student organization that operates the food pantries on William & Mary’s campus. I am speaking today in support of the Hunger Free Campus Act. I believe higher education can have the power to lift people out of poverty. However, simply attending an institution of higher learning is not enough for first-generation or limited-income students to lift them out of poverty. These students need support and consolidated resources. That’s what this bill will do. I’m speaking to you as a student who is well-off and whose parents both have Masters’ degrees. The systems at William & Mary to support students are in many ways designed for people like me. Even with that, I have had to jump through bureaucratic hurdles to access resources while in college. In talking with other students, I know that these hurdles are even tougher to jump over if you are first-generation or low-income – especially for basic needs like food and housing. One reason that I support this bill is that it requires participating colleges to create a task force dedicated to improving services for basic needs on campus. By requiring participating schools to do this, hurdles will be eliminated, and students will have better access to the resources they need to make it through college and to start a successful career. Our food pantries save lives and prevent students from dropping out of college. However, at William & Mary, our resources are also limited because we are a completely student-run organization managing a food pantry, with no advisor or university office supporting us. We are a club like the chess club, and our funding is like the chess club’s. This is not a sustainable model for feeding students who need food the most. This bill will provide avenues for better institutional support for our programs and reduce barriers so that low-income students can make the best of their college experience to achieve the American promise of prosperity. Thank you for your time and I encourage you to vote in favor of this bill.

I strongly support this bill, which affirms the right of parents who choose home instruction to have flexibility in demonstrating their child's progress. Parents are the primary educators of their children, and they are best positioned to determine how to measure educational growth in a way that aligns with their child’s unique learning style and pace. This bill rightly removes unnecessary overreach by school boards or superintendents by allowing parents to submit a variety of assessments or evaluations that demonstrate their child's educational progress. It respects the diversity of homeschool approaches and ensures that families are not unfairly subjected to one-size-fits-all requirements that may not reflect their child's achievements. Education should prioritize the well-being and development of the child, not administrative convenience. By empowering parents with the ability to choose an evaluation method, this legislation supports educational freedom while still ensuring accountability. I urge lawmakers to pass this bill and protect the rights of homeschooling families to oversee their child’s education without undue interference from school boards or superintendents.

Please VOTE NO on HB2606. Please see your own 2018 JLARC report on K-12 Special Education Services. https://jlarc.virginia.gov/landing-2020-special-education.asp "While VDOE’s handling of complaints validates that, in many cases, parent complaints are legitimate, it does not ensure that non-compliance is rectified." There are 27 Recommendations by JLARC for policy fixes and HB2606 is not one of them. No one anywhere in that report says that Virginia should punish families for violations which the bill has referred to in vague terms and then report them to the State Department of Education. NO ONE! Please Vote NO on HB2606 and read the JLARC report for ways to improve the Special Education System in Virginia. Reminder: Between 2010 and July 2021, Virginia families prevailed in approximately 1.5% of special education due process hearings, winning only 13 out of 847 cases statewide. In Northern Virginia, the success rate was even lower, with families winning less than 1% of cases—just 3 out of 395 during the same period. Additionally, 83% of hearing officers in Northern Virginia never ruled in favor of a family over those eleven years. Families aren't running away with the due process system and need to be reigned in. Quite the opposite. Please VOTE NO on HB2606

NO to HB2026. This only DENIES Rights of Scholars already NOT being afforded ANYHOW and Supports the Corruption and Corruptive Elements who BENEFIT from being a part of the 'Special Education Mafia'...they all know who they are... The PROOF of RICO (Organized Crimes) vs. Eryn Little which is NOT Attorney-Privileged under the Crime-Fraud Exception Rule, and THIS is exactly WHY Eryn Little has not had Access to Education as required of ALL components of IDEA, ADA/504 and Supreme Court Special Education Rulings, etc. How is it that the Parent is the ONLY party with ANY involvement in the 'Failure and Refusal' to Educate Eryn Little, under the Affirmative Obligations of the PUBLIC, Government School Division, AND THE VDOE when an LEA is Non-Compliant; with ANY real knowledge and application of Special Education Law? Because those who benefit from Oppression as like, upon Eryn, they are intentionally trained to NOT know and AVOID Laws and Regulations and NOT comply, via V-CASE and other 'unsavory organizations' with perhaps, a public facing virtuous purpose and mission, but under the surface, anything BUT, and this includes Chesterfield County Public Schools, VDOE, and Samantha Hollins, who, incidentally, went from VDOE, to Chesterfield County, then State Special Education Director of Virginia who has done anything BUT uphold the Rights of Special Education Scholars...for 6 plus years now, like HALF of a Child's Educational Career... FEEL FREE TO ASK ME FOR A DOCUMENT PROVING UNLAWFUL COLLUSIONS TO OBSTRUCT AND DENY THE RIGHTS OF ERYN LITTLE OF CHESTERFIELD. THEY ARE NOT ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEDGED UNDER THE CRIME FRAUD EXCEPTION RULE...ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY OF THESE TYPES OF DOCUMENTS ALSO ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND THEM TO ME. #EndPublicSchoolCorruption E-Mail Address IS: wendyplittle@gmail.com (I expressly PERMIT and request under the 1st Amendment that my e-mail address be published in this communication with government)

Absolutely NOT. This Bill Intentionally Defies IDEA 'Protections' for Eligible Scholars, of which multiple School Divisions are in violation day after day, REFUSING to Abide by Laws, Rules and Regulations. Those who have voted for this already, you have voted to remove protections that school divisions for many are NOT providing, and that the VDOE has been derelict in many, many years. The Public Disparagement of an individual in the comments on this bill are additionally an atrocity towards the RIGHTS of Disabled Scholars. This bill, EMPOWERS corruption existing in many School Divisions, and VCASE is very well known as the primary facilitator, with admittedly, 500 co-conspirators, between Special Education Central Office Personnel to Delay, Deny, Obstruct and REFUSE the Rights and NEEDS of Disabled Kids to funnel $$$$$ UNBRIDLED and UNCHECKED and ILLEGAL Billable Hours to 'certain law firms'....Rather than PROVIDE Education as Required Under IDEA and Grant ASSURANCES, then Weaponize the Justice System with Fraudulent and Malicious charges of Truancy and CHINS. Where is VDOE and where are my and Eryn's State Electeds Standing up Day after Day for the Right to Education for Eryn Little? Access is Key, Correct? He is to have ACCESS to Educational OPPORTUNITY EVERY DAY, not 'pending' malicious endless litigation and subject to VDOE's Non-Compliance with no less than, for CONTINUING to REFUSE to Enforce its very OWN Corrective Actions... Virginia Education and the clearly not just broken, but CORRUPT Special Education situation in Virginia has left Eryn Little with NO Joy. NO Peers. NO Friends, NO Schedule for 2.5 Years now and counting, and NO Opportunity of Mine OR His to Pursue the Constitutional RIGHT, the inalienable RIGHT, to Pursue Happiness. None of this is NOT Unintentional, as is evidenced by, despite REPEATED BEGGING for Eryn's RIGHTS to Education and an Appropriate Curriculum given his extenuating circumstances subjected to the CRIME RING/S Operating Throughout Virginia Education...Where is ANY ONE Person, ANYWHERE, but Wendy Little attempting to enforce Eryn's Rights. Day, after Day, after Day. Where are you? You either SUPPORT and/or Participate in the Corruption, or you REMOVE it and restore ALL of Eryn's overdue rights, remedy and significant restitution for ruining the LIFE and Education of a Child who was simply supposed to be removed from a Private Day School NOT Providing Educational Benefit TO the Home Zoned Public Schools for the 2022-2023 School Year...According to my watch, we are now at the end of January, 2025....still waiting. He was SUPPOSED to GRADUATE NEXT Year, 2026! There is NO In-Between here. You benefit from the Public School Crime Organizations or you take action to FULLY RESTORE ERYN LITTLE and his FAMILY, Swiftly, Fully In EVERY POSSIBLE way. 34 C.F.R. 300.300 (e) 18 USC 371 34 C.F.R. 300.149 34 C.F.R. 300.227 20 USC 1414(g) & (h) Wendy Little (Eryn's Mom)

Comments Document

Please see attached PDF of LAJC's comments in opposition to HB 2606.

Dear Madame chair and Subcommittee members: I am asking for your support of HB2606 coming before this Subcommittee January 27th.. I speak on behalf of VCASE and its 500 members who supervise special education services for the more than 180,000 students with disabilities in Virginia! VCASE is thankful that Del. Ware has sponsored HB2606 which addresses the current conflicts going on in special education due process complaints. There are a very small number of advocates who are filing and refiling duplicative due process hearing requests sometimes before the original request is adjudicated. This is called “vexatious litigation!” Wikipedia tells us that “Vexatious litigation is legal action which is brought solely to harass or subdue an adversary. It may take the form of a primary frivolous lawsuit or may be the repetitive, burdensome, and unwarranted filing of meritless motions in a matter which is otherwise a meritorious cause of action. Filing vexatious litigation is considered an abuse of the judicial process and may result in sanctions against the offender.” As a special educator, I have felt responsible to explain the very complicated procedures in special education to parents and have trained many staff toward effectively communicating, preventing, and resolving conflicts. I have worked constructively with many parents and advocates to participate in meaningful mediation and resolution of their concerns over the special education services their children need. I have said this many times, special educators do not shrink from accountability, but face accountability every day as they serve students with disabilities and their families. We are not perfect and understand the several ways parents can complain about services, but the filing of repetitive, duplicate due process complaints is an abuse of the system. These vexatious, repetitive, onerous, abusive filings of complaints have resulted in: 1. Delays in the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students. The kids lose! 2. Teachers, aides, counselors, psychologists, and school administrators are repeatedly and unnecessarily being pulled from classrooms and schools in planning for repetitive filings of due process claims. Teaching and learning lose! 3. Several staff have resigned after hostile personal attacks from a specific advocate filing such hearings. This is making it difficult as we deal with critical shortages in these positions. School staff talent is lost! 4. A statewide low percentage of due process hearing rulings in favor of parents' claims. Parents and families lose! 5. The attorney and administrative costs of due process hearings are in the tens of thousands of dollars, thousands in just the filing of such a complaint. School divisions lose! HB2606 lets us flip this scenario and most importantly create a supportive climate where our students are winners! With them, their parents receive effective advocacy. And where we can retain skilled & dedicated staff under public accountability. This bill in no way limits a families' rights to file appropriate due process complaints, request an IEP meeting, file a state complaint, ask for mediation, file an appropriate request for a due process hearing, or file a federal civil rights complaint. Again, we thank Del. Ware for bringing this bill, HB2606, forward with the amendments in the substitute. Please vote to report HB2606. Thank you! Mike Asip

I’m so confused from the context. As an autistic I absolutely want due process. I’m just confused about when it says ‘shall not have due process until…’ or ‘only claims that are substantially different.’ I fear this might make due process rights harder for us. Which is the opposite of what we need. Please double check this before it’s too late.