A middle school hallway erupts after a shoving match. Two students are involved. The behavior is identical. But when administrators start sorting out discipline, the focus quickly shifts from what happened to who the students are. One family files a complaint citing a protected characteristic. The other does not. Suddenly the same incident carries different consequences. Parents accuse the school of bias. Lawyers get involved. Trust in the system evaporates. That is how HB 53 backfires. I oppose this bill because it moves school discipline away from objective behavior and toward subjective identity-based determinations. Bullying should be addressed firmly and consistently based on conduct. HB 53 instead embeds “actual or perceived” membership in protected groups into the legal definition of bullying, making discipline dependent on how students are classified and how they "feel" rather than how they behave. For schools, this creates real risk. Administrators are forced into guessing motives, interpreting perceptions, and weighing identities. That invites grievances, uneven enforcement, and litigation. It also pressures schools to overcorrect or under-enforce, neither of which protects students. Ironically, this approach can undermine the very equity it claims to promote. When students see similar behavior punished differently, resentment grows. When rules feel political rather than fair, credibility collapses. And when vague standards are written into law, courts are more likely to strike them down, weakening future civil rights protections instead of strengthening them. Students deserve safe schools governed by clear, behavior-based rules that apply equally to everyone. HB 53 replaces clarity with confusion and fairness with hierarchy, which is why I strongly oppose it.

THIS letter is for the delegate I am a student of charlottesville high school in the grade 11 my name is YAIR i am writing in support of HB 836, for the reason my family is afraid of ice raids in schools for immigrant and citizens students.I believe we should not be afraid of learning of studying and our right to school many parents send their childs with fear to school and families are scared of going to work even small necessities like shopping groceries to feed their families and is inhuman to detain kids of school and i opened my opinion to (HB 836) support.

I strongly oppose HB 53. As a retired public-school educator and a current school board member, I am troubled by the shift of discipline decisions away from conduct-based judgment and local discretion and toward identity-based definitions, mandatory processes, and state-controlled reporting systems. If enacted, the board would remain fully accountable for school safety and outcomes but with less authority and more compliance obligations. I am especially concerned about redefining the definition of bullying and trying to objectively determine what qualifies as a “power imbalance.” This could shift discipline analysis from what happened to who a student is perceived to be, increasing subjectivity and making consistent enforcement more difficult. I foresee a resultant surge of complaints and appeals, along with increased claims of unequal discipline or viewpoint discrimination, with fewer clear standards to stand on.

School districts of all sizes in Virginia face special education staffing shortages, which is resulting in self-contained classroom age ranges as large as K-6. This places significant strain on teachers expected to cover seven grade levels of curriculum at once. IDEA requires that each child’s educational placement be individually determined and aligned with age-appropriate peers unless a student’s specific needs clearly require otherwise, and it does not allow for efficiency or staffing alone to determine placement. This bill prevents the routine use of wide age ranges as a default driven by system capacity, while preserving the flexibility of IDEA’s individualized decision-making by maintaining the ability of IEP teams to make exceptions to the age range requirement when it is educationally appropriate. Pennsylvania and New York, which mirror Virginia’s mix of rural, suburban, and urban districts, successfully maintain this age range requirement with similar flexibility. This bill sets the same reasonable guardrail, ensuring placements are driven by student need rather than system limitations. I urge you to support it.

The Arc of Northern Virginia is strongly in support of HB461 and HB1331. The greatest thing we can do to drive up long term independence and drive down long term costs for people with lifelong disabilities is offer high quality, inclusive education. Both bills take critical steps in that direction. HB461 works to ensure students with similar ages are learning together, an important step in ensuring people with a full range of disabilities are used to working and learning with peers and receiving the side benefit of peer to peer mentoring and support. This is far less likely to happen with students far apart in age. HB1331 simply bring Virginia into compliance with more than 30 years of accessibility law by ensuring schools know where they are not accessible, and can therefore plan to address it. We're generations past it being the norm or understandable for people with disabilities to be told they buildings where they go to learn are not set up to welcome them.

I am the mother of a nonverbal autistic son in elementary school. For children like my son, placement matters, not just academically, but emotionally, socially, and developmentally. This bill sets a common-sense safeguard: young children with disabilities should not be placed in classrooms where the age range is so wide that it undermines learning, safety, or dignity. A six year old does not belong in a classroom with much older students simply because of a disability. Research and lived experience tell us that younger children learn best alongside peers who are close in age. Large age gaps can increase anxiety, limit meaningful social interaction, and reduce access to age appropriate instruction and play, especially for nonverbal students who already face communication barriers. Importantly, this bill does not remove flexibility. It preserves the authority of the IEP team- parents, educators, and specialists to make individualized decisions when an exception is truly in a child’s best interest. This is not about limiting options. It is about protecting our youngest and most vulnerable students, promoting inclusion, and ensuring placements are developmentally appropriate. I urge you to support this bill for equity, for dignity, and for children like my son who cannot speak for themselves.

This bill sounds helpful, but it actually makes special education disputes more complicated, slower, and more centralized. Instead of fixing problems early at the school or division level, it creates a new, state-designed dispute system with multiple tiers, mandatory mediation pressure, expanded oversight, surveys, training requirements, and four new regional ombudsman offices. That means more paperwork, more process, and more people involved before a student’s needs are resolved. Mediation can be useful when both sides freely agree to it. This bill pushes mediation as the preferred path, even in cases where parents or schools may need a clear decision quickly. For families seeking timely services, that can mean delays rather than solutions. It also blurs the role of ombudsmen. Ombuds are supposed to be neutral helpers. This bill turns them into monitors and compliance enforcers, which can undermine trust and make disputes more adversarial, not less. Finally, the bill shifts authority away from local schools and boards and into state offices, without showing that existing processes have failed or that these changes will improve outcomes for students. It builds a larger system without proving it will work better. In short, the bill adds layers of bureaucracy, slows decision-making, and risks turning support services into enforcement mechanisms—all while pulling time and resources away from students who need help now.

The American public education system has been disrupted for decades. The inconsistent system of lower standards and expectations for students is not working. Same with the constant lack of accountability for students’ behavior in classrooms. Now Harvard is teaching remedial classes. Family must be responsible for their children’s education.

I am in support of removing the provision requiring SOL tests to count for 10% of a student's grade. Students are already required to earn 5 verified credits to graduate from high school, which shows that Virginia high school students already meet rigorous requirements to graduate. Additionally, local school districts should have the autonomy to establish their own final assessment and course grading guidelines in line with cognitive science and educational research.

The Virginia Council of Administartors of Special Education has expressed opposition to the introduced version of HB497 because it mandated an unnecessary reporting of data by school divisions. We have provided draft substitute language that would ask the VDOE to collect data from existing sources and report to the committee by Nov. 2026. We have not seen the substitute as finally crafted so cannot comment and cannot be there due to a legal obligation. We respect Del. Guzman's concerns in special education ineligibility determinations and hope that any final HB497 does not add a reporting burden for localities.

I oppose this bill because it turns normal special education decisions and disagreements into state reports and public data, creating pressure to over-identify students and treat professional judgment as failure. It adds bureaucracy and public dashboards without improving services, timelines, or support for students. More reporting does not mean better outcomes, and this approach risks harming the very students it claims to help.

Dear Members of the Virginia Legislative Committee, I am writing to express my strong support for HB 686, which directs the Board of Education to develop guidance on best practices for open school enrollment policies. As a parent of a child with special needs, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of finding an educational environment that meets my child’s unique requirements. This bill represents a critical step toward ensuring families like mine have greater flexibility and access to the right educational settings. HB 686 addresses a pressing need by empowering the Board of Education to provide clear, actionable guidance to local school divisions on implementing open enrollment policies. This will allow parents to seek schools outside their assigned zones that better suit their children’s academic, social, or specialized needs. For families with students requiring specific programs or accommodations, such as those for special needs, this flexibility can be transformative. It ensures that a child is not confined to a single school simply due to geographic boundaries, but rather can attend a school equipped to foster their growth and success. Additionally, the bill promotes equity by creating opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to access high-quality education. Open enrollment policies, when guided by best practices, can help balance resources and opportunities across districts, ensuring that every child—regardless of zip code—has a chance to thrive. This is particularly meaningful for parents like me, who have struggled to find a school with the necessary support systems for a child with special needs. Without the option to choose, we are often left with limited solutions that may not fully address our children’s educational or developmental goals. On a personal level, having education choice would have made a significant difference for my family. Navigating the current system has been challenging, as we’ve been restricted to schools that, while well-intentioned, were not always the best fit for my child’s specific needs. The ability to enroll in a school with tailored programs or specialized staff could have alleviated years of frustration and provided my child with a more supportive learning environment from the start. In conclusion, I urge your support for HB 686. This bill offers a pathway to greater educational choice and equity, directly impacting families like mine who seek the best possible opportunities for our children. By establishing best practices for open enrollment, Virginia can lead the way in ensuring that every student has access to an education that meets their individual needs. Thank you for considering this vital legislation.

HB 894 crosses an important line. While protecting students from bullying matters, this bill extends state mandates into private schools, treating them like public institutions. Families choose private schools for their values, culture, and governance. HB 894 undermines that choice by imposing one-size-fits-all rules on schools that vary widely in size, mission, and capacity. The bill’s 24-hour written notification requirement sounds reasonable, but in practice it can force schools to act before facts are known, escalating conflict and increasing legal risk. Instead of thoughtful resolution, administrators are pushed toward compliance-driven responses. Most private schools already prohibit bullying, notify parents, and handle issues responsibly. This bill assumes failure where trust and discretion already exist, and replaces them with liability and regulation. The bigger concern is precedent. Once the state dictates conduct policies in private schools, it becomes easier to mandate discipline practices, speech rules, or curriculum next. HB 894 doesn’t improve student safety—it expands government control, limits flexibility, and weakens parental choice.

I strongly oppose HB 913. This bill would force the Superintendent of Public Instruction to roll back years of policy decisions and reinstate DEI and equity programs that were previously removed for good reason. Instead of letting education leaders evaluate what works and what doesn’t, HB 913 mandates a political rewind driven by ideology, not outcomes. It also raises serious legal concerns. Many of the programs and resources this bill seeks to restore promoted race-based frameworks that risk violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in federally funded programs. Reinstating them exposes school divisions and the state to unnecessary legal risk. HB 913 further undermines local control. These resources were often used to pressure school boards on curriculum, training, and policies that divided communities and sidelined parents. Bringing them back from the top down reopens conflicts schools are trying to move past. Education policy should focus on academic excellence, equal treatment under the law, and transparency, not mandated ideological programs that risk legal violations. That’s why I strongly oppose HB 913.

Comments Document

As a former Apprentice School Instructor from Newport News Shipbuilding and 7-Year Night School Teacher of Newport News Public Schools, I encourage you all to vote YES in support of HB1023. It is so important that those of us who did not take the traditional route of pursuing a degree in Elementary or Secondary Education, yet we still possess the Subject Matter Expertise, the earned career professional experience, as well as related courses that will strengthen our ability to serve as CTE Adjunct Instructors, Professors, and Teachers, while filling a critical need of identifying skilled and knowledgeable educators throughout the Commonwealth, who chooses Teaching as a second career path. Please vote YES! Thank you,

Comments Document

I think it is extremely valuable to bring in industry experts to the classroom. Students can see an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of the industry. In my experience, when I work with schools to bring special guests, it adds a lot of insight for the students, builds bridges from eduction to the work force, helps students learn how to converse with relevant industry-specific language as well as technology, keep informed of industry trends, can learn a path for themselves to enter the industry/industries post-education, picture more of a future for themselves, and/or add clarify for their future goals, and gain so many more skills/knowledge that transfers into the education environment. Furthermore, adding the Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts adds to those opportunities. It allows arts students' work to be seen, recognized, and for those who wish to pursue these fields or contribute to them in some way of the future, this starts their journey towards excellence, mastery, and/or skill acquisition. Without the diploma, students may not have the ability nor motivation to add that extra class, take a summer opportunity, etc. We can set ourselves apart from other states who do not have this option and help students have a leg up when applying to higher education institutions or other professional opportunities. Please see the attached document sighting studies, professional articles, and more with the benefits of students participating more in arts programs in schools.

Please count the passing score received on the expedited retake and exclude the score received on the assessment taken during the regular assessment administration period, The stress placed on students and schools in Virginia related to the Standards of Learning is absurd. We are not providing adequate opportunities for success. We are placing measures that are entirely too restrictive in measuring students’ and schools’ success. Not every student’s test taking abilities are an accurate measure of what they have learned. We have repeatedly learned this across the United States. Let’s pass smart policies that take past research into account. The current policies for implementation of SOL scores are not the best way possible. We need to establish greater flexibility and allowing the expedited retake to be counted as passing is one appropriate way to do so.

This is an economic issue as well as a health, safety and human rights issue. If children’s diabetes isn’t managed properly at school, they can’t maximize their academic potential. If parents don’t have faith in the school’s ability to keep their child safe and healthy, they are not only emotionally distraught but distracted at work. I know this from personal experience and having to work part-time because my son’s elementary school could not fully accommodate his needs. Please pass this bill. Thank you.

This will help a little girl I love dearly very much at school. Being 10 is hard enough , having diabetes and being 10 is even harder. She needs as much support, backed up by information, to feel safe at school.

I support the bill as a teacher and a type 1 diabetic.

As a mother of a T1D in first grade, I ask that you support this bill. It is a constant struggle getting schools on board with the changing needs. Treatment has advanced and the laws supporting these students need to keep up. Thank you for your time and support. Megan Atkinson, Hanover County resident

I highly encourage you to pass bill HB1301 in support of Va’s children living with Type One Diabetes. The current Bill is far out of date and our children, including mine deserve to have the best care possible especially when attending school.

Please support this bill. We must support students’ medical care for those with diabetes in the educational setting. As a substitute teacher, I feel passionately about this. These students need the toolbox to do their “jobs” as well as possible. It is an absolute travesty that the United States has the tools available but has not yet provided them to children. With all of the bills that are passed, this one seems to be a no brainer. Please support our diabetic children!

In support of House Bill 1301 My name is Treina Owen and this my son Karson Owen, 14. We both live with type one diabetes. I was diagnosed 30 years ago and blind due to diabetic retinopathy and Karson, diagnosed 6 years ago next month. Our daughter, Kamryn is 24 and was diagnosed at 5 years old. I support this bill because there have been many changes within the past 27 years and the code should reflect those changes. Imagine Kamryn going to the nurse’s office to receive an insulin injection through a syringe as well as a finger prick to test her blood sugar for every snack and meal she ate at school and the nurse calling each time to discuss. Imagine a her not being able to go on a school field trip unless the school nurse or parent can attend. Now, the real emergency is when the school nurse is out of school for the day with no back up to the back up. Imagine Kamryn getting picked on saying she’s the nurse’s pet because she leaves class early for lunch and gets to cut the line to get her lunch first, all while missing instruction time. That is what we experienced starting 2006. Fast forward to 2020 when Karson was diagnosed. There was no one-week stay in the hospital like his sister, just a next day Dr visit. There was a short time on injections with an insulin pen while we waited for his insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. These two life-saving technological advances, along with his cellphone and smart watch all work together via Bluetooth. Karson’s insulin pump can deliver basal units all day long and he can either manually bolus on his insulin pump or his cellphone insulin pump app. This means there is no need for insulin administration from a syringe through a school nurse. Thankfully, with all of this technology, anyone with the follow capabilities on remote devices can monitor, on multiple devices, multiple users simultaneously. If you could see my phone I’m personally following 4, to include myself on my phone, watch, and iPad. We are able to text our son about important blood sugar events throughout the day. These items are his life line. This same remote technology can be beneficial in our schools and on our school buses, where they are the closest to our children during school hours. Karson attends a speciality center and rides a regular school bus then a hub bus, to and from school which is a 1 1/2 ride. That is a long ride and he sometimes falls asleep. His bus drivers could monitor and be alerted of blood sugar emergencies to and from school in the event he isn’t just asleep. With remote devices in the school system and on school buses like iPads, cell phones, and other compatible devices with a follow app, an emergency can be detected, alerted, treated, and even prevented. Lives can be saved. Thank you for your time, effort, and consideration. Treina Owen and the rest of my family (to include 3 T1Ds and 1 T2D that uses remote follow technology)

In support of House Bill 1301 My name is Treina Owen and this my son Karson Owen, 14. We both live with type one diabetes. I was diagnosed 30 years ago and blind due to diabetic retinopathy and Karson, diagnosed 6 years ago next month. Our daughter, Kamryn is 24 and was diagnosed at 5 years old. I support this bill because there have been many changes within the past 27 years and the code should reflect those changes. Imagine Kamryn going to the nurse’s office to receive an insulin injection through a syringe as well as a finger prick to test her blood sugar for every snack and meal she ate at school and the nurse calling each time to discuss. Imagine a her not being able to go on a school field trip unless the school nurse or parent can attend. Now, the real emergency is when the school nurse is out of school for the day with no back up to the back up. Imagine Kamryn getting picked on saying she’s the nurse’s pet because she leaves class early for lunch and gets to cut the line to get her lunch first, all while missing instruction time. That is what we experienced starting 2006. Fast forward to 2020 when Karson was diagnosed. There was no one-week stay in the hospital like his sister, just a next day Dr visit. There was a short time on injections with an insulin pen while we waited for his insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. These two life-saving technological advances, along with his cellphone and smart watch all work together via Bluetooth. Karson’s insulin pump can deliver basal units all day long and he can either manually bolus on his insulin pump or his cellphone insulin pump app. This means there is no need for insulin administration from a syringe through a school nurse. Thankfully, with all of this technology, anyone with the follow capabilities on remote devices can monitor, on multiple devices, multiple users simultaneously. If you could see my phone I’m personally following 4, to include myself on my phone, watch, and iPad. We are able to text our son about important blood sugar events throughout the day. These items are his life line. This same remote technology can be beneficial in our schools and on our school buses, where they are the closest to our children during school hours. Karson attends a speciality center and rides a regular school bus then a hub bus, to and from school which is a 1 1/2 ride. That is a long ride and he sometimes falls asleep. His bus drivers could monitor and be alerted of blood sugar emergencies to and from school in the event he isn’t just asleep. With remote devices in the school system and on school buses like iPads, cell phones, and other compatible devices with a follow app, an emergency can be detected, alerted, treated, and even prevented. Lives can be saved. Thank you for your time, effort, and consideration. Treina Owen and the rest of my family (to include 3 T1Ds and 1 T2D that uses remote follow technology)

Please support this bill! It will help my sister and many others like her to feel and be more safe in their schools

It is crucial that children with Type 1 Diabetes be provided the kind of support in public schools that HB 1301 requires.

I am a retired school health nurse. In my practice over more than 20 years I was closely involved in the planning, implementing, and training of school staff and school health aids for care of students with complex health care needs, including a number of students with T1D. I am also the great aunt of a current Fairfax county student with T1D. It is essential for allignment with current technology and safe diabetes management for HB1301 to pass- it is way past time to update the language in the Code of Virginia regarding diabetes care and assure the safety of our students. Please dont miss this chance to get it right and support students' success in school and in life.

I am writing to urgently request your support for HB1301. This bill is critical for the safety and equity of students with Type 1 Diabetes in Virginia schools. Our Deep Personal Connection ~ Type 1 Diabetes impacts my entire family: I have Type 1, and my daughter was diagnosed at just 3 years old. ~ Additionally, my sister and my niece also live with Type 1 Diabetes. ~ We understand intimately that this condition requires constant vigilance and immediate action. The Rising Need ~ The incidence rate of Type 1 Diabetes has been on the rise in recent years, meaning more Virginia students than ever require support during the school day. ~ Schools must be equipped to handle this growing population safely and effectively. The Medical Necessity ~ My daughter, like many students, relies on an insulin pump. When a pump fails, blood sugar starts to spike to dangerous levels almost immediately. ~ A failed pump must be replaced instantly to maintain safety. Relying on backup methods (like injections without precise calculation tools) is extremely risky and disruptive. ~ We are fortunate that my wife and I work from home and we live only 1/2 mile from school, allowing us to intervene. However, this is not possible for most working families. The Solution HB1301 Provides ~ Current regulations often prevent willing staff from assisting with device replacements, forcing parents to leave work or risk their child's health. This creates a barrier to the "Free Appropriate Public Education" guaranteed by IDEA and Section 504. ~ HB1301 simply makes it possible for school staff who are willing to change devices to do so. ~ My daughter is now in 6th grade, and there are staff members ready and eager to help be part of her care team. This bill would finally allow them to support her fully. Please vote yes on HB1301 to ensure our schools can legally support the staff willing to keep our children safe.

Please support HB1301

Type 1 Diabetes is a long term chronic illness and caring for my Type 1 son is an all consuming job. Updating and provided the school with better technology and management abilities is critical to all children with Type 1 diabetes. Without the ability for the school nurse to monitor my son's blood sugars via the Dexcom app, I was calling the school on average 1 time a day. Some days, I talked to the nurse 4 to 5 times a day. My son is in 6th grade now and was diagnosed at age 4 (before starting school). Many times the teacher were unaware of his low blood sugars. I remember calling the school when he as in kindergarten to check on him because his blood sugar were in the low 50s and the nurse did NOT know he was low, nor was she near him to help him and the teachers were also unaware because they did not hear his alarms going off. The amazing nurse literally ran to the playground with the medical supplies to find him and help him. That was the day that I knew I couldn't trust the traditional system the schools had in place (listening for his alarms to go off and then helping him). So much as IMPROVED in diabetes technology to help all diabetics manage their chronic illness and school should be using all technology out there. Our nurse has been allowed to follow my son's blood sugar reading for the last year and half and it has been amazing! The nurse has been able to see patterns in his blood sugars and help him treat his lows and highs before they become a problem and he can stay in class and learn. I now trust in the school systems ability to properly care for my son.

Please provide assistance to our children with type 1 diabetes. I have a 6 year old with type one diabetes and the need for assistance is critical. Fear schools can not properly manage my daughter’s diabetes when I am not with her is a real concern. Thank you for your time.

We need this on behalf of ALL TD1 parents and children.

I urge you to support HB 1301. This bill will update outdated language and include definitions to better suit the changing technology that most T1Ds use, allowing them to stay safer in schools. The bill simply allows willing and trained school staff to insert insulin pumps, which is as simple as attaching a sticker and following along with simple guide on a phone app. This is a much safer alternative to having to fall back on manual injections of insulin, which has no safeguards in place for over dosing amounts that could be lethal. I appreciate your consideration and support of this bill, which will allow Type 1 Diabetics a safer day at school, to allow less distractions and provide them a chance to focus on learning instead of worrying about their health.

As a father of a Type 1 diabetic in middle school, I greatly support HB1301 and the positive impact it will make on the many lives of children who struggle with this disease every day, in and out of school. We have seen firsthand how important dedicated care and support of type 1 children help them to grow and learn as every other child in school.

This bill is integral to our communities all over the Commonwealth. Please pass this bill into law and protect our children!

I’m writing about my son, Logan. He has Type 1 diabetes and uses a pump and CGM. Every day at school, his safety depends on staff paying attention—but they aren’t. They test him only when he’s already high, dismiss the results, and sometimes refuse to help him learn if his blood sugar is off. At one point, they even suggested homeschooling instead of providing proper support. Logan eats, plays, and learns like any other kid, but managing his diabetes is not optional. He needs: • Immediate access to his pump, CGM, snacks, and supplies. • Trained staff who can assist, including giving glucagon in emergencies. • A care plan that is actually followed, not just filed away. Right now, the law on paper—like HB624 and HB1301—says schools must protect kids with diabetes. The reality? Logan is left unsafe, unsupported, and struggling just to stay alive and learn. That gap between law and practice is dangerous. I’m asking you to make sure legislation doesn’t just exist on paper. Schools must be held accountable to follow diabetes care plans so that students like Logan can be safe, independent when able, and fully included in school life. Logan is capable, smart, and wants to learn. He shouldn’t have to fight for basic safety every single day. Your support can make sure no kid has to face this at school.

I am the parent of a 10 year old boy in 5th grade and I support this bill so that my son and other children with T1D are safe and healthy and school staff are trained in diabetic care. Without these trainings, our children are at risk of complications from high or low numbers which can be life-threatening.

Please support T1D care in schools.

I am a nurse and a Type 1 Diabetic mom of a 5 year old kindergartener. This bill is extremely important to ensure the safest options are used to manage Type 1 Diabetic children everyday at school. Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors are life saving devices and they need to be replaced ASAP when they malfunction or fall off at school. If an insulin pump cannot be replaced, a child must then depend on manual injections that require an aide or RN to calculate a dose that must be 100% correct 100% of the time. This creates room for human error with this potentially lethal medication our children need to survive. Insulin pumps are by far the safest option because of the safeguards they have in place when it calculates and dispenses insulin into our children based on metrics discussed with their medical providers. Not replacing the continuous glucose monitors ASAP also creates room for medical emergencies and possible fatalities when signs and symptoms of low or high glucose are missed, especially in our most vulnerable children who are young and are dependent on adults for their care. My son cannot identify signs or symptoms yet of low or high glucose, and he doesn't show noticeable outward signs either. The continuous glucose monitor keeps him alive by relaying his glucose numbers in real time to the adults who take care of him. Finger pricking a few times a day at school if a continuous glucose monitor cannot be replaced, puts his life in jeopardy. Both devices are replaced every single day by caretakers at home, who are not licensed nurses or providers. Mature grade school children can replace them on their own. As a RN myself, alongside the fact that my son goes to a school that doesn't have a RN on site most days, I believe restricting these simple tasks to only RN's in school is not sensible and puts our children in danger if they cannot get these devices replaced ASAP. I am expressing my strong support for HB1301, which will strengthen protections for students with Type 1 Diabetes in Virginia schools. It is imperative that code written 27 years ago is updated to reflect the diabetes management students rely on today, restoring the intent of Virginia’s 1999 Safe at School Act, which was enacted to increase access to medically necessary diabetes care when a nurse is not present. This bill ensures clear guidance, safety, and collaboration so that students receive the care they need to stay safe and thrive in the classroom. On behalf of Virginia students with Type 1 Diabetes, thank you for voicing your support Sincerely, Lauren Hatcher 6113 Oakengate Way, Centreville, VA 20120, USA

Please support Hb1031 to support T1D care in schools. Thank you!

Our children deserve to be monitored at school in the event of an urgent low. Is exhausting sitting around while trying to work full-time monitor numbers all day and calling the school every time she is high our way.. medical accommodations in the school system is outdated and needs to be updated to reflect technology and the ability to help our children get taken out the classroom less for nurse visits and for parents to be confident that the school system is looking out for the best interest of these children.

Diabetes management through CGM while at school is crucial. A nurse or teacher should know when a student is going low in order to take proper action.

I am in support of HP 1301 I am in favor of changing diabetes care for children in our school I believe it important to keep up and change as technology improves the lives and health for the children Don’t get left behind while others are updating care at home and in other school systems Thank you D Thorpe

I am in support of HP 1301 I am in favor of changing diabetes care for children in our school I believe it important to keep up and change as technology improves the lives and health for the children Don’t get left behind while others are updating care at home and in other school systems Thank you D Thorpe

Please consider passing this bill. Children with diabetes need support in their school, available at any time during the day. There needs to be a plan in place to ensure any insulin needs are not being misconstrued as behavior issues. To also ensure that the medical condition is dealt with whenever necessary to ensure the child has a safe place in the school. Safety is the number one concern in schools end it is a responsibility of the teachers in administration in that school to keep each and every child safe, including children with diabetes

An update to accommodations for children with diabetes is vital! As medical treatments, medical devices and care have evolved, the law needs to reflect those changes and allow for proper accommodations!

Schools need a system that protects and empowers nurses to use modern diabetes tools and provide consistent support to children who depend on them. The technology is there. The data is there. What is missing are the clear rights, protections, and expectations that allow school nurses to safely monitor glucose data and intervene when a child needs help. HB1301 is a win-win for everyone.

I am writing to express my strong support for HB1301, introduced by Senator Jeremy McPike, which strengthens legal protections for students with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in Virginia schools. T1D is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease with no cure that requires 24/7 glucose monitoring and insulin delivery to prevent dangerous blood sugar swings that can cause seizures, coma, or death. Schools are federally obligated to provide this care in the absence of the parent, ensuring students with T1D are safe and have equal access to education. HB1301 updates and consolidates already existing Virginia Codes into one designated section. It ensures that diabetes care decisions remain with medical professionals and parents—not schools. Schools may determine “how” to implement a student’s medical plan, but not “if” they will implement it. This bill prevents schools from ignoring legal obligations and ensures equal access to care by updating outdated policies that have caused confusion and inconsistency in diabetes management for decades. I urge you to support HB1301 to protect students with T1D, create clear guidelines for parents, providers, and schools to ensure all children receive the care they need to stay safe, in class, and learning in ALL Virginia schools. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Language directing school nurses to access prescribers directly for clarification and questions per the Nurse Practice Act.

It is imperative that this bill be passed for the health and welfare of students with T1D. Children spend much of their lives in school and as such the importance of the diabetes care that they receive while in school should be stressed. Two of my own children with T1D had different experiences due to the caregivers at the elementary school they attended. My first child’s experience was positive as there was an RN at the school everyday and she had taken care of many children with T1D. My second child’s experience was much different. The nurse retired and a”clinic attendant” with no health care experience was hired. I spent many hours in person and on the phone with her until she was comfortable with caring for my child.

I am a support of HB1301 It is of urgency that we need to make a change in how we support children with type one diabetes in our schools. We need to modernize the care at school. Let’s not get left behind. Our main goal is to help children have the best education possible with the support of the school system to have diabetes support so they can maintain their health as they are away from their home for the majority of the day. Cheryl Thomas

Please support HB 1301. My 12 year old son in Fairfax County carries and uses diabetes supplies, self-checks glucose levels, and uses smart devices for care management on school property and buses. His right to this self care should be passed into law. These are basic tools he uses to manage his glucose levels and stay healthy.

My grandson Jack was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of one. I vividly remember the first day he went to school and the anxiety his parents felt leaving him in the hands of the school to administer his insulin. Those first months were not easy, and it became apparent to my son and daughter-in-law that the management of Type 1 diabetes care for children in school was a little outdated. Knowing the stress that diabetes places on a family, I would urge you to pass Bill 1301 so that parents can feel more confident in the knowledge that their child’s diabetic needs will be adequately provided for with updated management care and guidelines. Thank you.

We are a little over three years into having an elementary-aged child with type one diabetes. For the well-being and safety of my son, and other children, who have no choice in having type one diabetes, please consider updating HB1301-Thomas to make diabetes management in public schools more accessible.

I am writing in support of this bill. Please vote yes on updating standards for diabetes care training in our public schools. Our child with type 1 diabetes was nearly killed twice due to lack of training and education. Insulin is so lethal that it requires two nurses to administer in a hospital environment. Modern training would enable self-care with improved safety as is common with automated insulin delivery (AID) systems on the market today. These systems have proven to improve health and lower blood glucose without increasing the risk of severe low or highs. The training is essential to enabling an equal opportunity for children with type 1 diabetes to attend our quality public schools and not face the impossible challenge between ensuring your child will be alive at the end of the day vs. enduring the financial devastation of private school tuition. Please vote yes to protect our children!!

I strongly support the improvements this bill supports if passed.

I am a parent of a child with type one diabetes. I support this bill because as a parent and former elementary school teacher, I have seen the challenges kids face when schools deny accommodations deemed necessary by their endocrinologist. One night I was awakened by a severe low blood sugar alert from my son's glucose monitor to my phone. I ran to his room and found him on the floor having a seizure. My husband called 911 while I frantically searched through my son's go-bag for his emergency glucagon. Thanks to his glucose monitor and phone app, we were able to respond quickly, and he recovered. You see, his monitor and his phone are life-saving devices. Having them with him at school is essential. They have alerted me more times than I can count. These kids have the same right to a quality education as anyone else, and they deserve the appropriate medical accommodations so they can be safe and successful in school.

As somebody who this bill may have allowed to stay enrolled in public education as a child, I am asking you to please vote yes on updating standards for diabetes care training in our public schools.

As a parent of a child with Type 1 Disbetes for the past 6 years, I do anything I can do to support initiatives to help those with this disease. I wholeheartedly support this bill and would love to see it passed!

As the parent of a middle school aged Type 1 Diabetic, I urge you to support HB 1301. This bill will update outdated language and include definitions to better suit the changing technology that most T1Ds use, allowing them to stay safer in schools. The bill simply allows willing and trained school staff to insert insulin pumps, which is as simple as attaching a sticker and following along with simple guide on a phone app. This is a much safer alternative to having to fall back on manual injections of insulin, which has no safeguards in place for over dosing amounts that could be lethal. When the school does not allow trained and willing staff to replace pumps, it requires parents to leave work to go to the school to apply something that takes less than 5 minutes. While my job can be flexible, often it is not and this is a major disruption when the school is 45 minutes away from my job. Imagine when a parent has less flexibility, and the impossible choice between losing a job by leaving to take care of their child or staying and risking their health. When a pump wearing type 1 diabetic’s pump fails, they have no baseline insulin on board which means they can reach critically high blood sugar levels in a few hours. I appreciate your consideration and support of this bill, which will allow Type 1 Diabetics a safer day at school, to allow less distractions and provide them a chance to focus on learning instead of worrying about their health.

My 10 yr old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year in April 2025. Laws and guidelines in schools for Type 1 diabetes desperately need updating since they were last updated almost 30 years ago. Thank you for considering this for the safety of my daughter and all Type 1 students in Virginia.

I am the parent of a Virginia public school student with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Please support this bill that will update the law to meet current standards of care so that Virginia children with T1D can remain safe and healthy in school. Technology continues to advance in diabetes care and our laws must keep up with the times so that these technologies can remain in place. Thank you for your consideration.

As the parent of a middle school aged Type 1 Diabetic, I urge you to support HB 1301. This bill will update outdated language and include definitions to better suit the changing technology that most T1Ds use, allowing them to stay safer in schools. The bill simply allows willing and trained school staff to insert insulin pumps, which is as simple as attaching a sticker and following along with simple guide on a phone app. This is a much safer alternative to having to fall back on manual injections of insulin, which has no safeguards in place for over dosing amounts that could be lethal. I appreciate your consideration and support of this bill, which will allow Type 1 Diabetics a safer day at school, to allow less distractions and provide them a chance to focus on learning instead of worrying about their health.

Hello, I still stand strongly with the bill- Students with Diabetes in Virginia Public Schools! It is so important to our children facing this disease. Having the school system be a part of it is even better with more eyes on their diabetes journey. I hope the Senate will unanimously will pass this piece of legislation for the sake of our children. Thank you for your time! Mary Benek

Thank you for your support of HB1301. Our 10-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes last year and it has been a challenge for her and all of our family to adapt. We are thankful that her elementary school nurse is also type one diabetic and knows how to support her at school. The bill will ensure that our granddaughter will continue to have support at school for her diabetes while she continues her education in middle school next year and then later in high school.

This needed for all students to receive free and appointed public education.

I support HB1301 because we need to support all children and their various needs in public schools.

I fully support access to life saving medicine for ALL children and I encourage you to FUND and support speaking on behalf of ALL children.

Please vote and support of HB 1301 to keep our children who have insulin independent diabetes safe at school. At this point in time, better licensure and training is required in order to administer diabetes care to my animals than it is to my child. As a result, my child was given a life-threatening overdose of insulin during her second grade year at a public school. As a result, we had to move her to a private school for her safety. This bankrupted us. Please vote yes.

Please, do the Type 1 Families justice in passing this Bill. Our children rely on us, whom rely on you, to be our voices in Legislation.

As a Virginia and Fairfax County parent of a student who uses a wheelchair, I strongly support this bill. Accessibility is not theoretical for our family - it directly affects my son’s ability to participate in school and school-related activities. My son Spencer, a 10th grader, was a proud member of the Langley High School Varsity tennis team and helped win the Class 6 state championship. Yet at multiple high school tennis facilities, he encountered gates that were too narrow for his wheelchair. In some cases, he had to remove his wheels just to get onto the courts. That is not equal access. We have also experienced accessibility gaps at major school events, including graduation at DAR Constitution Hall, where accessible seating is extremely limited (only 14 total accessible seats for families) and difficult to navigate. These moments should be celebrations, not logistical challenges. Parents of children with disabilities are exhausted! We are constantly advocating, troubleshooting, and negotiating access one barrier at a time. That is not a workable or equitable system. This bill would shift the burden off families and toward a proactive, systematic review and planning process where it belongs. Requiring every school division to review and report accessibility barriers is a practical and necessary step. What gets measured gets fixed. A statewide summary and a funded plan will help ensure accessibility does not depend on a particular school, facility, or zip code. Students with disabilities deserve full and equal access to their education and school community. This bill moves Virginia closer to fulfilling that promise.

Accessibility in schools is a concern across the Commonwealth. The VDOE report on this from June 2021 stated that 22% of schools across the Commonwealth are not in compliance with the ADA. In Region 4, where FCPS is located, a staggering 30% of school buildings are not ADA-compliant. In fact, the only region of the state with more schools out of compliance than Northern Virginia is Region 1, Central VA. Here is just a small sampling of accessibility barriers SEPTA members have faced: Lack of access to accessible parking spots - many are located either in the bus loop or in the kiss and ride line, making them inaccessible during arrival and dismissal, when families need them most; Lack of playground accessibility & adapted equipment - especially for those who use mobility devices; Missing or broken Automatic door buttons; Broken or difficult-to-access elevators. Identifying accessibility barriers in our schools is crucial to supporting our students’ access to a free and appropriate public education. We urge you to support this bill.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments, including school districts with 50 or more employees to develop a transition plan for their compliance with the ADA. These transition plans were required to be completed by July 1992. State and local governments were also required to develop a self-evaluation of programs and services by January 1993. The transition plans included a comprehensive review of structures to determine accessibility and a timeline to bring inaccessible buildings, features, and grounds into compliance. A timeline to address needs was a required part of the plan. Most governments also included cost estimates in their plans. All new buildings designed after 1992 were required to be built according to federal accessibility requirements. After the initial 1992 plan was developed, governments were required to periodically update their plan. The 1993 self-evaluation of programs and services was required so that modifications to policies, practices and procedures could be made to ensure inclusion and access. The evaluation also reviewed programs and services to determine how effective communication such as interpreting and alternate formats of material would be provided. As House Bill 2278 was being considered and passed in 2025, VACIL recommended to the bill’s patron and subsequently to the school districts that the 1992 transition plans and the 1993 self-evaluations and subsequent updates be reviewed to determine what may not have yet been addressed. A review of these documents could have been a good starting point to accomplish the review required by last year’s legislation. The 17 Virginia Centers for Independent Living offered assistance to school districts in the development of their report required by the last year’s legislation. Some school districts did engage with the Center for Independent Living in their community for this assistance. Many of the needs of students with disabilities are addressed by their individualized education programs (IEP) or 504 Plans. However, the requirements for access, modifications, and effective communication exist not only for students but parents, educators, and others with disabilities. HB1331 provides yet another notice and opportunity for school districts to review their buildings, grounds, and policies and to address issues that continue to restrict physical, program and communication access to students and others with disabilities.

The Arc of Northern Virginia is strongly in support of HB461 and HB1331. The greatest thing we can do to drive up long term independence and drive down long term costs for people with lifelong disabilities is offer high quality, inclusive education. Both bills take critical steps in that direction. HB461 works to ensure students with similar ages are learning together, an important step in ensuring people with a full range of disabilities are used to working and learning with peers and receiving the side benefit of peer to peer mentoring and support. This is far less likely to happen with students far apart in age. HB1331 simply bring Virginia into compliance with more than 30 years of accessibility law by ensuring schools know where they are not accessible, and can therefore plan to address it. We're generations past it being the norm or understandable for people with disabilities to be told they buildings where they go to learn are not set up to welcome them.

Virginia Progressives was pleased to help find bi-partisan support for this proposal at its first introduction and we look forward to seeing key features that were removed at the Governor's desk last year added back. Securing an environment conducive to learning and to healthy development during the significant time children spend in school remains a top priority for us. Uniform testing and reporting for key pollutants will help empower communities to make progress toward this goal.

My name is Alison Kaplan and I am a School Counselor in the city of Richmond. In March of 2024, RPS preformed air quality tests at the behest of concerned staff members. Upon noticing the mention of asbestos several times throughout the report for my building, I began researching federal guidelines as they pertain to asbestos in schools (AHERA). I uncovered numerous violations, and discovered that the district was 15 years out of compliance. A major concern was that there were materials within our school that had been deemed friable years prior, but had yet to be remedied. Friable asbestos materials can release particles into the air that pose serious health risks. After a calendar year of advocacy, the remediation work was finally completed. However, we still remained well out of compliance with other regulations outlined in AHERA, so my advocacy continued. Concerns intensified this August, when we learned that the school auditorium had an extreme outbreak of mold over the summer. We had not yet received the required Air Quality Report Update that should have been completed following the asbestos remediation in March of 2025, nor did we receive one upon our return to the building this school year. Once again, my colleagues and I advocated for the health and wellness of ourselves and students. When an air quality test was completed, it was determined that our auditorium was unsafe for reentry, and it was subsequently closed for the first month of the school year while contractors worked to fix the issue. We have since learned that remediation efforts will be ongoing for the foreseeable future until an HVAC unit is able to replaced, as the current unit is not suitable for the space it serves. Throughout remediation efforts for mold, moisture, air quality, and asbestos, work was preformed throughout the school day. This compromised of cleaning, tile replacement, painting, and mold abatement. Staff and student noted harsh smells throughout the building daily. Many chose to wear masks, or complained of headaches or nausea. HB 1345 is important to me for many reasons. No public school staff member should be expected to serve as the building liaison for air quality and safety. It is expected that school districts maintain ongoing efforts to ensure a healthy school environment. Even with AHERA in place, my colleagues and I still found ourselves searching for answers and requesting documents and reports that effect our health. Educators are already overburdened with the tasks that fall within our actual job descriptions, and advocating for a healthy building over the course of two years adds undue stress. HB 1345 would ensure that this information is readily available to the public. HB 1345 would offer educators and parents some assurance that while we understand that work must be completed, we are not being inundated with harsh air containments, paint vapors, and cleaning chemicals. Any educator who works within a 75-year-old building can attest to how crucial this is. HB 1345 would ensure that engineers certified to preform testing would inspect our HVAC systems – avoiding issues like we have in our auditorium. Finally, HB 1345 would present districts with clear directives regarding plans for mold testing, moisture testing, and the removal of hazardous substances so that educators will not have to bear the burden of advocating for this commonsense testing to take place. Thank you for you time and support of HB 1345.

HB 1345 may sound like a simple health and safety bill, but it creates real problems for school boards. First, it unnecessarily limits who can perform required HVAC inspections. The bill removes state-licensed Master HVAC technicians and restricts inspections to a much smaller group of specially certified engineers. That shrinks the workforce, especially in rural areas, drives up costs, and makes it harder for divisions to meet inspection timelines without any clear evidence that safety improves. Second, the bill adds new testing requirements, including radon and moisture testing, without providing funding. These are expensive evaluations, and the cost will fall entirely on local school boards, pulling dollars away from classrooms and other safety needs. Third, HB 1345 imposes one-size-fits-all mandates that ignore local conditions. Radon and moisture risks vary widely across Virginia, yet the bill forces uniform testing regardless of actual risk or prior results, reducing local flexibility to prioritize real problems. Finally, this is another example of state micromanagement. The state dictates technical requirements, but local boards remain responsible for paying the bills and managing the facilities. Bottom line: HB 1345 increases costs, reduces local control, and creates staffing bottlenecks without guaranteeing better outcomes for students. Good safety policy should be practical and flexible, not rigid and unfunded.

Good Morning Members of the committee, Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak this morning. I was signed up this morning to speak and was on at 7:30 AM, but I had another meeting I needed to attend. I am in full support of HB1383 to provide alternatives for individuals to obtain CTE licensure. We want to emphasize the importance of licensure for teachers, however it is becoming more difficult for individuals in the field to career change to teach our youth on the application of skills due to the number of courses they must obtain before they can teach. These are individuals that have spent many years in the field and are considered experts, so having them take numerous courses to teach is quite cumbersome. We are in support of this bill because we believe there can be some flexibility for these individuals to obtain licensure. As we continue to expand pathways and opportunities for students, expanding the opportunities for individuals to obtain licensure is critical. Than you for your time. George C. Hummer Frederick County Public Schools.

Discrepancy in VDOE Licensure Requirements Regarding Curriculum and Instruction Course Completion through Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Purpose: This memorandum addresses a critical inconsistency in the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) licensure requirements concerning the acceptance of the Curriculum and Instruction course completed through the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). We respectfully request clarification and revision of the policy to align with the Code of Virginia and ensure equitable pathways to licensure for technical professionals. Issue: Our division recently encountered a significant obstacle in the licensure process for a Registered Nurse (RN) who completed the required Curriculum and Instruction course through the VCCS. Despite completing a Curriculum and Instruction course that we believed met the requirements for the VDOE license, her licensure application was rejected. The sole reason cited was that the Curriculum and Instruction course must be completed through a four-year institution, not a community college. It has come to our attention that the VDOE recognizes the EducateVA program, a VCCS workforce credential, as meeting the Curriculum and Instruction requirement. However, the RN in question completed her Curriculum and Instruction course through the for-credit side of the community college, not the workforce credential program. This distinction presents several critical issues: Lack of Transparency and Clarity: The VDOE's distinction between workforce credential and for-credit community college courses regarding this specific licensure requirement is not clearly and prominently posted on the VDOE licensure website or in published guidelines. This creates confusion and misleads applicants who rely on the information provided. Inconsistency with Code of Virginia: Our review of the Code of Virginia does not reveal any explicit requirement that the Curriculum and Instruction course for technical professional licensure must be completed at a four-year institution. Arbitrary Distinction: The distinction between workforce and for-credit community college courses, when the content of the Curriculum and Instruction course is substantially similar, appears arbitrary and lacks instructional justification. The rigor and content of the for-credit Curriculum and Instruction course, when taken in totality, should adequately meet the needs of technical professionals seeking licensure. Impact on Technical Professionals: This policy disproportionately affects technical professionals, such as RNs, who often pursue coursework through community colleges due to accessibility and affordability. The unclear distinction between workforce and for-credit courses adds another layer of complexity and potential misinterpretation. Proposed Solution: We propose the following actions: Clarify and Publicize Policy: The VDOE should immediately clarify and prominently publish the specific requirement regarding the Curriculum and Instruction course, clearly outlining the distinction between workforce credential and for-credit community college courses. Align with Code of Virginia: If no explicit requirement exists in the Code of Virginia, the VDOE should revise its policy to accept the Curriculum and Instruction course completed through the for-credit side of the VCCS, provided the content meets established standards.

Please see attached

I strongly support CTE licensure because it plays a critical role in preparing students for success beyond high school. Career and Technical Education provides hands-on learning that connects classroom instruction with real-world skills, helping students explore career paths, gain industry certifications, and enter the workforce with confidence. Allowing CTE professionals—many of whom bring years of valuable industry experience—to earn licensure ensures that students learn from experts who understand both the technical and professional demands of their fields. This strengthens our schools’ ability to meet workforce needs and builds stronger partnerships between education and industry. By supporting CTE licensure, we open doors for more qualified individuals to teach, address educator shortages in high-demand areas, and create meaningful opportunities for students who thrive through applied learning. CTE is essential to developing the next generation of skilled workers, innovators, and community leaders.