In early July, a veteran teacher opens her email while sitting at her kitchen table. She’s spent ten years in the classroom. She followed every rule. She didn’t resign. She planned childcare. She turned down other job leads because the law said she was secure after June 15. The message is short: her contract won’t be continued. Hiring season is over. Positions are filled. Health insurance is suddenly uncertain. She didn’t fail her students, and she didn’t fail her school. The system failed her. That is exactly what HB 125 makes possible. HB 125 changes a long-standing, fair rule: right now, both teachers and school boards must give notice by June 15 if a continuing contract will not be renewed. The bill keeps that deadline for teachers—but removes it for employers. Teachers must commit early. School boards no longer have to. That is not balance. That is not fairness. This bill weakens worker protections at a time when educators are already stretched thin. Democrats have always stood for notice, predictability, and equal treatment in the workplace. HB 125 undermines all three. Without a firm deadline, teachers can be left in limbo deep into the summer, unable to seek other jobs or plan for their families. That isn’t flexibility; it’s insecurity. It also rewards poor management. School divisions already have evaluation systems, budgets, and staffing projections. Removing deadlines doesn’t improve planning; it encourages delay. Last-minute nonrenewals create chaos for schools and classrooms right before the year begins, hurting students and staff alike. And it invites inequity and disputes. Open-ended timelines lead to inconsistent decisions, grievances, and due-process concerns. Clear rules protect workers and employers. Unclear ones shift power in only one direction. Supporters may argue this bill gives boards flexibility. But budget and enrollment challenges already exist, and they should never be solved by stripping workers of basic job security. The call to action is simple: If you believe in dignity at work, fair notice, and stable schools, vote NO on HB 125. This bill takes protections away from educators and shifts all the risk onto workers. Democrats who stand for workers’ rights, fairness, and respect for teachers should reject HB 125—because no one who did everything right should lose their job after the deadline passed.

A senior stays after school almost every day, paint under her fingernails, rehearsing lines in an empty auditorium, building a portfolio that represents years of discipline and creativity. Her fine arts diploma seal means something real: commitment, excellence, and talent. But now imagine her family being told that seal is also a “workforce credential.” They assume it signals job readiness. Counselors check a box. Policymakers count it toward graduation pathways meant to prepare students for employment. She graduates believing she’s been set up for success, only to discover later that the credential never meant what it sounded like. That quiet misrepresentation is the problem with HB 478. This bill doesn’t just celebrate the arts. It relabels artistic achievement as career preparation, blurring a line students and families rely on to make informed decisions about their futures. Workforce credentials are supposed to reflect skills tied to real labor-market demand. Artistic excellence is valuable, but it is not the same thing, and pretending otherwise risks misleading the very students we claim to support. There’s also a serious equity issue. Access to advanced fine arts programs depends heavily on ZIP code. Some schools offer orchestras, studios, and specialized instructors. Others barely have a single art elective. Turning a fine arts seal into a graduation pathway rewards access, not opportunity, and pressures schools to expand programs without funding. Even more troubling, HB 478 gives the Board of Education broad authority to define the criteria later, through regulation, not statute. That means graduation requirements can quietly shift without legislative debate, transparency, or public input. Supporting the arts matters. Recognizing student excellence matters. But honesty matters more. Students deserve credentials that clearly help them move forward, not give them false confidence or symbolic substitutes for real readiness. Please vote no to HB478.

On behalf of the Virginia Music Educators Association, I am writing today in support of this bill. Fine Arts education is an essential part of a full and well-rounded education. Students involved in the arts practice their craft and collaborate in an innovative way that aligns with any other academic discipline. Students prepare countless hours of work and skill that can translate into real world applications and pursuits whether that is teaching, performance or continuation of practice. I echo the many comments already left here for this bill and would be repeating many of the same comments that were already shared. I wholeheartedly support this bill and represent the voice of support from music teachers from early childhood to secondary education throughout our Commonwealth.

As Vice President of the Virginia Education Association, I strongly support HB 478, which establishes a Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts and recognizes it as an industry-recognized workforce credential. This legislation sends a clear and necessary message: the arts are not peripheral to education, they are a legitimate and powerful pathway for student success. Fine and performing arts education develops critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, discipline, and problem-solving, skills that are essential for college, careers, and civic life. HB 478 appropriately acknowledges these outcomes by providing formal recognition for students who demonstrate sustained excellence in the arts. This bill is also personally meaningful to me. I was the type of student who would have graduated with a Fine Arts Diploma had such an option existed. The arts were not an extracurricular interest, they were my academic strength and my primary mode of learning. That foundation led to a meaningful and impactful career in the arts and in arts education, where I now work to support students and teachers across the Commonwealth. HB 478 ensures that students like me are seen, valued, and recognized for their achievements while they are still in school. By including this diploma seal on the Board of Education’s uniform list of industry-recognized credentials that may satisfy graduation requirements, HB 478 expands equitable pathways to graduation and honors diverse student strengths. It places artistic excellence alongside other recognized academic and career credentials, reinforcing that multiple pathways can lead to success. HB 478 strengthens Virginia’s commitment to a well-rounded, future-ready education system that values the full range of student talent. The Virginia Education Association urges the General Assembly to pass HB 478 and affirm that the arts are a vital pillar of student opportunity and workforce readiness.

Dear Chairwoman and members of the Early Childhood and Innovation Subcommittee, On behalf of the Virginia Association of Music Education Administrators (VAMEA), I write in strong support of HB478, which would establish a Fine Arts Diploma Seal within Virginia’s Standards of Accreditation. This seal recognizes students who have demonstrated sustained excellence in music, theatre, dance, or visual art—disciplines that do more than enrich: they equip students with the creative and critical thinking skills that fuel innovation across all sectors. Fine arts education is a proven catalyst for interdisciplinary learning, design thinking, and original problem-solving. By adding a diploma seal for the arts, alongside existing seals for STEM, CTE, and Biliteracy, Virginia affirms that the creative economy is a vital part of our students’ future-readiness. HB478 not only acknowledges student achievement but also encourages deeper participation in advanced coursework, opening new postsecondary and career pathways. Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to innovation and student opportunity in Virginia’s public schools. Sincerely, Christopher Moseley President, Virginia Association of Music Education Administrators

I am writing to wholeheartedly support HB478 which “requires the Virginia Department of Education to establish criteria for awarding a high school diploma seal for excellence in fine arts, which may include a sequence of coursework, cumulative grade point average in such sequence of coursework, or any other performance-based criteria that the Board deems appropriate”. In my work as Executive Director of the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA), this seal supports and advocates for the work of our educators by giving students meaningful recognition for sustained achievement in music. Music education builds creativity, collaboration, innovation, and critical thinking, all skills and habits of mind that support technological and artistic synthesis, innovation, and original creation and that are catalysts for developing new ideas across disciplines and solving complex “real world” problems. Virginia already offers seals in other areas such as Career and Technical Education, STEM, Civics, and Biliteracy. Adding a fine arts seal ensures that students who excel in the arts are also honored for their exemplary work and affirms that the arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education. This legislation will enable the recognition of advanced fine arts students for exemplary work, strengthen expanded pathways to student success, and perhaps motivate additional students to pursue higher level fine arts courses. The fine arts seal will also support career and college readiness by providing a way for students to communicate their achievements to postsecondary employers or higher education institutions. As a product of Virginia K-12 and higher education institutions, a 26 year educator in Virginia music education, a parent of three young Virginia public school artists, and as a representative of music educators in Virginia through my work with VMEA, I ask you to support HB478 to ensure the best and brightest artists have the opporunity to be recognized for their commitment and excellence in the Fine Arts.

The Virginia Fine Arts Seal proposed in HB478 is an important step toward recognizing the essential role arts education plays in preparing students for success in school and beyond. Participation in visual art, music, theatre, dance, and media arts strengthens creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication—skills that are vital in today’s workforce and higher education environments. The seal would formally acknowledge students who demonstrate sustained achievement and commitment to artistic excellence, validating talents that are often underrepresented in traditional academic recognition.

I want to reiterate the points made in the VCFAE’s position statement updated on February 2nd. The seal would give students meaningful recognition for sustained achievement in dance, music, theatre or the visual arts- disciplines that build creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, all skills and habits of mind that support technological and artistic synthesis, innovation and original creation and that are catalysts for developing new ideas across disciplines and solving complex “real world” problems. Virginia already offers seals in other areas such as Career and Technical Education, STEM, Civics, and Biliteracy. Adding a fine art’s seal ensures that students who excel in the arts are also honored for their exemplary work and affirmative that the arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education. This legislation will enable the recognition of advanced fine arts students for exemplary work, strengthen expanded pathways to student success, and perhaps motivate additional students to pursue higher level fine arts courses. The fine art’s seal will also support career and college readiness by providing a way for students to communicate their achievements to post secondary employers or higher education institutions. Please support HB478 and ensuring that students who excel in the arts receive the recognition they deserve.

My name is Annie Ray, and I am a public school music educator in Virginia. In 2024 I was honored to receive the GRAMMY Music Educator Award for innovation in music education. I was also formally recognized by the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate for this work. That recognition reflects what is already happening across the Commonwealth, where fine arts classrooms are spaces where innovation in education is practiced daily by students. That is why I am here in strong support of HB478. HB478 reflects an encompassing understanding of student achievement. By establishing a Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts, this bill recognizes learning that is performance based, sustained over time, and rooted in real-world application. Let me briefly share what that looks like in practice. I have a group of students currently in my program who created a performing club that is entirely student run. They manage communication, scheduling, rehearsal planning, and coordination with community partners with me keeping a watchful eye. They perform throughout the community, solve problems in real time, and hold one another accountable. No adult runs any part of it. That is innovation. Another alumnus of mine began experimenting with music composition while in high school. That exploration grew into formal study, and today that student is double majoring in music performance and music composition at James Madison University, and already gigging professionally and contributing to the Commonwealth workforce. What began as exploration became a clearly defined academic and career pathway. That is pathway-building. I also previously taught a double bass student who wrote every college entrance essay about her experience playing in orchestra. She connected discipline, collaboration, and perseverance directly to engineering. She is now a fourth year student at MIT on a significant scholarship. That is readiness. None of these students followed the same path, but all of them developed the skills higher education and employers consistently say they need but were previously unrecognized. HB478 elevates this work by creating a statewide framework that recognizes depth of learning without adding new mandates or unfunded requirements. It builds on Virginia’s existing diploma seal structure and allows innovation to remain locally driven. This bill sends a clear message that innovation in education includes creativity, applied learning, and student engagement. I respectfully urge your support of HB478. Thank you for your time and leadership.

As a theatre educator for over two decades, I overwhelmingly support the elevation of performing arts through a diploma seal. The life skills and level of commitment arts students garner through their commitment to the arts is so valuable. There has been too much focus on students in front of screens, when we must focus on skills that center around human connections, experiences, and commitment to a process. Please, show students, families, and educators that the arts are an integral component of a well-rounded and essential education. Vote yes on this bill. It's time!

I support this game changer for our kids!

Music is where my son feels most himself. Drumming isn’t just a hobby for him—it’s how he focuses, expresses his emotions, and finds joy. Whenever he has free time, that’s where you’ll find him.” Recently, he has started to use his music to overcome the grief of losing his father. This distraction has made the difference between total depression and his ability to move beyond his grief.

So many kids benefit from and excel in music and other fine arts. It is important to be recognized.

Adding a Fine Arts seal to Virginia High School diplomas is an excellent idea. Quality Fine Arts are the hallmark of high-quality civilizations. In my opinion, placing this seal on all of our High School diplomas in Virginia will achieve two things. First, it will demonstrate that the Commonwealth of Virginia values and supports Fine Arts. Second, and what I believe is most crucial, it will serve as a reminder to all Virginia High School graduates of the importance of Fine Arts in education.

I support a fine arts deal on high school diploma.

I urge the committee to vote YES on HB478 to create a FINE ARTS SEAL for the diploma. I have spent 33 years as a high school choir director in Virginia. It is my life's work and greatest blessing. Every single day, I have the joy of working with teenagers who are giving their all in class and on stage. When I first read about the possibility of this bill, it brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful way to recognize the future leaders of Virginia as they create, collaborate, and innovate! Our audiences only experience the product, but the real magic is in the process. Visit any music classroom and you will see. Every child is fully engaged, every voice adds immeasurable value, and we create art that you can hear. That's what deserves the "seal" of approval! When this Bill passes, we would love to come and SING to celebrate! Contact Lara Brittain at Forest Park High School BrittaLM@pwcs.edu

Please vote for this Diploma Seal for excellence in the fine arts. Virginia students are competing against all students from other states, and this seal, where warranted will allow them to have competitive resumes and applications in the highly rigourous College and post high school process. It creates an inscentive for students to not only add fine arts courses to their elective options, but encourages excellence within the fine arts communities at high schools throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. The fine arts seal motivates the fine arts student as a community are challenged to rise to a new standard. In a world where there can be much division, the arts brings everyone together no matter their politics.

Students in the Fine Arts show dedication to their activity, while maintaining passing grades in their academic classes; demonstrating time management skills. Many Fine Arts students also participate in sports or hold jobs. These students are among some the most well equipped people upon graduation to enter the adult world having learned how to navigate interpersonal skills. Having their dedication recognized upon graduation would be a testament to the hard work and level of preparedness these students have to offer.

When I was in high school, our salutatorian lost the race to valedictorian because she took four years of band instead of taking an AP class. Though she could have chosen to take a different class, she was passionate about being in band and even found her core friend group through this class. Adding a Fine Arts seal to the diploma would encourage students to continue to advance in the fine arts in addition to their academics. Students who take fine arts classes learn vital skills, so encouraging students to continue with their fine arts elective increases the ability for these students to thrive in their chosen future pathway. As a teacher, I watch my students struggle to choose between the different electives because of the pressure they face of choosing advanced electives instead of any fine arts class. I beleive that this seal would showcase that we do not see any area as "lesser than" another and focus instead on ensuring a well rounded student who can succeed in whatever path they choose after graduation.

My son is in high school marching band and drama club. I know how much he loved and enjoyed these activities. I support Diploma seal for excellency in fine art.

HB478 recognizes the vital role that fine arts education plays in developing well-rounded, creative, and engaged students by establishing a Fine Arts Seal on high school diplomas. This seal would honor students who demonstrate dedication and achievement in disciplines such as music, visual arts, theater, or dance, while encouraging schools to continue offering robust arts programs. Participation in the arts has been shown to strengthen critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills—qualities that benefit students in college, careers, and civic life. By formally acknowledging artistic accomplishment, HB478 sends a strong message that fine arts are not extracurricular luxuries, but an essential component of a complete education.

I support the inclusion of a Fine Arts Diploma in the state of Virginia. My daughter is a gifted vocalist and is pursuing higher education in the Fine Arts, as well as, a potential career in the industry. It would very meaningful for her to graduate with recognition in the field.

As a Theatre Educator, I strongly support HB478, which would establish a Fine Arts Diploma Seal to recognize students who complete a rigorous course of study in the arts. Along with Theatre, ALL Fine arts students work incredibly hard, often dedicating countless hours to practice, rehearsal, and performance while balancing their academic responsibilities. By making this commitment, they develop valuable skills such as discipline, creativity, collaboration, and perseverance—skills that serve them well in college, careers, and life. A Fine Arts Diploma Seal would appropriately honor their dedication and highlight the importance of the arts in a well-rounded education.

I support fine arts in schools.

I would love to see this bill pass. I have a child at Gainesville High looking to make a career in the arts. As of right now, I am trying to pull as many video clips, still images, and anything I can get my hands on to build her portfolio for college applications and potential roles after high school. Her college dream is NYU Tisch and it’s very difficult to get into. She works hard to get great grades and does well in her theater/drama courses. I’m currently finding it difficult to pull together things for her portfolio due to licensing of the plays and musicals she’s been a part of. This seal on her diploma would help show her college interests that she’s been dedicated to the arts throughout her educational career. NYU Tisch only had an acceptance rate of 7.7% in 2025. Anything that can help her achieve her life goals is so appreciated! This bill would be an amazing addition to her college applications! Thank you for the consideration of this; it’s huge for our Arts children!

Please approve the diploma seal of excellence for fine arts; established, industry-recognized workforce credential. Thank you!

Students in performing arts put lots of time and effort into their art of choice, recognizing that commitment on their diplomas would be very beneficial and show how dedicated they are. Arts are very important and a seal option like this one could open lots of opportunities for students, and it rewards them for their achievements!

I strongly support HB478, which would establish a Fine Arts Diploma Seal to recognize students who complete a rigorous course of study in the arts. Fine arts students work incredibly hard, often dedicating countless hours to practice, rehearsal, and performance while balancing their academic responsibilities. Through this commitment, they develop valuable skills such as discipline, creativity, collaboration, and perseverance—skills that serve them well in college, careers, and life. A Fine Arts Diploma Seal would appropriately honor their dedication and highlight the importance of the arts in a well-rounded education.

Please support the inclusion of a fine arts diploma seal. Fine arts coursework develops essential work based readiness skills that translates directly to post secondary education and the workforce. This diploma seal would appropriately recognize students who commit to a consecutive art focused course of study and demonstrate sustained engagement in a discipline that requires both technical and creative skills and thinking. Recognizing this commitment, affirms the value of arts, education, and sends a clear message that the skills developed through arts courses are both relevant and transferable beyond the classroom.

Hello, I am writing today to have a fine arts seal added to diplomas to recognize student achievements in the fine arts. My daughter is a Junior at Forest Park HS, where she is a part of the FPHS Marching Band. As a band mom, I've seen the sweat, tears, and dedication my child (and countless others) have put in to their music and craft. Having a seal on her diploma would be a forever recognition of the achievements she worked so hard for in high school. I know that music has become something so important to her during her teen years, my husband decided to retire from the military so that she could continue to pursue it. It would be mean a lot to our family, and I know countless others. Please consider passing this bill for our kiddos. Thank you! Samantha McKeogh

Adding a diploma seal for excellence in fine arts highlights the value of creativity and hard work. Students who would qualify often go above and beyond practicing their craft. This kind of recognition also highlights this strength to prospective colleges and employers. Help students show the skills they have acquired in HS on their diploma!

I support bill 478 - Fine Arts diploma. Our ninth grader has been active in drama (elementary school) and theater (middle and high school). We are so fortunate that Prince William County has a strong Performing Arts program from Kindergarten! The students work hard and the teachers are so committed to student engagement and success. The academic value of auditions, rehearsals and performances is priceless. Great life skills like listening, teamwork, commitment and competition are developed through theater.

I strongly support HB 478. There are multiple avenues for careers in the Fine Arts. This industry-recognized workforce credential would be a huge step in recognizing the hard work, dedication, and skill development of those students during their high school years and giving them a wonderful foundation for post-graduation opportunities.

I write in strong support of the proposed Diploma Seal for Fine Arts. Participation in fine arts education-music, visual arts, theater, and dance-develops the very skills Virginia’s employers consistently seek: creativity, collaboration, communication, discipline, and problem-solving. Students engaged in the arts are not only better learners, but also more engaged citizens and adaptable members of the workforce. The Diploma Seal for Fine Arts recognizes students who commit to rigorous artistic study while balancing academic demands. These students demonstrate perseverance, time management, and excellence-qualities that directly benefit higher education, local economies, and the Commonwealth as a whole. Across Virginia, the connection is clear: strong communities invest in the arts, strong schools sustain robust arts programs, and strong school systems produce well-rounded graduates prepared to contribute meaningfully to society. Supporting the Diploma Seal for Fine Arts affirms Virginia’s commitment to developing innovative, skilled, and culturally literate citizens.

Music is one of the few disciplines in K-12 education where all students are included in an activity, they strive for personal excellence while learning collaboration and leadership skills. A special recognition on a high school diploma signals to institutions of higher education and employers that the recipient possesses skills, traits, and practices that prepare students for life. I am a music educator who empowers students to learn and lead well beyond their time in my class.

HB478 deserves strong support because it formally recognizes the rigor, commitment, and real-world value of fine arts education. Fine arts students meet high standards, master technical and creative skills, and develop habits—such as perseverance, collaboration, and critical thinking—that directly translate to college, careers, and today’s economy. This bill ensures their achievements are recognized as a legitimate and respected pathway to workforce readiness and postsecondary success. Moreover, HB478 promotes student engagement, educational equity, and a more innovative, well-rounded workforce.

As a middle school band teacher, I see every day how music challenges my students academically, creatively, and personally. A diploma seal for excellence in the fine arts would recognize their dedication, discipline, and growth, highlighting music as a rigorous and meaningful field of study. HB478 would honor the countless hours students invest in their craft and inspire them to continue striving for excellence. I fully support this initiative.

This proposed seal aligns with similar initiatives in other states (such as Florida and Georgia) that recognize fine arts mastery as a valuable skill for future careers in the creative industry. Virginia has amazing programs and our creative, hardworking, and dedicated students deserve this opportunity.

The Diploma Seal for Excellence in the Fine Arts, as outlined in House Bill 478, recognizes the rigor, depth, and sustained commitment required of students engaged in comprehensive fine arts pathways. Rigorous arts courses require ongoing assessment, performance-based evaluations, and the demonstration of skill mastery over time - expectations that are comparable to those found in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Dual Enrollment, and Career and Technical Education certification programs. By formally acknowledging this level of rigor, the Fine Arts Seal affirms the academic value of arts education and ensures that students’ achievements are visible and meaningfully recognized on their diplomas. The Fine Arts Diploma Seal also supports college and career readiness by reinforcing the connection between high-quality arts instruction and sustainable career pathways within the arts and cultural sector. Through sequential coursework and authentic, performance-based learning, students develop discipline-specific skills while also gaining fluency in industry-relevant language, technologies, and professional practices. These experiences help students better understand potential postsecondary options, clarify future goals, and envision viable pathways into creative industries or related fields. The skills cultivated through rigorous arts study - critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, adaptability, and problem-solving - transfer directly to both higher education and the modern workforce. Additionally, the Fine Arts Diploma Seal promotes student engagement, persistence, and success across a broad range of learners. It encourages students to remain enrolled in standards-aligned, sequential arts coursework rather than selecting unrelated classes solely to earn acceleration points, creating a positive outcome for both students and schools. Research suggests that sustained participation in arts programs is associated with improved school attendance (and therefore, less chronic absenteeism) and higher graduation rates. By rewarding perseverance and excellence over time, the Seal recognizes diverse learning styles and pathways to achievement while positioning Virginia as a leader in valuing artistic accomplishment as an integral component of a well-rounded, future-ready education system.

Our fine arts programs are rigorous and meaningful, and students work for years to earn their skills. HB478 recognizes that commitment by establishing clear, performance-based criteria and by valuing the fine arts seal as an industry-recognized workforce credential alongside other CTE pathways. This bill affirms that excellence in the arts matters and that there are multiple, valid paths to student success. I urge support for HB478 and appreciate the continued investment in our students and schools. Thank you for your time.

As a mother of four and a music educator for over 20 years, I have seen the endless positive impact of arts-focused education, and I therefore strongly support HB478. This bill provides critical recognition for the rigor and discipline of fine arts study, placing it on equal footing with other academic distinctions. By establishing a Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts, Virginia joins many states in using proven, recognition-based incentives to motivate students and strengthen advanced arts participation. Importantly, HB478 ensures statewide consistency while maintaining local flexibility and avoiding unfunded mandates. I respectfully urge the House Education K-12 Subcommittee to report HB478 favorably to affirm the value of a well-rounded education for all Virginia students. Thank you for your consideration of this worthy bill.

If you were a student if the arts, or you went to see a play or band concert and felt moved by the collaboration, or you had children who were motivated to go to school because of an art class, then you know the value of Arts Education. The arts are vital to the development of any future leader. They are the one subject that authentically fosters the 21st Century Skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Citizenship. At a time when arts programs are being replaced by general electives or early release from school, the introduction an Arts Diploma Seal will give school staff more reason to promote the arts and influence more students to participate in these integral programs.

I strongly support HB478, which establishes a Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts. I submit this comment as the President of the Virginia Association of Music Education Administrators, a representative on the National Association for Music Education’s Music Program Leaders Council, a parent, and a former band and orchestra director. HB478 meaningfully recognizes the rigor, discipline, and transferable skills developed through sustained fine arts study. A Fine Arts Diploma Seal elevates student achievement in the arts in a way that students, families, and school counselors understand, while placing fine arts on equal footing with other areas of academic and career recognition. Nationally, many states already offer similar diploma seals or graduation distinctions, and these recognitions have proven effective in motivating students and strengthening participation in advanced arts coursework. Importantly, HB478 is recognition-based rather than prescriptive. By allowing the Virginia Board of Education to establish statewide criteria, the bill ensures consistency while maintaining local flexibility and avoiding unfunded mandates for school divisions. As both an educator and a parent, I have seen firsthand how formal recognition motivates students, affirms the value of a well-rounded education, and reinforces the importance of sustained engagement in the arts. I respectfully urge the House K-12 Subcommittee to report HB478 favorably.

I strongly support creating a seal for excellence in fine arts. A fine arts seal would recognize the dedication and discipline required to improve individual skills related to visual and performing arts as well as recognize the extensive hours spent sharing their art through school and community events. The fine arts seal will communicate to employers and colleges that students earning this designation have developed skills in collaboration, creative thinking, self-discipline, and individual responsibility.

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.

My daughter has taken music all through middle school and high school. She spends hours practicing and preparing for events. She is interested in pursuing music education. I support HB478 | Watts bill. The fine arts seal on her diploma would be a wonderful opportunity to recognize her dedication.

We support House Bill 478 to establish a Fine Arts Diploma Seal for Virginia to formally recognition to our young artists for their years of dedication, practice, and performance. These students practice for hours and push through nerves to share their art with their community while representing their community with pride.

Establishing a seal for excellence in fine arts will formally recognize students who have completed the coursework necessary to maintain the highest level of ability in visual and performing arts. This recognition would also validate the hours of practice and performance that musicians give back to their local communities. A seal for excellence in fine arts will also convey to employers and higher education the self discipline and rigor of the graduate.

My two oldest girls have attended and currently attend Forest Park High School in Prince William County. They were each part of the wind ensemble, marching band, jazz band, and symphonic band throughout high school. They both put in hours of practices outside of school, performed in countless concerts and competitions, and met lifelong friends in band. It is so important for their efforts and all of those participating in choir, band, and orchestra to get this recognition on their diploma. The skills and leadership learned in band will be carried with them for life.

Recognizing fine arts achievement alongside other diploma seals validates the arts as a vital subject in Virginia. The arts motivate students, strengthen programs, and opens pathways for success in college, career and life. The fine arts seal will also support career and college readiness by providing a way for students to communicate their achievements to postsecondary employment and higher education. As the parent of a child highly active in her school's performing arts department, I want to see her dedication to her craft recognized in the same way as her peers in STEM. We need to be supporting more students to pursue their passion for the arts to perpetuate a continued appreciation and cultivation of the arts within our culture for the future. This is the first step in doing so!

As Chairperson of the Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education, I respectfully submit this written testimony in support of House Bill 478, which establishes a High School Diploma Seal in Fine Arts. The proposed Fine Arts Diploma Seal would recognize students who demonstrate sustained commitment, achievement, and proficiency in arts disciplines such as music, visual arts, theatre, and dance. This distinction affirms the arts as an essential component of a well-rounded education and acknowledges the rigor and discipline required to achieve excellence in these fields. Fine arts education develops critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills—competencies that are essential for success in higher education, military service, the workforce, and civic engagement. A Diploma Seal in Fine Arts provides meaningful recognition of these transferable skills while encouraging students to pursue high academic and artistic standards through sustained coursework and performance-based learning. The Fine Arts Diploma Seal would also offer colleges, employers, and service organizations a clear and consistent indicator of student dedication, perseverance, and creative problem-solving ability. By formally recognizing excellence in the fine arts, the Seal allows schools to celebrate student achievement, strengthen arts programs, and reinforce the important role the arts play in preparing well-rounded, engaged, and innovative graduates. Establishing a Diploma Seal in Fine Arts reflects Virginia’s commitment to educational excellence and to developing the full potential of its students.

I encourage your support of HB478 to establish a Fine Arts diploma seal. Students engaged in Fine Arts study spend significant time in and out of the classroom applying the skills and knowledge acquired. Often this knowledge and skills lead to further study at higher education and/or jobs. The intensity of study and skill acquisition is equivalent to students studying the trades. Thank you for your careful consideration.

In favor of giving diplomas to graduates who have earned the distinction of a Fine Arts Seal of Excellence for students dedicating themselves to the fine arts is a positive move of encouraging young adults in future successes. This measure will identify students as individuals who display responsibility, teamwork and dedication to activities that have a positive impact on others as well as themselves. If other programs have been identified as worthy for this distinction, fine arts should be included because of a students dedication of time, effort, and responsibility not only with their participation but in conjunction with their academic success. These efforts are creating the type of young people that will shape all our futures and also be the employees that the work force wants to hire. This will be a great impact on graduates to come and improve educational outcomes, I believe. Please make this a reality.

HB478 This testimony is in favor of the enactment of a Fine Arts Seal of Excellence on high school diplomas. In considering the Fine Arts Seal of Excellence on a diploma, a lot is to be considered. Guidelines and criteria should reflect the dedication students have given to the Fine Arts Program of their school district to receive such an honor. This honor would be not only an encouragement to the dedication and participation of the programs that really compliment the educational experience students receive academically, This recognition would not only serve to encourage the students participating and dedicating themselves, but also be a lighthouse to beacon prospective students to participate in such programs. We have long known the value of such programs to improve academic improvement, aid in responsibility through punctuality and taking ownership of being a part of team effort. These skills are valuable and carry young people into adulthood and through the rest of their lives. To recognize their significant dedication to such programs for most of their formidable high school years will I believe shape stronger intellect and success in our future graduates. Please deeply consider the positive impact this will have on future graduates when approving this measure. Respectfully, Mrs. O’Neill

“Learning to play an instrument offers a child the opportunity for creative self expression and the development of an identity. Our children have worked so hard and have donated so much of their time and effort. Waking up early, staying practicing late. Going to different competitions and worrying about how their performance will be. Also teachers,School staff and parents donate their time and resources to help out children. They are our future Doctor , Nurses, Teachers or President of our Country. Is fair for them to have a recognition for all that hard work.

As the mother of children who have shown artistic talent and dedication to their arts, it would be lovely to see recognition of that in the form of a seal.

I wholeheartedly support the bill to add a Fine Arts award to the high school diploma of students who have participated in Fine Arts activities, including music, through their high school years. Music study teaches immeasurable life skills and instills lifelong regard for others and compassion for all. This clearly deserves recognition along with academic achievement. Thank you for your consideration.

This is the year, and from here on, to recognize the commitment of arts students through their K-12 education by enacting a Fine Arts graduation certificate. Their attendance, responsibility, grade point average, and their wellbeing has been enhanced by their many years of dedication to their art form, whether it be dance, music, theater arts, and the visual arts. We appreciate your support for this recognition of student excellence.

As an artist, educator, and parent of students in our public schools I strongly support the proposal to provide a pathway for a Fine Arts diploma seal. The Fine Arts are vital to Virginia’s culture and represent over 2.6% of the GDP, with over 6000 jobs in this sector and around $20 billion of economic activity. It stands to reason that students who are invested in Fine Arts as high school students should be recognized for their accomplishments formally, as this may grow their commitment towards higher education and career goals. The VA state profile of a graduate, encourages all students to excel in skills that are required in any realm of Fine Arts. These students actively engage in communication, collaboration, creativity and citizenship as they excel in their chosen craft, whether it be theatre, dance, music, performing arts or visual arts.

I urge you to support HB478, which creates a diploma seal for excellence in fine arts and directs the Board of Education to define meaningful criteria for earning it. This seal would celebrate students who dedicate themselves to music, theatre, dance, or visual arts and acknowledge the discipline, creativity, and resilience these programs foster. As a product of Prince William County schools and a 23 year teacher in Fairfax county, I have first hand experience with the positive effects an arts education can have on a student’s overall public school experience. The time and dedication put into participating in these programs deserves recognition. Recognizing fine arts achievement alongside other diploma seals sends a clear message that the arts matter in Virginia. It motivates students, strengthens programs, and opens new pathways for success in college, career, and life. The fine arts seal will also support career and college readiness by providing a way for students to communicate their achievements to postsecondary employers or higher education. Please join me in supporting HB478 and ensure that students who excel in the arts receive the recognition they deserve. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,

As President-Elect of the Virginia Association of Music Education Administrators, a former orchestra director, and a parent of three children, I have seen firsthand how music education shapes students’ lives. The fine arts builds discipline, confidence, and a sense of belonging that stays with students long after they leave the classroom. This seal honors the commitment and passion of students who pursue excellence in fine arts and sends a powerful message that Virginia values the arts as an essential part of every child’s education. I strongly support HB478, and am excited about the future possibilities that this will open up for our students in the Commonwealth.

As a retired educator, artist, parent and a member of the Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education (VCFAE), I am writing to express strong support for HB 478. This legislation requires the Virginia Board of Education to establish criteria for a High School Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts and includes it on the uniform list of industry-recognized workforce credentials. HB 478 sends a necessary message: the arts are a legitimate and powerful pathway for student success. Fine and performing arts education—including music, theater, dance, and visual arts—develops the creativity, collaboration, discipline, and critical thinking skills essential for college, careers, and civic life. By providing formal recognition for sustained excellence, this bill ensures that artistic achievement is honored alongside existing seals for STEM, Civics, and Biliteracy. This legislation is also deeply personal to me. The arts were were my academic strength and primary mode of learning. That foundation led to a meaningful 25 year career in arts education. I am now retired but am teaching an Art Education class at Old Dominion University. HB 478 ensures that students with similar strengths are seen, valued, and recognized while still in school. Why I support HB 478: • Formal Recognition: It provides a meaningful credential for students demonstrating high-level achievement in diverse artistic disciplines. • Workforce Readiness: It affirms that the arts are a vital pillar of career readiness by categorizing the seal as an industry-recognized workforce credential. • Equitable Graduation Pathways: By expanding the list of credentials that may satisfy graduation requirements, it honors diverse student talents and creates more inclusive routes to a diploma. • Program Growth: A formal seal motivates students to pursue advanced coursework and encourages schools to maintain robust arts programs. Thank you for your support for the arts in Virginia with the passage of HB 478

As Vice President of the Virginia Education Association, I strongly support HB 478, which establishes a Diploma Seal for Excellence in Fine Arts and recognizes it as an industry-recognized workforce credential. This legislation sends a clear and necessary message: the arts are not peripheral to education, they are a legitimate and powerful pathway for student success. Fine and performing arts education develops critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, discipline, and problem-solving, skills that are essential for college, careers, and civic life. HB 478 appropriately acknowledges these outcomes by providing formal recognition for students who demonstrate sustained excellence in the arts. This bill is also personally meaningful to me. The arts were not an extracurricular interest, they were my academic strength and my primary mode of learning. That foundation led to a meaningful and impactful career in arts education, where I now work to support students and teachers in Virginia Beach, as well as across the Commonwealth. HB 478 ensures that students like me are seen, valued, and recognized for their achievements while they are still in school. By including this diploma seal on the Board of Education’s uniform list of industry-recognized credentials that may satisfy graduation requirements, HB 478 expands equitable pathways to graduation and honors diverse student strengths. It places artistic excellence alongside other recognized academic and career credentials, reinforcing that multiple pathways can lead to success. HB 478 strengthens Virginia’s commitment to a well-rounded, future-ready education system that values the full range of student talent. The Virginia Education Association urges the General Assembly to pass HB 478 and affirm that the arts are a vital pillar of student opportunity and workforce readiness.

Please approve the HB in favor of an Arts Diploma Seal. As a musuc educator the commitment students make to learn their instrument takes many hours of study and dedication. This bill will recognize the many students who spend their High School days learning music.

I am writing in strong support of establishing a Fine Arts Diploma Seal for high school students who demonstrate sustained dedication and achievement in the fine arts. A Fine Arts Diploma Seal would formally recognize students who commit years of study, practice, and performance in disciplines such as visual art, music, dance, and theatre. These students meet rigorous standards that require discipline, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are essential in higher education, the workforce, and civic life. While diploma seals already exist to honor achievements in areas such as academics, world languages, and career readiness, the absence of a fine arts seal sends an unintended message that artistic learning is secondary. In reality, fine arts education supports student engagement, improves attendance, builds confidence, and provides meaningful pathways for students whose talents and passions lie in creative fields. Importantly, a Fine Arts Diploma Seal would also promote equity and access by valuing diverse forms of excellence. For many students—particularly those from historically underserved communities—the arts are a powerful point of connection to school and a viable pathway to postsecondary opportunities. Recognizing fine arts achievement at graduation affirms that creativity matters, that dedication to the arts is worthy of distinction, and that our education system values the whole child. I respectfully urge you to support the creation of a Fine Arts Diploma Seal and to affirm the vital role the arts play in preparing students for lifelong success. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Julz Suder

I thank Rep Watts for bringing this bill to the floor for a vote. It is great to see the Fine Arts be recognized in a diploma seal for students of the commonwealth who devote their time and talents to their medium. The arts are an important career pathway and to have a seal to recognize their hard work and dedication as they develop their passions for the arts is log by over due.

Virginia Fine Arts Diploma Seal Position Statement The Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education supports HB478 which “requires the Virginia Department of Education to establish criteria for awarding a high school diploma seal for excellence in fine arts, which may include a sequence of coursework, cumulative grade point average in such sequence of coursework, or any other performance-based criteria that the Board deems appropriate”. This seal would give students meaningful recognition for sustained achievement in music, theater, dance, or visual arts—disciplines that build creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Virginia already offers seals in other areas such as Career and Technical Education, STEM, Civics, and Biliteracy. Adding a fine arts seal ensures that students who excel in the arts are also honored for their exemplary work, and affirms that the arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education. This legislation will enable the recognition of advanced fine arts students for exemplary work and perhaps motivate additional students to pursue higher level fine arts courses. The fine arts seal will also support career and college readiness by providing a way for students to communicate their achievements to postsecondary employers or higher education. Please join us in supporting HB478 and ensuring that students who excel in the arts receive the recognition they deserve. For additional information, contact: John Brewington Barbara B. Laws, Ed.D. VCFAE Chair VCFAE Policy Chair/Legislative Liaison Jbrewington4@gmail.com barbara.laws@icloud.com Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education - a collaborative advocacy group of Virginia arts educators, arts education associations, community arts organizations, higher education representatives, and other stakeholders, including the VPTA.

A high school senior walks across the stage in June, diploma in hand. Her family cheers. Teachers applaud. The program says she is career ready and prepared for the future. Three months later, she is sitting in a community college placement office being told she must take remedial reading and math. She does not understand. Her parents are stunned. No one ever said this would happen. No one explained that the credits she earned through substitutions, waivers, and alternative pathways would not prepare her for what came next. That moment is the danger of this bill. This legislation expands flexibility in graduation requirements in dozens of ways. Credit substitutions. Waived instructional time. Alternative assessments. Credential swaps. Each option sounds reasonable on its own. Taken together, they create a system where a diploma can mean very different things depending on the school division, the student’s advocate, and how standards are interpreted. The risk is not that students will fail to graduate. The risk is that students will graduate believing they are ready when they are not. As requirements become more complex and customizable, transparency disappears. Families lose clarity. Students lose leverage. And the burden of navigating the system falls hardest on those with the least time, resources, or access to information. A diploma should be a promise. It should signal readiness and opportunity, not uncertainty. This bill may be well intentioned, but without clear guardrails and consistent standards, it risks turning graduation into a matter of completion rather than preparation. Flexibility should expand opportunity, not quietly lower expectations or obscure the truth.

A seventh grader walks into school already anxious. He is quiet, awkward, and not well liked. During lunch the week before, a classmate told him to “leave me alone.” It hurt, but it ended there. That night, someone submits an anonymous bullying report. By second period the next morning, he is pulled out of class. He does not know why. Teachers are cautious around him. Friends stop sitting nearby. By the end of the day, rumors have filled the silence. His parents are called late, with few details and no clear answers. Weeks later, administrators conclude there was no bullying. No discipline is issued. No apology is made. But the label sticks. The student no longer feels safe at school. He learns a painful lesson early: accusations travel faster than the truth. That is not hypothetical. That is what systems like this create. HB 957 establishes a statewide anonymous bullying tip line run by the Department of Education, shifting reporting away from trusted adults and into a distant, anonymous pipeline. It encourages accusations without accountability, action without clear standards, and intervention without guaranteed protections for the accused. Bullying is real. Students deserve help. But anonymous reporting without guardrails invites misuse, retaliation, and confusion, especially among children still learning how to navigate conflict. When identity and intent are stripped away, context disappears. Fairness disappears with it. This bill centralizes sensitive student data at the state level, gives contractors broad discretion to share information as they see fit, and says nothing about timely parental notification or due process. In trying to protect students, it risks traumatizing others and eroding trust in schools. Safe schools are built on relationships, not hotlines. Students deserve protection. They also deserve fairness. Oppose HB 957 as written and insist on a better approach.

I oppose HB 957. It would create a state-run anonymous bullying tip line operated by the VDOE. VDOE would control the information collected and determine how reports are analyzed and shared. This anonymous reporting without local context could be a serious due process concern for accused students. It could result in investigations with limited evidence. Reporting authority would shift to the state, but responsibility for responding and liability would remain with local schools and boards. As a school board member and retired public-school educator, I have serious concerns.

In a small Virginia town, a working mother named Maria finally finds a child care center with an open spot. She has waited months. The cost is high, but she trusts that the system setting those prices and determining funding is based on real need, real choice, and real accountability. Across town, a local provider reads the same state report that helped justify funding decisions. The report says demand is rising, slots are scarce, and more public investment is needed. But the provider notices something missing. The calculation assumes what families should want, not what they actually choose. It assumes expansion is the solution, without asking whether existing programs are effective, affordable, or even trusted by parents. Meanwhile, local employers are told the numbers prove child care is an economic emergency. Legislators are told the numbers are “informational only,” yet the same numbers quietly shape budget expectations, priorities, and political pressure. No vote was taken to expand government planning in this space, but the framework is now in place. No one acted with bad intentions. Everyone wanted to help families and support the workforce. But by centralizing assumptions about cost, demand, quality, and “deserts,” the state has begun steering decisions that once belonged to parents, providers, and local communities, all while insulating those decisions from direct accountability. That is where the concern lies. Not in caring about children. Not in supporting working families. But in building a system that looks neutral, technical, and optional on paper, while slowly narrowing real choice in practice. Good policy should empower families, not quietly replace their judgment with formulas. And any system that guides billions in spending deserves the same scrutiny we would demand of any other public planning model, no matter who proposed it.

These formulas and accountability are critical to meeting the supply and demand needs associated with child care for working parents, especially families who are employed but asset-limited. I support HB1208 and the tenants written into the bill.