Please pass this important bill

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

Please bear with me as I am a high school drop out with a GED and dyslexia. As a parent of two children with IEP's I do not believe the SOLIS should be any part of their grade. These test are an added steps, worry and disappointment to most students as it is. NO religion should be posted on school property. NO TEN COMMANDMENTS. And truths from all sides of history should be taught including January 6th. Our children deserve the truth.

I am in favor of this bill and like to share several key points. HB 704 is about making sure no child slips through the cracks. It helps schools identify math and reading struggles early—when kids can still catch up—so families don’t find out years later that their child is behind. It brings strong math teachers into the schools that need them most and ensures students aren’t moved forward without the reading skills they need to succeed. HB 704 puts children first and gives parents confidence that their child is truly ready for the next grade.

I fully support Bill 704. It’s vital that our students master basics skills in reading and bath before moving up to 4th grade.

I am in favor of this bill and like to share several key points. HB 704 is about making sure no child slips through the cracks. It helps schools identify math and reading struggles early—when kids can still catch up—so families don’t find out years later that their child is behind. It brings strong math teachers into the schools that need them most and ensures students aren’t moved forward without the reading skills they need to succeed. HB 704 puts children first and gives parents confidence that their child is truly ready for the next grade.

I am in favor of this bill and like to share several key points.

Offering additional meal options, including hot lunches, would support student well- being, promote equity for students who travel long distances, and ensure all students have the nourishment needed to stay focused and fully engaged during the school day. The current reliance on vending machine items is not sufficient to meet students nutritional needs or sustain their energy for rigorous academic work. Given the unique regional commuting patterns of Virginia Governor Schools, ensuring access to real, nutritious meals is not just beneficial- it is essential for student performance and equity.

I affirm house bill 832 by Pope-Adams. As a student at Appomattox Regional Governor's School in Petersburg, I see students who go without a meal daily. Our school does not provide lunches, and the small amount of food they do provide is sold in vending machines at a higher price. There are students that cannot eat lunch due to the cost of it, and offering school meals can solve this. It is proven that a healthy and nurtured body can improve education, and school lunch offerings will do just that. I urge you to vote yes on delegate Pope-Adams bill not only for the sake of preventing students from going hungry, but also for their education.

I am a parent of an ARGS’ student and the school has been without hot school lunches for quite some time. My daughter has to bring lunch from home everyday. It would be great if students can be provided lunch at school.

I am a first year Appomattox Regional Governor's School parent and was very surprised that no school lunch was offered. Some students travel one hour each morning to attend this school and the student population is composed of a wide variety of economic backgrounds. Attending a Governor's School can be quite demanding and having school lunch available is known to help students' academic performance, health and development.

No child should be hungry at school. That principle is non-negotiable. But HB 832 takes a simple moral goal and turns it into a costly, confusing mandate that schools are not equipped to carry out, especially specialized programs like Governor’s Schools that were never designed to operate cafeterias. This bill requires schools to provide meals on demand, regardless of payment, without providing funding, clear standards, or workable guidance. It pushes costs, staffing burdens, and legal risk onto local and regional boards while restricting their ability to manage growing meal debt responsibly. Vague language like “comparable nutrition” invites disputes and liability, and the ban on third-party collection leaves schools absorbing losses indefinitely. Compassion without capacity doesn’t help students; it quietly drains resources from classrooms, academic programs, and student services that schools already struggle to fund. If lawmakers truly want to protect students: Fund the mandate Clarify expectations Respect operational realities Protect specialized schools from one-size-fits-all rules Good policy doesn’t force schools to choose between feeding students and funding instruction. Do not support HB 832 as written. Pause it. Fix the funding. Clarify the requirements. And protect schools from unintended damage.

As introduced, the bill would have unintended consequences on Governor's Schools that do not serve as full-day comprehensive high schools. I speak from my experience as an Academic-year Governor's School Director, co-chair of the AYGS Directors committee, and chair of the Virginia Advisory Committee for Advanced Learning (I am not speaking on behalf of these groups formally because the membership haven't voted on a stance, but I do speak with expertise in this area). I do support the spirit behind the bill, but feel the language needs to be updated to read as below (see attached for color coded indication of changes made). If that language is substituted then I support this legislation whole-heartedly. Updated language: Requires the regional governing board of each academic year Governor's School serving as a full-day comprehensive high school to (i) either (a) require such school to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through partnership with a participating school division or (b) if facility and staffing limitations preclude participation in such federal programs, through partnership with a participating school division offer students, to the maximum extent practicable, lunch and breakfast that are of a comparable nutrition profile to meals that would be provided pursuant to such federal programs and (ii) make such lunch and breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal, regardless of whether such student has the money to pay for the meal or owes money for meals previously provided, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the regional governing board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill provides that the foregoing provisions shall not be construed to limit the ability of a regional governing board to collect payment for meals so provided, as long as such board does not utilize a nongovernmental third-party debt collector to collect on such debt.

SOL, growth assessments, district given testing should never be allowed to be a part of the child’s final grade. We have made our children and teachers into robots. They are no longer teaching content but teaching to a test. Our children are the ones being sacrificed. The wording on the SOL and district testing is so far complex no wonder they can get through it. There are children who have developed severe test anxiety from your extensive testing at such a young age. Why would you ever think it would be ok to penalize them and count any of your SOL or district tests as their grades???? In my opinion get rid of the testing! Get rid of the chromebooks. Let the teachers get back to real educating. You will find your data and numbers might drastically change.

The research strongly supports the inclusion of physical activity as a boost to learning and maintaining wellness, both physical and mental. My one concern was mandating the amount of time when there are already so many mandated elements in place for schools. I see now that it reads, "with a goal of 30 minutes daily." I support this bill, HB 873.

While we support the intent of HB 873 to promote student wellness, the bill is not feasible within the current elementary school day. School divisions are already required to implement extensive literacy instruction, intervention, and tutoring mandates under the Virginia Literacy Act. These requirements leave little to no flexibility in scheduling. Increasing required physical activity minutes without adjusting existing instructional mandates or extending the school day forces divisions into impossible trade-offs and makes compliance unrealistic. For these reasons, we cannot support HB 873 as currently drafted.

Dear Committee Members, I am writing to express my strong support for SB996. Through my professional work supporting transition planning and systems coordination across Virginia, I see firsthand the challenges that students with disabilities and their families face when navigating multiple agencies with differing timelines, eligibility processes, and communication structures. Strengthening collaboration across education, rehabilitation, and human services is critical to improving post school outcomes. SB996 supports a coordinated approach that helps agencies align efforts, reduce duplication, and ensure that young people do not fall through gaps as they move into adulthood. When agencies work together, students are more likely to achieve competitive employment, pursue postsecondary education, and live more independently. I appreciate the committee’s consideration of this important legislation and respectfully encourage your support. Sincerely, Dr. Staci Carr

SOL, growth assessments, district given testing should never be allowed to be a part of the child’s final grade. We have made our children and teachers into robots. They are no longer teaching content but teaching to a test. Our children are the ones being sacrificed. The wording on the SOL and district testing is so far complex no wonder they can get through it. There are children who have developed severe test anxiety from your extensive testing at such a young age. Why would you ever think it would be ok to penalize them and count any of your SOL or district tests as their grades???? In my opinion get rid of the testing! Get rid of the chromebooks. Let the teachers get back to real educating. You will find your data and numbers might drastically change.

There must be complete training for K- 12 threat assessment teams that will save lives and it is without a doubt a matter of life or death as witnessed in Crozet last year. Please support HB1071 to insure that threat assessment officers know what to do in a crisis situation.

I am writing in support of HB 1071, which requires training of threat assessment teams in schools on emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders. Training is imperative. Threat assessment officers need to know what the options are when there is a threat. It was known that the six-year-old who shot his teacher had a gun, yet the school did not take action to prevent the shooting. In a parallel situation, the family of the man who killed two shoppers at the Harris Teeter in Crozet tried to get the police remove his guns, but the police were not sufficiently trained to know that this would be possible. My husband and I live in Crozet and frequently shop at that Harris Teeter. We could easily have been his victims. Training can save lives! It is a matter of life and death. Please support HB 1071 to insure that threat assessment officers know what they can do in a threat situation.

Higher ed institutions working closely with students to mitigate mental health issues must know how best to use our state red flag laws. I support this bill both as a survivor and Moms Demand Action volunteer. My nephew died by firearm suicide at a university while receiving counseling for depression. His life could have been saved if staff had been trained and knew how to access these laws.

I support this bill because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that when an individual has been found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another, that individual may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence supports this bill.

I am a Nelson Co. resident and a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and we support HB1071.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the recently proposed bills on gun control. While I understand the intent behind these bills—to enhance public safety—I firmly believe that they will have unintended consequences that infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. The Second Amendment guarantees "the right of individuals to keep and bear arms", and it is a fundamental part of what makes this country free. These bills being proposed would place unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on responsible gun owners, making it harder for Virginians to exercise their rights in a lawful and safe manner. Rather than focusing on restricting access to firearms, I urge the General Assembly to consider measures that target criminals and illegal activities, such as enforcing stricter penalties for those who use firearms in the commission of crimes, or improving background checks for gun purchases. It is essential to address the root causes of violence, such as mental health issues and gang-related activity, rather than punishing responsible gun owners who follow the law. Furthermore, these proposed bills could create significant logistical challenges for gun owners, particularly those who rely on their firearms for self-defense, hunting, or recreational activities. The financial burden and potential legal ramifications of complying with these new regulations would be overwhelming for many Virginians. I strongly urge you to reconsider these proposals and to focus on policies that protect both our rights and our communities. I trust that you will make the best decision for all Virginians, and I sincerely hope that you will oppose these bills.

This bill is extremely important for the sake of our children, teens, young adults and all families. As a teacher and presenter for the past 46 years; this is currently one of the most important and critical topics that I have been asked to speak about in classrooms, faith based organizations, community conversations. There are no stop signs, guard rails or seatbelts on the digital highway. We have babies that are showing signs of expressive developmental delays because they only stare at I pads or their caregivers cell phones and are not receiving what is called serve and return from a human being. We have allowed children to have smartphones so that when they come into school at 5 years old they know how to use their pointer finger to scroll on a phone but they do not know how to hold a pencil to learn to write their name on a paper. The importance of making sure all students and families know all of the dangers of smartphones or any cell phone too early is paramount. Whole family to even 3 generational teaching of the developing brain, what dopamine is including anticipatory dopamine, addiction to screens, why screens in bedrooms are now being associated with increase of child and teen suicide rates is paramount. Smartphone and social media access is a parent/caregiver problem with a child/teen consequence. Education and prevention from daycare through high school is needed. Giving new parents information on what screens can do to babies is also needed before leaving the hospital to go home. Let me know if I can assist in any way. Thank you, Nancy Hans 540/353-5682

I am a teacher at Chesapeake Public Schools. For the past several years, I have been holding workshops and teaching a curriculum to my middle school students devoted to explaining how toxic screen time (social media and video games) is negatively altering brain development in children. Twenty years ago we did not have the research or the science. But now we do. In the 25 years I have been in the classroom, I have witnessed a huge decline in students attention span, critical thinking skills and ability to remain calm in even the most peaceful settings. It is as though students are wired to be constantly stimulated. As a teacher it is exhausting! There is no way I can create a lesson stimulating enough to compete with TikTok, YouTube shorts, or Fortnite. The curriculum I have introduced at workshops and in my classroom has been well received in the community. Once parents and students understand the science behind screen addition, they are much more willing to take proactive steps to rectify the situation. Once they understand that the APPS they use are purposely designed to be addictive, they take the power into their own hands. Screen addiction is an epidemic that must be addressed in the classroom to save the future of our children. Their brains are being hijacked by big tech.

Research has shown that screen time is addictive. Tech companies deliberately employ strategies to create dopamine hits and drive users to want to user these apps longer. Additional research shows that long periods of time spent using social media leads to cognitive decline and children are more susceptible to this.