I support the notion that schools should be open 5 days a week immediately or the districts should be defunded. Taxpayer money is being wasted. CARES money is being misappropriated. Please help stop the madness and send our kids back now!

HB 1826 and HB 1827 would implement policy options from the October 2020 JLARC report on the Department of Education. I am available to speak or answer any questions if requested.

Tidewater Connection Alumni Association represents children and Communities primarily in the 757, specifically Norfolk. Systemic Racism with in has caused widespread problems. Two schools in the Berkley and Campostella school district of Norfolk are in the bottom ten schools of all schools in Virginia. Funding is need to uplift the Educational providence of Southside STEM Academy at Campostella and St.Helena ranked even lower. It has also been brought to attention that Special Needs Children are in Dyer need of State if not Federal intervention. I.E.P.'s are either not being followed, or the conditions identified are not be serviced to the fullest extent of the law. We ask for outside audit with input from parents and the Not For Profit Organization, cca-tidewater, Tidewater Connection Alumni Association Barrett Hicks, Executive Director tcaa757@gmail.com or tidewaterconnection4all@aol.com

The Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce supports this measure to ensure fair geographic representation on the Board of Education. Please vote "yes" on HB 1827.

Regarding HB 1929, Standards of Quality; work-based learning and principal mentorship, teacher leaders and mentors: -- As a parent of a child in the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) district in Southwest Virginia, HB1929 is a *TOP* priority bill that I want to see moved to a vote, passed, and signed into law this 2021 session. -- MCPS is one of Virginia's high-poverty school districts and we absolutely need the SOQs to be fully funded to increase funds for: the Equity Fund, school counselors to ensure at *least* one counselor for every 250 students, and to increase funding for English Learner students. --As a parent and community member, I have seen myself, and heard from other parents about the lack of student support from early elementary through secondary schools due to lack of funding for Support Staff, especially qualified school counselors. -- As a parent I have also seen the detrimental effects of low teacher support. If we want to succeed as a commonwealth, and if we want our children to succeed in their education and their lives, one of the *BEST* investments we can make is in their education. --Please pass HB1929 with all components and support it for vote in the General Assembly. Regarding HB1905 from Cole, this is a simple bill that is important to improve economic education and financial literacy in our secondary schools. With a child in secondary school, it's critical that students are taught about the current implications of today's employment arrangements that they may already be entered into, or that they will soon after graduation. Regarding HB1865 - Delaney Reading skills are critical to all subjects. This bill looks to provide targeted, evidence-based intervention resources as needed which is extremely important to ensure Virginia students succeed. Regarding HB1826 and HB1827 - Austin, it makes a great deal of sense to me to ensure that the Virginia Board of Education includes at least one member specializing in the areas noted in the bill, which are important to successful management of state education and student success. For HB1827 -- it is important that Geographical representation of members of the Virginia BOE include a representative from each region of Virginia. Often, areas like southwest VA and others are left out of such boards entirely.