The Latest from VEA

The Senate Subcommittee on Public Education, chaired by Senator Ghazala Hashmi, took favorable action to report Senate Bill 1257, the SOQ bill, and Senate Bill 1401, the SOL legislation, on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, the House Education Committee took similar action to report House Bill 1929, the School Equity and Staffing Act (SOQ), which will now move to the House Appropriations Committee, while Senate Bills 1257 and 1401 will make their way to the Senate Finance Committee.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR EDUCATORS TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON THESE VITAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION. CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION.

Please CONTACT the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee members TODAY.  Let committee members know that the SOQ bill is essential to the educators of this Commonwealth. Let them know that the students and our communities benefit most from the passage of Senate Bill 1257 and House Bill 1929 (SOQ bills).  Schools are the foundation of our communities, and we must value them as such.

The VEA commends Senator Jennifer McClellan and Delegate Lashrecse Aird’s leadership to meet Virginia students’ needs and patron these vital pieces of legislation to provide every child in this Commonwealth with a quality education. We must act now to ensure this happens. We owe it to our children, no matter their zip code.

We thank the members of the Senate and House Education Subcommittees for passing HB 1929.  As Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg said so eloquently, “The way you make the funding work is you make the policy a priority… And you make the policy a priority by constantly banging the drum.”

Let’s get this done. We must respect our educators. We must value our students, and we must always appreciate our communities for what they can become: communities that place value in education and are becoming more solid unified people, sharing common values, hopes, and dreams.

In other major action, House Bill 1904, sponsored by Clifton Jenkins, moved through the House of Delegates by a vote of 59-41.  HB 1904 requires teacher, principal, and division superintendent evaluations to include an evaluation of cultural competency. The bill requires every person seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license from the Board of Education (i) to complete instruction or training in cultural competency and (ii) with an endorsement in history and social sciences to complete instruction in African American history, as prescribed by the Board. The bill also requires each school board to adopt and implement policies that require each teacher and any other school board employee holding a license issued by the Board to complete cultural competency training, in accordance with guidance issued by the Board, at least every two years.

Are you ready for Lobby Week-in-Action? Join VEA GR for a Lobby Week-in-Action Briefing on Sunday, January 24^th at 2:00 p.m.  Here is the link to join the briefing on Sunday.

Join the VEA GR Lobby Week-in-Action Briefing; Sunday, January 24, 2021, 2:00 p.m. https://veanea.zoom.us/j/88517512146?pwd=R0gvdWU3UG9zUE5xNFhYanNwNlRpdz09