2025 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

24107115D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 67

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Appropriations

on February 7, 2024)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Simonds)

Establishing a joint committee of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health to study fair school funding reform. Report.

WHEREAS, Virginia, unlike many other states, has not made systemic changes to improve its public school funding formula and fully fund its system of public elementary and secondary education to fully meet student needs as required pursuant to Sections 1 and 2 of Article VIII of the Constitution of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission performed a crucial first step in the direction of fair school funding reform by conducting a two-year study and publishing its findings and recommendations in its July 2023 report, "Virginia's K-12 Funding Formula"; and

WHEREAS, it is now imperative to take the next step by considering and taking action on such recommendations and making such other changes as the General Assembly deems necessary and appropriate to establish a fair and equitable system of public school funding; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint committee of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health be established to study fair school funding reform. The joint committee shall have a total membership of thirteen members, consisting of five members of the House Committee on Appropriations, to be appointed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, two members of the House Committee on Education to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, five members of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, to be appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and one member of the Senate Committee on Education and Health to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Health. The joint committee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint committee shall:

1. Create a public engagement plan for receiving input and feedback from community stakeholders, including the Secretary of Education, parents, teachers, students, school division finance officers, other school staff, and association leaders who represent teachers, parents, division superintendents, school principals, urban school divisions, rural school divisions, mid-sized school divisions, students with disabilities, English language learner students, the business community, and tertiary schools of education;

2. Utilize the recommendations from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission in its July 2023 report, "Virginia's K-12 Funding Formula," and any stakeholder input and feedback received pursuant to subdivision 1 to develop a long-range plan for the phased implementation of recommendations in such report. In its deliberations, the joint committee shall consider the long-term fiscal feasibility of each recommendation; and

3. Submit the recommendations produced pursuant to subdivision 2 to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2024.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint committee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services and the staff of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint committee for this study, upon request.

The joint committee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2024 interim. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint committee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

The joint committee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2024, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The executive summary shall state whether the joint committee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.