2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

24100395D

HOUSE BILL NO. 360

Offered January 10, 2024

Prefiled January 6, 2024

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-23 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Superintendent of Public Instruction; duties; fixed and actual school staffing ratios.

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Patrons—Simonds, Reid and Reaser

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Referred to Committee on Education

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-23 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-23. Duties in general.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall:

1. Serve as secretary of the Board of Education;

2. Provide such assistance in his office as shall be necessary for the proper and uniform enforcement of the provisions of the school laws in cooperation with the local school authorities;

3. Prepare and furnish such forms for attendance officers, teachers and other school officials as are required by law;

4. (Expires July 1, 2028) At least annually, survey all local school divisions to identify critical shortages of (i) teachers and administrative personnel by geographic area, by school division, or by subject matter; (ii) specialized student support positions as that term is described in subsection O of § 22.1-253.13:2; and (iii) school bus drivers by geographic area and local school division and report such critical shortages to each local school division and to the Virginia Retirement System;

5. Develop and provide to local school divisions a model exit questionnaire for teachers;

6. Along with the State Health Commissioner, work to combat childhood obesity and other chronic health conditions that affect school-age children;

7. Designate an employee of the Department of Education to serve as its liaison to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the State Board for Community Colleges; and

8. Biennially calculate, compare, and report to the Board and the General Assembly the differences between the fixed staffing ratios in the Standards of Quality funding formula and the actual staffing ratios in local school divisions in the Commonwealth so that such fixed staffing ratios can be regularly adjusted as needed to more closely approximate such actual staffing ratios; and

9. Perform such other duties as the Board of Education may prescribe.