2025 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

25104955D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1674

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on January 15, 2025)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Laufer)

A BILL to direct the Board of Education to amend its regulations relating to the accreditation requirements for professional education programs in Virginia to provide an alternative for certain programs.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Board of Education shall amend its regulations in 8VAC20-543-20, relating to accreditation requirements for professional education programs in the Commonwealth, to require the Department of Education to provide an alternative to the requirement to obtain and maintain national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to any professional education program that (i) leads to an endorsement set forth in 8VAC20-543-610 and 8VAC20-543-620 and (ii) has a secured specialty area accreditation from a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.