2025 SESSION

SENATE SUBSTITUTE

25106456D

SENATE BILL NO. 955

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations

on January 29, 2025)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Senator VanValkenburg)

A BILL to direct the Department of Education to review its current textbook review process to identify opportunities to include high-quality instructional materials.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Department of Education (the Department) shall, in consultation with experienced teachers, division-level content specialists, and subject matter experts, evaluate its current textbook review process to identify opportunities to include high-quality instructional materials. Such review shall include an assessment of challenges to current practices, opportunities for improvement, and identification of best practices, including those in other states. The Department shall provide recommendations on improvements that include (i) proposed revisions to the "Virginia's Textbook Review Process" document; (ii) improvements to the selection and training process of Virginia review teams; (iii) increased opportunities for public comment; and (iv) updates to Department procedures to support the textbook review process. The Department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and House Committee on Appropriations by November 1, 2025.