2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26104368D

SENATE BILL NO. 469

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to regional or local detention homes; educational programs; staffing; funding.

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Patron—Marsden

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Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-209.2. Programs and teachers in regional detention homes, certain local detention homes, and state agencies and institutions.

The Board shall prepare and supervise the implementation in regional detention homes and local detention homes the implementation of a program designed to educate and train the children detained in the homes. In addition, the Board shall supervise those programs of evaluation, education, and training provided to school-age children by the Department of Health, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the children's teaching hospital associated with the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at Old Dominion University, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, the children's teaching hospital associated with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, and the University of Virginia Hospitals pursuant to the Board's standards and regulations as required by § 22.1-7.

The Board shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to conform these programs with the applicable federal and state laws and regulations including teacher/student ratios and special education requirements for children with disabilities. The education programs in the relevant detention homes and state agencies and institutions shall be approved by the Board, and the Board shall prepare a budget for these educational programs that shall be solely supported by such general funds as are appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose. Teacher Such general funds (i) shall support a statewide staffing ratios for regional or local detention homes shall be based on a ratio of one teacher for every 12 beds based on the capacity of the facility; however, if the previous year's average daily attendance exceeds this bed capacity, the ratio shall be based on the average daily attendance at the facility as calculated by the Department from the previous school year eight students in average daily attendance in regional or local detention homes and an additional one teacher for every 10 students in the Community Placement Program and (ii) shall be distributed to regional or local detention homes in such a manner as may be determined by the Department, whether in a ratio-based manner or otherwise, based on such factors as the Department deems appropriate, including capacity, need, enrollment trends, and the availability of alternative educational settings.

The Board shall enter into contracts with the relevant state agency or institution or detention facility or the local school divisions in which the state agencies or institutions or the regional detention homes and the relevant local detention homes are located for the hiring and supervision of teachers.

In any case in which the Board enters into a contract with the relevant state agency or institution, the Department of Human Resource Management shall establish salary schedules for the teachers that are competitive with those in effect for the school divisions in which the agency or institution is located.