HOUSE BILL NO. 1373

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Carroll)

A BILL to require the Department of Education to assess the feasibility of establishing a regional public day school in Planning District 16; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Department of Education (the Department), in collaboration with each school board that governs a local school division in Planning District 16 and such other stakeholders as the Department deems appropriate, shall assess the feasibility of establishing a regional public day school in Planning District 16 for the purpose of providing special education and related services to students with disabilities who would otherwise be placed in a private day school pursuant to the student's individualized education program but for the availability of such public day school. In conducting such assessment, the Department shall assess and make recommendations relating to the optimal location of such a public day school, facility requirements, financial contribution models for participating divisions to support the growing population of students that may utilize and benefit from such a public day school, and any amendments to § 2.2-5211 or 2.2-5212 of the Code of Virginia or any other provision of law or regulation that may be necessary to properly effectuate the establishment of such public day school. The Department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2026. In the event that the Department fails to report such findings and recommendations by November 1, 2026, the school boards that govern the local school divisions in Planning District 16 may procure a comparable feasibility assessment from a qualified private entity identified by such school boards.