2026 SESSION

SENATE SUBSTITUTE

26108821D

HOUSE BILL NO. 178

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health

on February 26, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Anthony)

A BILL to direct the Department of Education to assess the impact of developing a program to provide student support programs to students enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school through certified student support agencies.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. As used in this act:

"Certified student support agency" means a nonprofit organization certified by the Commonwealth to provide student support programs to students enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school.

"Student support program" means a program administered for the purpose of providing direct services to at-risk students, including housing stabilization, case management, tutoring or instructional support, youth mentoring and development, or summer enrichment services.

§ 2. That the Department of Education (the Department) shall assess the impact of developing a program to provide student support programs to students enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school through certified student support agencies. In conducting the assessment, the Department shall consider (i) the feasibility of establishing and administering a certification process for certified student support agencies; (ii) potential compliance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and subsequent penalties for noncompliance to ensure that each certified student support agency complies with such program; (iii) policies and procedures for the secure disposal of a student's personal information upon such student's withdrawal from a student support program, upon the cessation of any such program, or upon such student's graduation or transfer from the school division; and (iv) cost estimates, including staffing needs, for the development and implementation of such program. The Department shall submit a report on any findings to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health and the House Committees on Appropriations and Education no later than November 1, 2026.