SENATE BILL NO. 105

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Senator Stanley)

A BILL to require the Department of Education to consider certain changes to the application and eligibility guidelines for STEM+C competition team grants.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Department of Education shall, prior to the 2026 application period for grants pursuant to the STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program (the Program) established pursuant to Chapter 29 (§ 22.1-384 et seq.) of Title 22.1 of the Code of Virginia, consider making the following changes to the grant application and eligibility guidelines:

1. Clarify that, in accordance with the provision of § 22.1-385 of the Code of Virginia that provides that the purpose of the Program is to provide grants for use in establishing or supporting STEM+C competition teams, grants may be awarded to establish new STEM+C competition teams or support existing STEM+C competition teams; and

2. Provide that, in the event that grant applications exceed available funds, priority shall be given to applications for the establishment of new STEM+C competition teams with demonstrated financial need.