CHAPTER 1091

An Act to require the Board of Education to amend its regulation relating to the qualifications of division superintendents.

[H 1165]

Approved April 22, 2026

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Board of Education shall amend 8VAC20-23-630 of the Virginia Administrative Code to:

1. Require the record of each candidate for the list of eligible division superintendents and the renewable division superintendent license under any of the four permitted options to attest to good character and demonstrated ability as an educational administrator; and

2. Amend Option IV contained in subdivision 4 to read as follows:

"4. Option IV. The individual shall have:

a. Earned a master's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution;

b. A minimum of three years of successful, full-time experience in a senior leadership position, such as chief executive officer or senior military officer;

c. Either (i) completed five years of successful educational experience in a public school or an accredited nonpublic school, two years of which shall have been full-time teaching experience at the preK-12 level and two years of which shall have been in administration and supervision, or (ii) if such individual does not meet the requirements set forth in clause (i), gone before the Virginia Board of Education for further review of such individual's qualifications and, upon such review, been granted a waiver for such requirement by the Virginia Board of Education; and

d. Been recommended by a school board that is interested in employing the individual as division superintendent and that governs a school division with fewer than 2,000 enrolled students."

The requirements under Option IV that were in effect prior to the effective date of this act shall apply to any individual who was employed as a division superintendent pursuant to Option IV as of such date and maintains continuous employment as a division superintendent in any school division in the Commonwealth after such date.