4.30.10.  GENERAL ASSEMBLY WRAP-UP OF PRIORITY EDUCATION BILLS.  Click to read the full report.

4.19.10.  Report to the VASSP Board including categorization of priority bills passed during the 2010 General Assembly.  Click to read the full report.

4.17.10.  CAPITAL ISSUES SESSION UPDATE:  VASSP Session wrap-up of the 2010 General Assembly featuring budget review, priority education bills that passed and a look at bills that failed from VASSP Director of Government Relations Bet Neal.  Click to read the full update.

3.14.10.  CAPITAL ISSUES BUDGET UPDATE:  House and Senate conferees agree on compromise budget; General Assembly extends Session by one day to review and accept bare-bones budget for the biennium and adjourns on Sunday, March 14.  Education representatives, while noting that reductions would lead to job losses in public schools throughout the state, acknowledged that the numbers could have been worse.  Click to read the full update.

3.11.10.  CAPITAL ISSUES:  Budget negotiators nearing agreement but will likely miss March 13 deadline.  SB 652 passes re: student athletes suspected of concussion; HB 111 to delay implementation of new state regulations survives with caveat that new graduation rates to be tied to accreditation remain on schedule for this year.  To read the entire bill in VASSP priority composite view, click on the bill number and VASSP notes for further explanation.

3.3.10.  CAPITAL ISSUES BUDGET ANALYSIS: House budget recommends removing state funding for secondary planning period; both House and Senate budgets eliminate funding for travel, lease and rental.  House reduces funding for at-risk through block granting and lowering total dollars.  Click to read the budget review.

2.26.10.  BUDGET NEWS: "House and Senate submit competing budgets with health care and K-12 education taking brunt of cuts.  Senate cuts less from K-12 than House or Governor McDonnell's recommendations.  Both legislative budgets draw from VRS to make up deficit.  VEA research on budgets suggests that K-12 job losses in the Senate budget could be as high as 14,648 (cuts to K-12 at $568M) and over 22,200 in House budget (cuts to K-12 at $863M)."  Click to read budget amendment analysis brief.

2.11.10. VASSP update of legislation includes bills to delay implementation of new regulations, allow extension beyond 90 days for some substitute teachers, guidelines for concussions; defeated bills opposed by VASSP include reporting of all incidents of physical restraint of student, repeal of ability of principal to short term suspend student accused of violence against another student, regulation of competitive foods and required 80 hours of training for aides in autism spectrum.  House and Senate Bills that pass respective houses will "crossover" to the other on Tuesday, February 16.  There are no clear budget numbers to report, but there is consensus that K-12 funding will likely take a big hit.  To read text of bills, click on bill number (in blue); VASSP notes appear below priority bills."

2.11.10.  Information on bills VASSP is tracking through February 11. Latest Action.

2.5.10.  Subcommittees advance bills to be heard in full House Education Committee the week of February 8 including bills on charter schools, participation of homeschool students in high school athletics and additional training for special education aides in area of autism spectrum. Latest Action.

1.27.10.  All bills are in for the 2010 Session and VASSP tracks education legislation and maintains a daily presence at the General Assembly.  Many of these bills will not become law and most that pass will be amended.  To view these bills, click on the bill number; and to track the changes to these bills, log on to the VASSP Web site weekly.

1.22.10.  VASSP identifies early controversial education bills of priority importance to principals.  Explanatory notes prepared by VASSP follow the summaries.  To view entire bill, click on bill number.  Let us know of any questions or concerns and go online often to view updates throughout the 2010 General Assembly Session.

1.18.10.  Capitol Issues Legislative Update:  "2010 General Assembly bills exceed 2,000 already introduced with another week to go.  Education bills include those that address a 65% solution for classroom spending, changes to the date for opening schools, bullying, additional training for teachers and aides, uniform grading policy, regulation of vending machines, allowances for private students to participate in sports and many more."  Click on the bill number to read the entire bill.  Visit the VASSP Web site often for updates on all education bills and let us know your thoughts.