Virginia’s General Assembly will weigh proposals on funding, staffing, student services, and safety that could bring significant changes to how the commonwealth’s public schools operate.
Virginia lawmakers are proposing a slate of education bills this session that could reshape how schools are funded, staffed, and supported.
Among the various proposals, five stand out for their potential impact on students, teachers, and taxpayers.
1. Senate Bill 66: Local school tax
Introduced by: Sen. Jeremy McPike, D–Prince William
SB 66 would allow cities and counties, with voter approval, to levy an additional local sales tax of up to 1% to pay for school capital projects—longterm investments typically aimed toward building expansions or major updates. Under current law, only select localities have this option.
2. House Bill 31: Supplemental pay for hard-to-staff schools
Introduced by: Del. Michael Feggans, D–Virginia Beach
HB 31 would create a supplemental pay program for professionally licensed educators working in public schools with teacher vacancy rates in the top 10%.
3. Senate Bill 4: Free school breakfast for all students
Introduced by: Sen. Danica Roem, D–Manassas
SB 4, along with its House companion HB 96, would make breakfast free for all public school students, regardless of income. Mayo Clinic reports that “a healthy breakfast fuels their school day, prepares them to learn, and sets the tone for the rest of the day.”
4. House Bill 359: Public funds for private school tuition
Introduced by: Del. Dan Helmer, D–Fairfax County
HB 359 would establish conditions for using public funds for private school tuition, including: 1) SOL tests for participating students, 2) Board of Education accountability ratings for schools, and 3) adherence to nondiscriminatory policies.
School vouchers have long been a subject of debate in the commonwealth—with renewed opinions emerging since Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, recently opted Virginia into the Education Freedom Tax Credit (also called the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit).
5. Senate Bill 39: Identify students at risk of harming themselves or others
Introduced by: Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington
SB 39 proposes using technology tools to help identify students at risk of engaging in self-harm or intending to harm others. This bill directs the Department of Education to create a work group to recommend best practices to the chairs of Senate and House education committees.
