The Center Square

Virginia Senate Committee Blocks Slew of Education Bills

Madison Hirneisen | February 18, 2022 A panel of Virginia state Senate lawmakers defeated a torrent of Republican-backed education bills Thursday, including measures to require schools to maintain a catalog and identify library books with “graphic sexual content,” and prevent transgender students from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity.  The Democrat-majority Senate Committee …

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Virginia Senate Committee Rejects ‘Education Savings Accounts’

Madison Hirneisen | January 27, 2023 (The Center Square) –The Senate Committee on Education and Health voted to “pass by indefinitely” on three school choice bills by Republican lawmakers Thursday – a signal other school choice bills in the Virginia House of Delegates could face obstacles moving forward.  One of the measures defeated Thursday sought to …

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Student Merit Notification Bill Is Existing Policy in Several Virginia Schools

Madison Hirneisen | January 22, 2023 (The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is backing a legislative proposal requiring schools to promptly inform students and parents of awards, including from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation – a practice several Virginia school systems told The Center Square they already follow.  Youngkin’s proposed legislation, which he …

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School Choice Bill Sparks Debate in House Committee

Madison Hirneisen | January 17, 2023 (The Center Square) – A bill backed by Virginia Republican lawmakers to create “Education Success Accounts” to help parents pay for education expenses – including private school tuition – sparked debate among lawmakers Tuesday before clearing its first hurdle in a House of Delegates subcommittee.  House Bill 1508 proposes the …

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Several School Choice Bills Pre-Filed in Virginia Legislature

Madison Hirneisen | January 6, 2023 (The Center Square) – Proposed education bills having to do with “parental choice” and “parental rights” could spark debate among lawmakers after the Virginia General Assembly convenes the 2023 legislative session next week.  Several education bills have been pre-filed ahead of Wednesday’s session start in Richmond. HB 1508, introduced …

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Study Finds Year-Round School Calendar Has No Academic Benefit

Kevin Bessler | December 9, 2022 (The Center Square) – Dozens of Illinois schools have gone to a year-round calendar, but a study suggests there are drawbacks.   Year-round school is not a new idea. The idea was first adopted around 1970 in suburban districts like Valley View, Illinois, and Hayward, California, where enrollments were surging …

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Fairfax County Withheld ‘Adequate Education’ From Students With Disabilities

Tyler Arnold | December 7, 2022 (The Center Square) – Fairfax County Public schools failed to provide appropriate education for students with disabilities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Education. An investigation from the department’s Office for Civil Rights found thousands of students with disabilities did …

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Another Revision for Virginia’s History Standards From State’s Education Department

Tyler Arnold | November 21, 2022 (The Center Square) – As officials continue to debate changes to the history standards in the public education curriculum, the Virginia Board of Education voted to delay the consideration of the Department of Education’s proposal and make new revisions. The Department of Education unveiled its history curriculum proposal and …

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