Legacy admissions, gun safety, and gender identity among issues addressed by education bills introduced by Henrico delegates

The 2024 Virginia legislative session began on Jan. 10, with several Henrico representatives introducing major bills that would impact local school boards, public schools, state colleges, and even homeschooling families.

Four state senators and five house members represent districts in Henrico. Six of those nine lawmakers are Democrats, while three are Republicans.

Proposed bills will have to go through the House Education Committee and the Senate Committee on Education and Health, or other relevant committees, before being voted on by house and senate members.

Among the bills introduced by members of the Henrico delegation:

Ban on legacy admissions

Newly-elected Sen. Schulyer VanValkenburg (D-16th District), who defeated Republican incumbent Siobhan Dunnavant in November, introduced a bill Dec. 21 that would ban public higher education institutions in Virginia from providing special treatment to applicants related to alumni or donors.

VanValkenburg, who sits on the senate’s education committee, has received support for the initiative from many Democratic colleagues – including Del. Dan Helmer (D-10th District) who is carrying the house version of the bill.

Lawmakers in Congress also are looking to ban legacy admissions, with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) co-sponsoring a bill that would prevent accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. from giving “preferential treatment” to applicants.

Gun storage involving minors

VanValkenburg also introduced another major bill alongside Del. Rodney Willett (D-58th District) on Dec. 19 that would incentivize the safe storage of firearms by holding gun owners more accountable when a minor uses their firearm or brings it to school.

Under the legislation, firearm owners would face a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor uses their firearm to commit a crime, cause bodily harm to themselves or another person, or brings their firearm onto school premises. Gun owners also would face a Class 5 felony if they knew or reasonably should have known that the minor had been charged with a violent crime or was the subject of a school-initiated threat assessment.

The parents of Lucia Bremer, a 13-year-old Henrico eighth-grader who was shot and killed by another Henrico student in 2021, expressed support for the bill. The student who shot Bremer used the gun of the 52-year-old man he was living with at the time.

Parents of transgender students

Sen. John McGuire III (R-10th District, which includes one Henrico precinct) introduced legislation on Dec. 16 that would require public schools to immediately notify parents if their child tells a school staff member that they are “experiencing gender incongruence,” which the bill defines as the “difference between an individual’s biological sex and such individual’s perceived or desired gender.”

The legislation only applies to students who are minors and also requires schools to receive permission from the parents to implement any plan related to that student’s gender identity, including counseling. The bill also states that parents who still refer to their child or raise them “in a manner consistent with their biological sex” rather than their gender identity should not be considered abusive or neglectful.

McGuire’s bill is similar to Virginia Department of Education’s “2023 model policies” released in July, which require school staff to notify parents about information relating to their child’s gender identity. Henrico Schools officials have not yet announced whether they will adopt these policies.

Removing criteria for homeschooling

Another bill authored by McGuire Jan. 1 would remove the four criteria points, of which parents must meet at least one, to provide homeschool instruction to their child.

Homeschooling parents would no longer have to hold a high school diploma, be a teacher with qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education, provide their child with a correspondence course or distance learning program, or show evidence of their ability to provide an adequate education for their child.

Social media platforms and minors

On Jan. 9, VanValkenburg introduced a bill that would prohibit the operators of social media platforms from using an “addictive feed” for users under 18 unless they obtain parental consent.

The bill defines addictive feed as media “recommended, selected, or prioritized for display to a user based, in whole or in part, on information associated with the user or the user’s device.”

Another bill filed by VanValkenburg Jan. 9 would prohibit the operators of websites or online applications from collecting or using the personal data of users they know are under 18 without consent.

Restorative disciplinary practices

Del. Delores McQuinn (D-81st District), who sits on the house’s education committee, authored a Jan. 8 bill that would prevent public schools from suspending or expelling a student without implementing at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice – except in cases involving firearms, drugs, or other crimes.

The legislation defines restorative practices as alternative disciplinary procedures used to reduce suspensions and expulsions that emphasize fostering peer and staff relationships and repairing harm. Listed examples include community conferencing, community service, mentoring, a peer jury, peer mediation, a post-conflict resolution program, a preventative program, and a restorative circle.

Other education bills from the Henrico delegation

Emergency protocols for students with IEPs or 504 plans: The bill would require a protocol for individualized accommodations during emergency situations at school for students with disabilities to be outlined in each individualized education program and Section 504 Plan. Introduced by Del. Rodney Willett (D-58th District) on Jan. 10.

State program and fund for at-risk students: The bill would establish the “At-Risk Program,” defined as state funding for prevention or intervention programs serving at-risk students, and require funding to be based on each school division’s percentage of at-risk students. Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) on Jan. 10.

Alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma for CTE students: The bill would create an alternative pathway to earning the advanced studies high school diploma that requires advanced coursework in a career and technical education field rather than coursework in laboratory science. Introduced by Sen. John McGuire III (R-10th District) on Jan. 5.

Increasing school counselor and support staff positions: The bill would decrease the required student to full-time school counselor ratio from one to 325 to one to 250 and increase the number of required specialized student support positions from at least three to at least four per 1,000 students. Introduced by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16th District) on Jan. 5.

School indoor air quality standards: The bill would establish requirements for school boards including having a designated individual to oversee the maintenance schedule for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system repairs. Introduced by Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling (D-80th District) on Jan. 9.

Provisional license in special education for career switchers: The bill would get rid of the regulation preventing career switchers from pursuing a Provisional (Career Switcher) License to teach special education. Introduced by Del. Delores McQuinn (D-81st District) on Jan. 5.

Commission to study the history of uprooting Black communities by public colleges: The bill would establish a 19-member legislative commission to look at the history of state higher education institutions uprooting Black communities and to decide whether compensation would be appropriate. Introduced by Del. Delores McQuinn (D-81st District) on Jan. 10.

Adjusting Virginia’s school funding formula per JLARC recommendations: The bill would require Virginia’s public school budget calculation process to include funding for each division’s facilities and transportation staff salaries, compensation for instructional and support positions, and inflation rate adjustments. Introduced by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico) on Jan. 5.

Interscholastic public school programs must include homeschooled students: The bill would prohibit public schools from joining interscholastic programs or organizations that do not allow participation from homeschooled students. Introduced by Sen. John McGuire III (R-10th District) on Jan. 1.

Low-cost alternatives to school buses: The bill would ensure that no school board would receive less state funding if they implement innovative low-cost or no-cost transportation alternatives to school buses, such as “bike buses.” Introduced by Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling (D-80th District) on Jan. 9.

Expanding school crossing zones: The bill would expand the definition of school crossing zones to include areas surrounding schools with a large presence of students and ensure that the term “school” includes public and nonprofit private higher education institutions. Introduced by Sen. Lamont Bagby (D-14th District) on Jan. 10.

Creating the Office of Community Schools: The bill would establish the “Office of Community Schools” within the Department of Education with the purpose of supporting the development and growth of community schools throughout Virginia. Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) on Jan. 10.

Community program to decrease youth gun violence in Petersburg and Roanoke: The bill would establish the “Community Builders Pilot Program and Fund” to reduce youth involvement in behaviors that lead to gun violence and provide opportunities for community engagement for rising eighth graders in Roanoke City and Petersburg City Public Schools. Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) on Jan. 9.

Increase tax deductions for families with the Virginia College Savings Plan: The bill would increase the maximum individual income tax dedication for amounts paid to a prepaid tuition contract or college savings trust account entered into the Virginia College Savings Plan from $4,000 to $7,500 in 2024. Introduced by Del. Delores McQuinn (D-81st District) on Jan. 4.

Online information on financial aid and dependency override: The bill would require public higher education institutions to post informational materials related to the dependency override application process on the financial aid page of their website. Introduced by Del. Rodney Willett (D-58th District) on Jan. 9.

Allowing betting on Virginia college sports: The bill would permit betting, except proposition betting, on Virginia college sports. Introduced by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16th District) on Jan. 4.

Other bills related to education from the Henrico delegation

Residential development projects and school overcrowding: The bill would require local planning commissions to use the same approval process for residential development projects as is currently required for commercial development projects. Introduced by Del. David Owen (R-57th District) and Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16th District) on Jan. 14.

Medical consent of unaccompanied homeless youth: The bill would allow unaccompanied homeless minors who are at least 14 years old to be deemed an adult for the purpose of consenting to surgical or medical care, except for the purposes of sexual sterilization or abortion. Introduced by Del. Rodney Willett (D-58th District) on Jan. 10.

Abolishing juvenile court fees and fines for criminal offenses: The bill would abolish court costs, fees, and fines assessed to a juvenile or their parents related to prosecutions of criminal offenses. Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) on Jan. 9.

Expunging and sealing juvenile court records: The bill would seal and expunge juvenile court records if the juvenile has reached the age of 18 and at least three years have elapsed since the date of the last hearing. Introduced by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) on Jan. 9.

Prohibiting affiliates of public entities from boycotting Israel: The bill would require all public bodies, including public schools, to include in every contract that exceeds $100,000 with a business that employs more than 10 employees a provision that prohibits the contracting business and its affiliates from engaging in a boycott of Israel. Introduced by Sen. John McGuire III (R-10th District) on Jan. 10.

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Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.