HJ 549

Abstract

Study; JLARC; impact of COVID-19 on Virginia's public schools, students, and school employees; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of COVID-19 on Virginia's public schools, students, and school employees, including (i) examining and determining reasons for barriers to student success in virtual and hybrid models as well as the overall impact of COVID-19 face-to-face learning restrictions on previously existing student achievement gaps, student achievement, and student well-being, including any disproportionate impact on at-risk populations; (ii) determining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, including the impact of teacher and school employee retirements and resignations on delivery of instruction and the ability of local school boards to fully staff their needs, employment levels, and local budgets; (iii) determining the short-term and projected long-term changes in student enrollment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of such changes on funding levels; (iv) determining the impact of implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures in public schools; (v) evaluating public schools' level of emergency preparedness to face another pandemic or statewide crisis and making recommendations to help guide planning for such events and (vi) examining programs that can address learning loss and identifying barriers to implementing those programs, including resource gaps.

Study; JLARC; impact of COVID-19 on Virginia'spublic schools, students, and school employees; report. Directsthe Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impactof COVID-19 on Virginia's public schools, students, and school employees,including (i) examining and determining reasons for barriers to studentsuccess in virtual and hybrid models as well as the overall impactof COVID-19 face-to-face learning restrictions on previously existingstudent achievement gaps, student achievement, and student well-being,including any disproportionate impact on at-risk populations; (ii)determining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels,including the impact of teacher and school employee retirements andresignations on delivery of instruction and the ability of localschool boards to fully staff their needs, employment levels, andlocal budgets; (iii) determining the short-term and projected long-termchanges in student enrollment in response to the COVID-19 pandemicand the impact of such changes on funding levels; (iv) determiningthe impact of implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures inpublic schools; (v) evaluating public schools' level of emergencypreparedness to face another pandemic or statewide crisis and making recommendations to help guide planning for such events and (vi) examiningprograms that can address learning loss and identifying barriersto implementing those programs, including resource gaps.