HB 1626

Abstract

Public elementary and secondary school teachers; certain training activities; requirements and limitations. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school teacher from being required to participate in any non-academic training activity, as that term is defined in the bill, more frequently than once within six months of employment with the applicable school board and once every five years thereafter, except in the case of certain training relating to secure mandatory test violations upon determination by the school board or division superintendent that additional training is necessary. The bill also provides that the total frequency and duration of non-academic training activities in which each such teacher is required to participate pursuant to (i) state law or regulation shall not exceed 15 hours every five years and (ii) policy or regulation of the school board shall not exceed three and a half hours every three years. The bill also directs the Department of Education to (a) conduct a survey of each school board every five years to identify each non-academic training activity in which public elementary and secondary school teachers employed by such school board are required to participate; (b) develop, post on its website, and annually review and update as necessary to ensure accuracy a list of all non-academic training activities that each public elementary and secondary school teacher in the Commonwealth is required to complete pursuant to state or federal law or regulation; and (c) develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide database designed to provide each school board access to and permit each public elementary and secondary school teacher to track his progress in completing each non-academic training activity in which each public elementary and secondary school teacher is required to participate pursuant to state or federal law. Finally, the bill repeals the provision of law requiring each teacher and school board employee holding a license issued by the Board of Education to complete cultural competency training at least every two years.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-298.8 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 22.1-298.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public elementary and secondary school teachers; certain training activities; requirements and limitations.