EDUCATION
Urge Governor Youngkin to SIGN HB2777 and VETO SB955
The General Assembly introduced and passed two bills (HB2777 and SB955, “Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials”) that collectively address the manner in which K12 public school curriculum materials are selected, adopted, procured, and managed. The Governor originally requested that the enrolled version of SB955 be Amended and HB2777 be re-enacted. His requests were rejected. He has until May 2nd to decide what he should do.
We propose that he SIGN HB2777 and VETO SB955 if he wishes to advance his goals of parental involvement and transparency in instructional material selection and classroom use.
Contact the Governor
Email: [email protected]
and
or
Call: (804) 786-2211
Please see below for a detailed breakdown of these two bills ⇩ ⇩ ⇩
HB2777 offers the following advantages, which SB955 does not:
1. Inclusion of Mandatory Public Transparency Measures
- HB2777 includes provisions directing the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to:
- review and publish approved instructional materials,
- establish and publish curriculum review timelines, and
- implement public comment processes.
- These features are explicit and systematic, creating transparency at both the state and local levels.
2. Parental Involvement Requirements
- Student Reading Plans (K–8) require teachers to develop individualized reading intervention plans with:
- collaboration from reading specialists,
- Parental participation before services begin, and
- Written documentation shared with parents.
3. Mandated Local Action
- Local school boards are required to:
- adopt textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials,
- align those materials with definitions and standards specified in law,
- ensure that adopted materials are used consistently in classrooms
The changes from the introduced version to the enrolled version of HB2777 substantially improve the bill and bring it much closer to fulfilling the Governor’s stated objectives.
Why Not SB955 Senate Enrolled Version?
- While SB955 as passed by the Senate also includes many of the same provisions, it:
- Lacks the specific implementation details found in HB2777
- Does not include some of the Departmental reporting and publishing requirements
- Was written prior to the House’s additions that refined definitions, timelines, and engagement processes
Summary – HB2777 Enrolled Version
| Objective | HB2777 Enrolled Version | Alignment |
|---|---|---|
| Parent Involvement | Requires parent participation in developing student reading plans; defines literacy instruction | ✅ Strong alignment |
| Transparency | Requires DOE to publish adopted materials and vendor lists; mandates review timelines and public input | ✅ Strong alignment |
| Legislative Permanence | Codifies reforms into law, not just a report | ✅ Ensures long-term implementation |
| Local Accountability | Requires local school board adoption and use of approved materials | ✅ Implements Governor’s priorities locally |
