VCC Magazine Fall 2019

VIRGINIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION | @ VEA4Kids | veanea.org

2020 VEA LEGISLATIVE AGENDA VEA SUPPORTS LEGISLATION THAT: • VEAWILL INITIATE LEGISLATION TO: •

Supports and protects the safety and mental health of our public school educators and students. • Maintains designated school property as gun-free zones.

Restore the probationary period for teachers to three years. Reduce the total number and type of required Standards of Learning assessments to the minimum federal requirements. Eliminate the requirement that school principals report to law enforcement certain disciplinary incidents that may constitute a misdemean- or offense. Open participation in Virgin- ia’s current state employee health insurance program to all school employees.

• Provides resources to ensure that school employees earn a living wage and that teacher salaries are at or above the national average. • Fully funds the revised Standards of Quality (SOQs), as adopted by the Virginia Board of Education. high-quality teachers and school personnel and im- proves professional devel- opment opportunities for all school employees. • Protects professional teaching licenses. • Increases funds directed to programs serving Virginia’s most at-risk students. • Supports the needs of and addresses the inequities in Virginia’s small and rural school divisions. • Improves, implements, and • Attracts and retains funds programs, resources, and professional develop- ment for educators to support student behaviors that reduce the need for suspensions and expulsions.

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VEA OPPOSES LEGISLATION THAT:

• Undermines the efforts of the Virginia Board of Education to meet its Constitution- al authority to define the standards for a high-quality public education in our Commonwealth. • Provides public dollars to non-public schools. • Transfers the authority for

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granting charter schools away from the local school board.

• Undermines the health or

Keep up with all the latest legislative news affecting schools by reading VEA’s daily updates during the General Assembly session. You’ll find them at www.veadailyreports. com . We’ll Keep You Informed

retirement benefits of school personnel.

KATHY BURCHER | GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | 804-651-4192 | kburcher@veanea.org