Bill Text: VA HB659 | 2024 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Open school enrollment policies; guidance on best practices.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-02-22 - Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health (9-Y 5-N) [HB659 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2024-HB659-Comm_Sub.html

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24107350D
HOUSE BILL NO. 659 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the House Committee on Education on February 7, 2024) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Ballard) A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-7.1:1, relating to Board of Education; guidance on best practices for open school enrollment policies.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-7.1:1 as follows:

§22.1-7.1:1. Board; guidance on best practices for open school enrollment policies.

The Board shall develop and make available to each school board guidance on best practices relating to open school enrollment policies as permitted pursuant to §22.1-7.1. Such guidance shall detail best practices relating to:

1. The student application process, including an exemplar application;

2. The maintenance of a waitlist and for the random selection of applicants in the event that student applications exceed a given school's enrollment capacity or available seats by grade level;

3. Processes for reporting and making publicly available the open enrollment capacity of each school or program;

4. The prohibition against charging tuition or fees, in accordance with the provisions of §22.1-5 and subdivision G 1 of 8VAC20-720-80, to any student who enrolls pursuant to an open enrollment policy;

5. Student transportation;

6. Processes for reviewing disciplinary actions that may disqualify students from utilizing the open school enrollment policy; and

7. The continued enrollment of students pursuant to an open school enrollment policy.