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On December 15, Governor Youngkin introduced HB1400/SB800 Budget Bill. You can access the full budget HERE. The General Assembly is set to start the 2023 session on January 11, 2023. Below are just a few highlights from the introduced budget.
Office of Education Budget Highlights (FULL BUDGET)
- One-time Retention Bonuses for Instructional and Support Staff ($45 million)
- Merit-Based Bonuses for Teachers ($50 million)
- Increased Spending for Lab Schools (additional $50 million)
- K-8 Math Specialists ($7.2 million)
- Grades 4-5 Reading Specialists ($16.9 million)
- Virginia Community College System - Dual Enrollment ($21 million)
- Incentive Pay for Teachers - Hard-to-fill, Hard-to-staff ($10 million)
Financial Assistance for Educational, Cultural, Community, and Artistic Affairs
Merit-Based Bonuses ($50M)
DDD. Out of this appropriation, $50,000,000 the second year from the general fund is designated as one-time appropriation for teacher performance bonuses. A bonus payment of $5,000 per individual shall be awarded to top performing teachers identified by the Department of Education in conjunction with local school divisions. The Department of Education shall establish criteria for awarding these funds to teachers based on student academic growth as demonstrated by school year 2023-2024 Standards of Learning assessments, through-year growth assessments, or other appropriate measures as determined by the Department. The Department's criteria shall ensure recognition of teacher performance within each of the eight superintendent's regions.
Incentive Pay for Hard-to-Fill, Hard-to-Staff ($10M)
EEE. Out of this appropriation, $10,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to support recruitment efforts through incentive payments to individuals hired to fill instructional positions in hard-to-fill positions or hard-to-staff schools, as defined by the Department of Education, between July 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023. Local school divisions desiring to participate in this program shall report to the Department of Education the number of instructional position vacancies on July 1, 2023, no later than July 15, 2023. Based on this information, the Department shall communicate to each school division its available allocation from these funds, and school divisions shall communicate the availability of these funds in their recruitment. Such payments shall be based on $5,000 per individual. The Department of Education and the school divisions are authorized to prorate these amounts if the demand exceeds the initial allocation. School divisions shall (i) provide half of the incentive payment to the individual no earlier than January 1, 2024, and (ii) provide the balance of the full amount of the incentive payment to the individual no earlier than May 1, 2024, provided that the individual receives a satisfactory performance evaluation and provides a written commitment to return to the same school in the 2024-2025 school year. Individuals who are employed by a local school division in Virginia as of July 1, 2023, who accept an otherwise qualifying position in another local school division are not eligible for this incentive. Individuals employed by a local school division as of July 1, 2023, who transfer from a non-hard-to staff school to a hard-to-staff school, as defined by the Department of Education, within the same division are eligible for the $5,000 incentive payment. School divisions shall report to the Department of Education, in a format specified by the Department, all instructional hires in the 2023-2024 school year who qualify for this incentive payment, no later than October 15, 2023. No later than November 15, 2023, the Department of Education shall report to the Secretary of Education, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on the number of hires reported by each school division participating in this program and the anticipated amount of funding to be provided to each school division for payment to those individuals.
State Education Assistance Programs
College Partnership Lab Schools ($150M)
44. College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund
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a. Out of this appropriation, $100,000,000$150,000,000 the first year from the general fund shall be deposited to the College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund established pursuant to § 22.1-349.2, Code of Virginia.
- The Board of Education is authorized to award up to $5,000,000 from the College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund for planning grants to entities pursuing the creation of new college partnership laboratory schools.
- The Board of Education is authorized to award up to $20,000,000 from the College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund to approved college partnership laboratory schools to assist with initial startup costs.
- The Board of Education is authorized to distribute remaining amounts from the College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund to support per-pupil costs for approved college partnership laboratory schools. Additionally, the Department of Education is authorized to use a portion of remaining amounts from the Fund to support College Partnership Laboratory School program administration.
- Prior to the disbursement of funds from the College Partnership Laboratory Schools Fund, the Board of Education shall establish guidelines for the distribution and award of these funds and submit such guidelines to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by December 1, 2022. Such guidelines shall consider and be consistent with the distribution of state funds for Standards of Quality, Categorical, Incentive and Lottery program per-pupil costs.
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Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 22.1-349.1, Code of Virginia, for the purpose of this Item, a "college partnership laboratory school" means a public, nonsectarian, nonreligious school in the Commonwealth established by a baccalaureate public institution of higher education.
- All funds that have not been obligated for approved college partnership laboratory schools as of June 30, 2024 shall revert to the general fund.
Math Specialists Initiative ($7.2M)
46. Math Specialist Initiative
- a. Out of this appropriation $7,200,991 the second year from the general fund is provided for math instructional specialists at underperforming schools. From this amount, the state share of one math specialist shall be provided to local school divisions with schools that enroll students in grades kindergarten through eight that rank in the lowest 10 percent statewide on the Spring Standards of Learning (SOL) math assessment. Funding for one math specialist shall be based on the results of the Spring 2021 SOL assessments. Following certification from a school division that it will not participate in the program, the Department is authorized to identify additional eligible schools based upon the list of schools that rank lowest on the Spring 2021 SOL math assessments.
- b. These payments are available to any school division with a qualifying school that certifies to the Department of Education that the division has (1) hired a math instructional specialist, or (2) is supporting tuition for collegiate programs and instruction for currently employed instructional school personnel to earn the credentials necessary to meet licensure requirements to be endorsed as a math specialist. Localities receiving these payments are required to match these funds based on the composite index of local ability-to-pay.
- c. School divisions that elect to use funding to support tuition for collegiate programs and instruction for currently employed instructional school personnel pursuant to paragraph b. shall provide documentation of these costs to the Department of Education prior to receiving state funds. The Department of Education shall provide state funding for the lesser of the actual cost or the state share of a math specialist position per eligible school for funds used in such a manner.
- d. The Department of Education may award prorated state funds for specialist positions filled after the beginning of the school year.
Retention Bonuses ($45M)
47. Retention Bonus Payment
- a. Out of this appropriation, $45,015,088 the second year from the general fund and $137,182 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund is provided for the state share of a one-time retention bonus payment for instructional and support positions on September 1, 2023. Sufficient funding is provided in this Item for the state share of a 1.0 percent bonus per funded SOQ instructional and support position, Academic Year Governor's School instructional and support position, and Regional Alternative Education Program instructional and support position. Of this amount, $199,954 the second year from the general fund is provided for Academic Year Governor's Schools and $137,182 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund is provided for Regional Alternative Education Programs.
- b. To be eligible for this retention bonus payment, the instructional or support position must be employed by the local school division during the 2022-2023 school year and maintain employment in the same local school division during the 2023-2024 school year. School divisions shall have discretion to determine the bonus amount per employee to maximize the use of these funds to promote retention among instructional and support staff. The state funds that the school division is eligible to receive shall be matched by the local government based on the composite index of local ability-to-pay. Localities are encouraged to use additional available funds to provide retention bonuses to other eligible instructional and support positions.
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