The purpose of this document (linked below) is to present legislators with guiding language that advances teaching and learning in education. Whether it is to introduce new legislation or make changes to existing law, VASCD aims to provide legislators with educational expertise supported by educators and support staff from across the Commonwealth. The language presented in this document is intended to help model legislation that would lead, support, and serve our public schools across Virginia. The positions presented within this document support those embedded in the 2023-2024 Policy Priorities for the Virginia Affiliate of ASCD. VASCD is ready and willing to work with legislators on drafting or amending legislation to align with the priorities identified in this brief.

• Unified Purpose and Clear Standards: Virginia's law and policy makers must clearly define the purpose of education to guide important decisions.
• Aligned System of Accountability: The system to which schools are held accountability must have coherence and alignment between the purpose, the standards, and the assessments.
• Modernizing Virginia's Assessment System: Virginia's student assessment system must support and align with today's student learning goals.
• Outstanding Educators for Virginia's Students: We must elevate the profession and champion autonomy with integrity from policy to the practitioner.
• Personalized Learning Opportunities for Educators: Educators must have relevant, competency-based professional learning opportunities.
• Guidance for Use of AI in Education: All of Virginia's stakeholders must have recommendations for implementation and appropriate guardrails for use of AI in classrooms.

The 2024 General Assembly Session is well underway, and there has been some movement of legislation we are tracking, especially in the House of Delegates.

You can see bills we are tracking with regards to Standards of Learning, Compensation, JLARC Recommendations and SOQ changes, as well as how these bills will either succeed or fail in Finance and Appropriations committees. Some of the legislation with the highest impact comes with dollar signs attached, and the budget amendments are all forthcoming.

Check out the tracker, updated as of today!