VirginiaPublic elementary or secondary school students; evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices.
What it does
Public elementary and secondary school students; consideration of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices required; exceptions; report. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school unless the school first considers at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, as defined in the bill, except in the case of certain enumerated serious offenses or aggravating circumstances, as defined in the bill. The bill requires each school, any time it imposes exclusionary discipline instead of an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, to document in the student's disciplinary record, as a part of the school's existing disciplinary documentation practices and consistent with the guidelines adopted by the Department of Education (the Department) pursuant to the bill, the rationale for the decision to impose exclusionary discipline, including any factors supporting the decision not to utilize an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice.
More detail
The bill directs the Department to (i) add the use of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices to the Student Behavior and Administrative Response survey in order to annually collect and analyze data on the use of such practices and publicly post an annual report containing an evaluation of the effectiveness of such practices based on the data collected and (ii) adopt and make available guidelines and support materials for considering, monitoring, and evaluating the use of evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices. The provisions of the bill prohibiting any public school student from being suspended, expelled, or excluded from attendance at school unless the school first considers at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice and requiring each school, any time it imposes exclusionary discipline instead of an evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice, to document in the student's disciplinary record the rationale for such decision, have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0586)Latest
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 586 (Effective - see bill)Became Law
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 31Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298)
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB298ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 11Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 10Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 10Education and Health Substitute agreed to
- Mar 10Read third timeMinor
- Mar 9Passed by for the day
- Mar 6Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 6Rules suspended
- Mar 5Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298)
- Vote recorded Reported from Education and Health with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Committee substitute printed 26108470D-S1Major
- Mar 5Reported from Education and Health with substitute (9-Y 6-N)Minor
- Feb 26Senate subcommittee offered
- Feb 26Assigned Education sub: Public EducationMinor
- Feb 18Referred to Committee on Education and HealthMinor
- Feb 18Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 17Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read second timeMinor
- Feb 15Read first timeMinor
- Feb 13Reported from Appropriations (14-Y 7-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 2-N)
- Feb 11Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary EducationMinor
- Vote recorded Reported from Education with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Committee substitute printed 26107705D-H1Major
- Feb 11Reported from Education with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)Minor
- Feb 11Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298)
- Feb 10Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10House subcommittee offered
- Feb 10House subcommittee offered
- Feb 9Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298)
- Feb 9House subcommittee offered
- Feb 5Assigned HED sub: K-12 SubcommitteeMinor
- Jan 9Referred to Committee on EducationMinor
- Jan 9Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102624DIntroduced