House Ed Committee Gives Thumbs Up on Bills to Address Mental Health Needs, Increase Educator Pay
January 18, 2024
January 18, 2024
Today, the House Education Committee gave approval on two very important VEA legislative initiatives, House Bills 187 and 181. HB187, sponsored by Delegate Nadarius Clark, passed the full committee by a vote of 16 to 5 (Vote Tally here). The bill requires state funding to be provided pursuant to the general appropriation act in a sum sufficient to fund a three percent increase for Standards of Quality-funded instructional and support positions, effective for the 2025-2026 school year and to fund an additional seven percent increase, effective for the 2026-2027 school year to bring educators to the national pay average. HB181, sponsored by Delegate Michael Feggans, passed the full committee by a vote of 14-7 (Vote Tally here). The bill decreases from one to 325 to one to 250 the ratio of full-time equivalent school counselors required to be employed by each local school board per student enrolled in the local school division. Watch testimonies on these bills below.
The House Democratic Caucus held a press conference at 9:30 a.m. this morning announcing unified support for a bill, HB187, to get Virginia educators to the national teacher pay average and, HB181, a bill to get the school counselor/student ratio to 1 to 250.
We know effective teachers are the most important school-based determinant of student educational performance. Low pay in Virginia is contributing to teacher and other school staff shortages. Higher pay attracts high-achieving young people to enter the teaching profession and helps keep teachers from leaving the profession. Teachers gain critical experience and skills over the first few years of their careers and experienced teachers play a critical role as mentors for new colleagues. This is why paying educators competitive pay is so important. Ask your lawmaker to support HB181 as it moves to the floor of the House of Delegates. Learn more about establishing competitive pay for our teachers and education support professionals here.
Virginia students are navigating a mental health crisis, impacting their ability to learn and their overall well-being. This year, legislators can expand mental health services by approving HB181 to decrease the ratio (therefore increasing the number) of school counselors, licensed mental and physical health staff, and other student support staff, as well as expanding flexible school-based mental health funding. Ask your lawmaker to support HB181 as it moves to the floor of the House of Delegates. Learn more about supporting our students’ mental health here.
Quotes from Virginia Lawmakers on HB181 and HB187:
Former teacher and Delegate Shelly Simonds: “we have to stop the flood of teachers leaving the profession… we have to ensure they feel respected. Having more counselors would help with student behavior solutions… Counselors are there to help our teachers really support our students”.
Delegate Michael Feggans: “our counselors are going to have to be the first folks for mental health intervention”
Delegate Nadarius Clark: “we cannot expect our teachers to perform at the highest level if they’re worried about keeping food on the table and the lights on… teachers are the backbones of our society.”
Delegate Sam Rasoul: “we were thoroughly underwhelmed by the lack of education investments in the governor’s budget… There’s been a focus by the governor on a $2.3 billion tax cut rather than using a fraction of that to lift the support cap.” “I’m interested in not just getting to a baseline but making real progress.”
| 6:30 a.m. | Capitol Commission Bible Study; Speaker’s Conference Room, 14th Floor, General Assembly Building |
| 7:30 a.m. | House Public Safety – Public Safety; House North Subcommittee Room-200, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 7:30 a.m. | Senate Finance and Appropriations Health and Human Resources Subcommittee; Senate Finance & Appropriations Room, 13th Floor, General Assembly Building |
| 7:30 a.m. | House Counties Cities and Towns – Subcommittee #2: House South Subcommittee Room – 210, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 8:00 a.m. | Senate Education and Health; Senate Room A, General Assembly Building (committee info) |
| 8:30 a.m. | Health and Human Services; House Committee Room C-206, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (committee info) |
| Adj full | House Health and Human Services – Health Professions; House Committee Room C – 206, General Assembly Building – Immediately upon adjournment of full committee (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 9:00 a.m. | House Transportation; House Committee Room B-205, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (committee info) |
| 12:00 p.m. | House Convenes; House Chamber, The Capitol |
| 12:00 p.m. | Senate Convenes; Senate Chamber, The Capitol |
| 15 min aft | Senate Transportation; Senate Room B, General Assembly Building (committee info) |
| 1/2 hr aft | House General Laws; House Committee Room B-205, General Assembly Building – 1/2 hour after adjournment of House (Provide Comment) (committee info) |
| Adj full | House General Laws – Housing/Consumer Protection; House Committee Room B – 205, General Assembly Building – Immediately upon adjournment of full committee (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 2 hrs aft | House General Laws – Professions/ Occupations and Administrative Process; House Committee Room B – 205, General Assembly Building – 2 hours after adjournment of full committee (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 15 min aft | Senate Rehabilitatiion and Social Services Subcommittee ABC; Senate Room A, General Assembly Building – 15 minutes after adjournment (sub-committee info) |
| 30 min aft | Senate Education and Health Subcommittee on Public Education; Senate Room C, General Assembly Building – 30 minutes after adjournment (sub-committee info) |
| 1/2 hr aft | House Labor and Commerce; House Committee Room A-008, General Assembly Building – 1/2 hour after adjournment of House (Provide Comment) (committee info) |
| Adj full | House Labor and Commerce – Subcommittee #2; House Committee Room A – 008, General Assembly Building – Immediately upon adjournment of full committee (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 3:00 p.m. | Senate Finance and Appropriations Education Subcommittee; Senate Finance & Appropriations Room, 13th Floor, General Assembly Building |
| 4:00 p.m. | Senate Finance and Appropriations; Senate Finance and Appropriations Conference Room, 13th Floor, General Assembly Building (Hearing Budget Amendments for Non-SFAC Members, 13th Floor) |
| 4:00 p.m. | House Public Safety – Firearms; House North Subcommittee Room-200, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
| 4:00 p.m. | House Health and Human Services – Social Services; House Committee Room C – 206, General Assembly Building (Provide Comment) (sub-committee info) |
Join us for a lobby day! We’ll be visiting our elected officials to urge them to fight for public school funding. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. RSVP Today.
Monday, 2/19/24 (Presidents’ Day) 8:30am
Meet at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
RSVP: bit.ly/FOSLobbyDay
After we finish lobbying, we’ll hold a rally at The Bell Tower (101 N 9th St) at 1pm!
Take Action 4 Public Education Today!
Take Action 4 Education on these bills below during the 2024 legislative session. Thank you to Marianne Burke at 4 Public Education for creating these Take Action Alerts.
4 Public Education has already written the message for you (but you can also change it if you like!), just click the LINKS below go to each action alert where you can enter your name and address then one-click to send the message to the appropriate legislators.
It is a quick, easy, and vital way to support students, staff and public schools in Virginia!
SUPPORT 2 bills to Increase Teacher Pay: There are bills in both the House (HB 187) and Senate (SB 104) to raise salaries of public school teachers and education support professionals. Learn more and show support:
Thank you for your support! Please forward to amplify our voice.
According to a poll conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, 66% of Virginians say public schools do not have enough funding to meet their needs.
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