Education

Delegate Dave LaRock and Governor Glen Youngkin agree on a course to Excellence in Education. LaRock said, “Parents want to raise healthy, happy children who are ready to realize their full potential, so quality education options are a must.” Many parents are outraged at schools pushing extreme ideologies and hiding it from parents. We must ensure that parents know what their children are learning in school, protect girls’ athletics from males who claim to be female, and expand school choice options. Governor Youngkin is committed to improvement of education and fixing the mistake of dumbing down what kids are being taught. Instead he is saying we should “Offer more advanced math and science opportunities and vocational training in high demand fields.”

Taxpayers are paying huge sums (whether they know it or not) on material that is not connected with fundamental learning. Greater transparency will help parents make the best decisions for their children’s education. LaRock added, “Focusing on core academics and vocational training are priorities all families can agree on.” Parents have the right to instill and nurture values and beliefs in their own children and make decisions concerning their children’s development in accordance with their customs, faith, and family culture. School policies must ensure that parents are in charge. 

Dave has served on the House Education Committee for much of his time in the legislature, and has introduced numerous bills to provide greater educational opportunities and parental involvement. Here is more information:

• Sage's Law, HB 2432 in the 2023 Session

• Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts

• Dave's Education Legislation

  2023 SESSION

  • HB 1708 Juveniles; prohibited sales and loans of materials deemed harmful.
  • HB 1736 Family life education curriculum guidelines; human reproduction, viewing of ultrasound video.
  • HB 2276 COVID; immunization of children.
  • HB 2277 Comprehensive community colleges; education preparation programs.
  • HB 2432 Sage's Law; Minors & students self-identifying as a gender different from biological sex; parental notification. (passed the House, killed in the Senate)
  • HB 2480 Home instruction and private school; tax credit, created.
  • HJ 538 Comprehensive community colleges; VCC to study feasibility of approval of education prep. program.

   

  2022 SESSION

  • HB 784 Income tax, state; home instruction and private school tax credit.
  • HB 785 Family life education curriculum guidelines; human reproduction, viewing of ultrasound video.
  • HB 786 Instructional material and related academic activities; Board of Education to establish policy. (Incorporated into HB 1009, died in Senate; similar SB 656 becoming law)
  • HB 787 Public elementary and secondary education; training or instruction on certain concepts. (Passed House; killed in Senate)
  • HB 788 Education Improvement Scholarships program; increases percentage for tax credit.
  • HB 789 Family life education programs; student participation, summaries. (Passed House; killed in Senate)
  • HB 1024 Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established, definition of poverty guidelines. (Passed House; killed in Senate)
  • HB 1025 Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established.
  • HB 1032 School boards, local; standards for certain public school library materials, parental review.
  • HB 1036 School boards, local; requirement for students to wear masks or other face coverings. (incorporated into HB1272, becoming law)
  • HB 1100 Public elementary and secondary school buildings; standards for maintenance, operations, etc.
  • HB 1347 Family life education instruction; school year time limit.

   

  2021 SESSION

  • HB 2243 Home instruction and private school tax credit.
  • HB 2244 Family life education curriculum guidelines; human reproduction; viewing of ultrasound video.
  • HJ 573 COVID-19 vaccination; voluntary.

   

  2020 SESSION

  • HB 634 School Divisions of Innovation; local assessments.
  • HB 678 Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established, report.
  • HB 683 Family life education programs; student participation.

   

  2019 SESSION

  • HB 2570 Family life education programs; student participation. (Passed House, killed by Senate)
  • HB 2574 School Divisions of Innovation; performance-based assessments. (Passed House 99-0; killed by Senate)
  • HB 2568 Child Safety Savings Accounts; established, report.  
  • HJ 684 Educators; Board of Education to establish code of ethics and professional responsibility.

   

  2018 SESSION

  • HB 491 Custody and visitation; rights of parents with a disability.
  • HB 1168 Family life education programs; student participation.
  • HB 1278 School Divisions of Innovation; performance-based assessments.
  • HB 1286 Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts established.
  • HJ 115 Standards of Quality; JLARC to study cost to implement.
  • HJ 117 Board of Education; code of ethics and professional responsibility for educators in public element.

   

  2017 SESSION

  • HB 1605 Virginia Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established, report.  (Vetoed by the Governor)
  • HB 2299 Comprehensive community colleges; tuition grants. (Identical HB1848, Signed by the Governor)
  • HR 431 Public institutions of higher education; free speech. (Passed)
  • HB 1839 School principals; incident reports.

   

  2016 SESSION

  • HB 168 Passing stopped school buses; mailing of summons. (Signed by the Governor)
  • HB 259 SOL; Bd. of Education prohibited from adopting revisions that implement Common Core State Standards.  (Governor vetoed)
  • HB 389 Virginia Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established, report, effective clause.   (Governor vetoed)
  • HB 397 Discrimination; specification of certain terms relating to sex or gender.
  • HB 1132 School principals; incident reports.
  • HB 1134 Disorderly conduct; provisions shall not apply to certain students if occurs on school property.  

   

  2015 SESSION

  • HB 1752 SOL; Bd. of Education prohibited from adopting revisions that implement Common Core State Standards. (Vetoed by the Governor)
  • HB 1753 Home instruction of children; requirements, year-end assessments, cutoff date. (Passed the House, died in Senate)
  • HB 1754 Home instruction of children; parent to provide certain testing scores to division superintendent. (Signed by Governor)
  • HB 2231 Student discipline; modifying long-term suspensions and expulsions.
  • HB 2238 Virginia Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts; established. * (Killed by Lt. Gov. Northam) 

Dave’s Education Plan:

• Give parents, teachers, and local officials more control over our schools by cutting red tape and over-regulation from Washington, DC and Richmond.

• Promote flexibility and innovation in the classroom and stop forcing teachers to “teach to the test.”

• Invest in education by rewarding good teachers.

• Encourage and support the rights of parents to direct their children’s education.

• Cut administrative bureaucracy and shift money to reduce class size and increase teacher compensation.