State Education Services for Adult Education (1910400): §§ 22.1-223 through 22.1-236, Code of Virginia; Part B., P.L. 100-297, as amended, P.L. 102-73, Adult Education Act.

State Education Services for Research, Testing and Evaluation (1910700): § 22.1-19, Code of Virginia; Article VIII, Section 2, Constitution of Virginia.

State Education Services for Public School Support (1910800): §§ 22.1-16, 22.1-138 through 22.1-141, 22.1-186, 22.1-238 through 22.1-253, 22.1-346 through 22.1-357, Code of Virginia.

State Education Services for Early Childhood (1910900): §§ 22.1-199 through 22.1-221, Code of Virginia.

State Education for Preadolescent (1911000): §§ 22.1-200 through 22.1-221, Code of Virginia.

State Education Services for Adolescent (1911100): §§ 22.1-200 through 22.1-221; §§ 22.1-228 through 22.1-237, Code of Virginia.

State Education Services for Regional Services (1911200): §§ 22.1-213 through 22.1-221, Code of Virginia.

Virginia Business-Education Partnership Program (1911700): §§ 9-325 through 9-329, Chapter 41, Code of Virginia.

A. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is encouraged to implement school/community team training.

B. The appropriation for State Education Regional Services includes $55,000 the first year and $55,000 $20,000 the second year from the general fund to provide technical assistance to localities in developing a comprehensive, coordinated, quality preschool program for serving at-risk four-year-old children.

C. Out of the amounts for State Education Services, $296,000 the first year and $296,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the Virginia VIEWS Program.

D. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide direction and technical assistance to local school divisions in the revision of their Vocational Education curriculum and instructional practices.

E.1. Out of the amounts for State Education Services, $22,900,688 $20,021,966 the first year and $23,218,090 $21,931,870 the second year from the general fund is provided for the development and administration of assessment materials and tests related to the Standards of Learning.

2. The appropriation for State Education Services includes an amount estimated at $7,902,279 the first year from federal funds to begin development of assessments required under the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

F. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Social Services, shall encourage local departments of social services and local school divisions to work together to develop cooperative arrangements for the use of school resources, especially computer labs, for the purpose of training Temporary Assistance to Needy Families recipients for the workforce.

G.1. Out of the appropriation for State Education Services for Research, Testing and Evaluation, an amount estimated at $868,582 $633,582 the first year from the general fund is provided to continue the Literacy Passport Test pursuant to the Standards of Quality § 22.1-253.13.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 22.1-253.13, Code of Virginia, and notwithstanding the provisions of the Board of Education’s Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, the Literacy Passport Test will not be available after July 1, 2003. Further, effective July 1, 2003, passage of the Literacy Passport Test will no longer be required for receipt of a high school diploma.

H. Notwithstanding § 4-1.05 b 3 of this act, the Superintendent of Public Instruction may apply for grant funding to be used by local school divisions consistent with the provisions of Chapter 447, 1999 Session of the General Assembly. The nongeneral fund appropriation for this agency shall be adjusted by the amount of the proceeds of any such grant awards.

I. The Department of Education, in collaboration with the Office of Comprehensive Services, shall provide training to local staff serving on Family Assessment and Planning Teams and Community Policy and Management Teams. Training shall include, but need not be limited to, the federal and state requirements pertaining to the provision of the special education services funded under § 2.2-5211, Code of Virginia. The training shall also include written guidance concerning which services remain the financial responsibility of the local school divisions. In addition, the Department of Education shall provide ongoing local oversight of its federal and state requirements related to the provision of services funded under § 2.2-5211, Code of Virginia.

J. Out of the amounts for State Education Services for Research, Testing and Evaluation, $2,027,138 the first year and $2,027,138 the second year from the general fund is designated for the administrative costs of implementing the Educational Technology Initiative in Item 147, paragraph C 11, of this act.

K. Out of the amounts for State Education Services for Research, Testing, and Evaluation, $2,988,537 $1,563,537 the second year from the general fund is designated for administrative and contractual services for development, support, and maintenance of a web-based software application that electronically delivers or administers high school Standards of Learning testing.

L. The Department of Education shall collect annually, as part of the financial section of the Annual School Report, data on the expenditures of local school divisions for educational technology, to include hardware, software, and required infrastructure modifications.

M. The amounts for State Education Services include includes $75,000 the first year and $75,000 the second year from the general fund for the Department of Education to continue the development of model teacher, principal and superintendent training in-service activities and programs geared specifically to the Standards of Learning and technology applications in instruction. Information on these programs, and actual training in the provision of these model activities and programs at the local level, shall be provided to local school divisions in each year. The Department shall also develop and disseminate to local school divisions classroom materials for teachers. Such materials shall include instructional manuals, video tapes, multimedia packages or computer software which provide a day-to-day source of information and reinforcement for classroom teachers.

N. The Department of Education shall develop recommendations for a school food allergy program, to include recommendations for the provision of educational materials for school principals, nurses, teachers, and food service staff in creating a safe school environment for food-allergic children. In developing these program recommendations the Department shall seek the input and guidance of the United States Departments of Education and Agriculture, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, and representatives of local school divisions around the Commonwealth. Further, the Department shall provide a report on its recommendations and its estimate of the state and local cost of any such recommendations to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance, Senate Education and Health, House Appropriations and House Education Committees by November 15, 2002.

I VETO THIS ITEM /s/ MARK R. WARNER (5/17/02) (Vetoed item is enclosed in brackets.)

P. The Department of Education shall work with the Department of Medical Assistance Services to expand the services covered under the special education billing program, generating additional federal Medicaid funds for local school divisions, and provide a report on the results to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by December 1, 2002.

Q. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of law, effective July 1, 2003, the Department of Education shall not be required to administer the Stanford 9 norm-referenced test.

R. The Board of Education shall consider the caseload standards for speech-language pathologists as part of its review of the Standards of Quality, pursuant to § 22.1-18.01, Code of Virginia.

S.1. The Board of Education shall convene a task force to develop a plan for consolidating services for the deaf and/or blind and multi-disabled students served by Virginia's two schools for these students. The task force shall include at least one member of the Board of Education; the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Superintendent of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton; the Superintendent of the Virginia School for the Deaf, Blind and Multi-Disabled at Hampton; the co-chairmen of the Advisory Commission on the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind; one parent of a currently enrolled student from each of the schools; and one representative each from the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, the Department of Rehabilitative Services, and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services.

2. The plan shall include an examination of appropriate academic programs, staffing requirements, facilities requirements, student transportation requirements, and individual arrangements necessary for all students currently receiving services to continue receiving services. All options for serving students shall be considered. The plan shall also include the steps necessary to achieve consolidation, funding requirements and/or savings, alternative uses of facilities, and a suggested timeline for achieving consolidation.

3. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the task force in its development of the plan, upon request. The task force shall submit its plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Education, and the Senate Finance and Education and Health Committees by November 1, 2003.