Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SB450: An Act to direct the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive review of and making recommendations on the alternative licensure pathways for public school teachers in the Commonwealth.
Status: Chaptered, April 13, 2026
Department of Education; public school teacher licensure requirements; comprehensive review of alternative licensure pathways; stakeholder work group; report. Directs the Department of Education (the Department) to convene a stakeholder work group to conduct a comprehensive review of the alternative licensure pathways, as that term is defined in the bill, available to public school teachers in the Commonwealth and make recommendations on improving the quality, efficacy, and outcomes of such alternative licensure pathways. The bill directs the Department to submit to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health (i) by October 1, 2026, an interim report on the preliminary findings and initial recommendations of the work group and (ii) by October 1, 2027, a final report on the findings and recommendations of the work group.
What the bill says
An Act to direct the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive review of and making recommendations on the alternative licensure pathways for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. [S 450] Approved April 13, 2026 § 2. The Department of Education (the Department) shall convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive review of and making recommendations on the alternative licensure pathways for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. The work group shall consist of (i) representatives from maj.
From the enrolled text, April 13, 2026:
An Act to direct the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive review of and making recommendations on the alternative licensure pathways for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. [S 450] Approved April 13, 2026 § 2. The Department of Education (the Department) shall convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive review of and making recommendations on the alternative licensure pathways for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. The work group shall consist of (i) representatives from major education associations, including the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, the Virginia School Boards Association, and the Virginia Parent Teacher Association; (ii) faculty members from public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth with education preparation programs, selected in consultation with the deans of education in such schools to represent expertise in teacher education, educational leadership, special education, and English language learner instruction; (iii) representatives from career-switcher programs offered at comprehensive community colleges and school division-led licensure programs; (iv) public school teachers who have completed or are currently participating in an alternative licensure pathway, including long-term substitute teachers and teachers who have completed or are currently participating in career-switcher programs; (v) representatives from the Advisory Board on Teacher Education and Licensure; (vi) representatives of staff …