A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-298.1, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to part-time or adjunct instructors in public schools; locally awarded subject matter expert credentials; career and technical education subjects or courses.
HB1023 amends Virginia’s teacher licensure statute to expand and clarify pathways into public school teaching, with a particular focus on career and technical education (CTE), reciprocity for out-of-state teachers, and locally issued credentials for subject matter experts. The bill revises the definitions and rules governing provisional, renewable, local eligibility, and reciprocity-based licenses, while preserving the Board of Education’s authority over licensure standards and disciplinary action. It also creates and refines an alternate route framework for individuals with graduate education or relevant experience, and it maintains a broad set of required licensure topics such as child abuse recognition, CPR/AED training, dyslexia awareness, cultural competency, mental health recognition, inclusive education, and science-based reading instruction for certain endorsements.
A major feature of the bill is the creation of a locally awarded subject matter expert credential that would allow qualified individuals with industry experience or subject-matter expertise to teach one CTE course per semester as part-time or adjunct instructors in grades 6-12, or at comprehensive community colleges for dual or concurrent enrollment. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate expertise through education, licensure, work experience, or teaching experience, and complete two Department-issued microcredentials. These credential holders would be subject to background checks, mentoring, probationary employment terms, and annual reporting by school boards. The bill also requires a mentor stipend for supervising these instructors and limits the credential’s transferability between divisions.
HB1023 would also broaden licensure access for military families, veterans, and teachers licensed in other states. It directs the Board to provide reciprocity for spouses of active-duty or reserve service members and Virginia National Guard members, and it establishes universal reciprocity for any out-of-state teacher with a valid, full, deficiency-free license in force for at least three years. The bill further authorizes provisional licenses for former service members and certain foreign-licensed educators, and it allows school divisions to waive some requirements for CTE teachers. In addition, it preserves and updates alternate routes to licensure for elementary education and special education, including experiential learning substitutions and Board-approved alternative certification programs.
The bill’s impact on state law would be to make Virginia’s teacher licensure system more flexible and more responsive to workforce shortages, especially in CTE and hard-to-staff subjects, while keeping a substantial set of training and assessment requirements in place. It would amend § 22.1-298.1 to add new credential types, new reciprocity rules, new local authority for issuing subject matter expert credentials, and new reporting and oversight obligations. It would also affect school divisions, the Board of Education, teacher applicants, military spouses, veterans, and higher education institutions that may hire adjunct CTE instructors.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill’s status is cautious or unresolved rather than strongly polarized: it was continued to the next session in the Education Committee by voice vote, suggesting interest in the concept but no final agreement. The structure of the bill indicates support for expanding teacher pipelines and reducing barriers to entry, especially for CTE and reciprocity candidates. Likely points of contention include whether the bill lowers licensure standards too far, how much discretion local superintendents should have, the use of provisional and local credentials instead of full licensure, and whether the new mentoring and reporting requirements are sufficient to protect instructional quality.
HB1023 would amend § 22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia to expand licensure pathways for teachers and school personnel, add a new locally awarded subject matter expert credential for part-time or adjunct CTE instruction, and broaden reciprocity and provisional licensure options. It would affect the Board of Education’s licensure regulations, school divisions, applicants for teacher licenses, military spouses, veterans, out-of-state educators, and CTE professionals, while adding reporting, mentoring, and training requirements tied to the new credentialing options.
There is no recorded floor debate or vote breakdown in the provided materials, but the committee action—continued to the next session in Education by voice vote—suggests the bill received interest without consensus. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a workforce-expansion measure aimed at easing teacher shortages and improving access to CTE instruction, while still preserving oversight and training requirements.
The main areas of potential contention are the balance between flexibility and licensure rigor, especially the use of locally awarded subject matter expert credentials and provisional licenses in place of full teacher licensure. Opponents may worry about instructional quality, consistency across divisions, and whether local superintendents should have broad waiver authority. Supporters are likely to emphasize the need for more CTE instructors, faster reciprocity for experienced out-of-state teachers, and easier entry for military families and other qualified candidates.