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 teacher licensure; technical professional license; curriculum and instruction coursework; comprehensive community colleges.
HB1383 revises Virginia’s teacher licensure statute, § 22.1-298.1, and reorganizes the rules that the Board of Education must include in its licensure regulations. The bill keeps the existing framework for initial, provisional, renewable, alternate-route, reciprocity, and local eligibility licenses, but updates and expands the required training, assessment, and endorsement-specific requirements for teachers, principals, and other school personnel. It also expressly allows certain curriculum-and-instruction coursework for a technical professional license to be completed at any comprehensive community college offering the coursework, including noncredit workforce credential programs.
A major feature of the bill is the addition and clarification of multiple licensure pathways and exemptions. It preserves and expands provisional licensure options for career and technical education teachers, military-connected applicants, and certain foreign-trained educators; it also requires the Board to provide universal licensure by reciprocity for qualified out-of-state teachers with at least three years of recent experience. The bill further directs the Board to create alternate routes for elementary and special education licensure, to accept experiential learning in place of some coursework, and to allow school boards or school-board-sponsored organizations to petition for approval of alternate licensure routes.
HB1383 would affect the State Board of Education’s regulatory authority and the licensure obligations of teachers, principals, assistant principals, and school counselors. It continues or adds requirements related to science-based reading instruction, child abuse recognition, CPR/AED training, dyslexia awareness, cultural competency, African American history, mental health recognition, positive behavior interventions, and instruction for students with disabilities. It also maintains special provisions for career and technical education teachers, including industry certification credentials and superintendent waivers, and it preserves the Board’s authority over teacher discipline, revocation, and reinstatement.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill’s handling appears mixed but not strongly polarized: the measure advanced far enough to receive committee consideration, but it was ultimately continued to the next session in Education and Health by a 9-6 vote, suggesting substantial support alongside meaningful opposition or unresolved concerns. The absence of recorded floor debate or transcript excerpts limits the ability to identify specific arguments, but the structure of the bill suggests it was intended to broaden access to licensure while maintaining training and competency standards. The committee vote indicates the bill was not consensus legislation and likely raised concerns about licensure standards, reciprocity, or the scope of Board discretion.
The main points of contention likely center on the balance between easing entry into the teaching profession and preserving rigorous preparation requirements. Supporters would likely favor the expanded reciprocity, alternate routes, community-college coursework option, and provisional pathways for hard-to-fill positions such as career and technical education. Opponents may have concerns about lowering barriers too far, the breadth of Board waiver authority, the use of local eligibility licenses, or whether some provisions could dilute uniform statewide standards for teacher preparation and licensure.
HB1383 would amend § 22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia, which governs teacher and school personnel licensure, by expanding and clarifying the Board of Education’s required licensure regulations. It would affect licensure standards for teachers, principals, assistant principals, school counselors, career and technical education teachers, and applicants seeking reciprocity or alternate-route licensure, while also allowing certain coursework for technical professional licensure to be completed at comprehensive community colleges. The bill would not itself issue licenses, but it would direct the Board to adopt regulations consistent with the new requirements and options.
The bill appears to have generated a mixed response. It was considered in committee but ultimately continued to the next session on a 9-6 vote in Education and Health, which suggests that a majority was not ready to advance it and that concerns remained unresolved. The available record does not include detailed debate, but the vote pattern indicates support for the bill’s licensure-expansion goals coexisted with significant reservations about its scope and implementation.
The likely areas of contention are the bill’s expansion of reciprocity and alternate licensure routes, the use of provisional and local eligibility licenses, and the degree of flexibility given to the Board and local superintendents. Supporters would likely emphasize workforce shortages, easier entry for experienced educators, military spouses, out-of-state teachers, and career and technical education instructors. Critics may worry that the bill weakens preparation standards, creates uneven local practices, or gives too much discretion to waive coursework, assessments, and other licensure requirements. The 9-6 committee vote suggests these tensions were significant enough to prevent immediate advancement.