An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-299.6:1, relating to teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment; three-year licenses; established.
HB332 creates a new three-year renewable teaching license for individuals who teach solely career and technical education (CTE) courses or dual enrollment courses in Virginia public high schools. The license is available to instructors who are employed by an accredited institution of higher education, are already teaching in the same subject area at that institution, and meet existing licensure-related requirements in state law. The measure is aimed at allowing colleges and universities to place qualified instructors into public school classrooms for specialized CTE and dual enrollment offerings.
The bill also requires that anyone issued this license remain continuously employed in the qualifying higher-education position as a condition of keeping the license. In addition, any school board that hires such an instructor must provide training on instruction and assessment during the instructor’s first year. The Board of Education is directed to update its regulations to conform to the new statute.
HB332 amends the Code of Virginia by adding § 22.1-299.6:1 and requires the Board of Education to establish a new licensure pathway for CTE and dual enrollment instructors. It affects teacher licensure rules, school board hiring practices, and Board regulations, while expanding the pool of eligible instructors for public high school specialized courses. The bill is likely to affect public school divisions, higher-education institutions, and individuals teaching college-creditable dual enrollment or technical education courses.
The available record shows the bill was enacted as Chapter 794 and approved without any recorded committee transcript or vote data indicating opposition. Based on the final passage and lack of recorded controversy in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears favorable and pragmatic, focused on expanding access to qualified instructors for specialized high school courses.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee transcripts or vote history. The main policy issues implied by the bill are whether higher-education instructors should be allowed to teach in public high schools under a separate renewable license, how to ensure instructional quality through required training, and whether continuous employment at the higher-education institution should remain a condition of licensure. Any concerns would likely come from balancing workforce flexibility against licensure standards and oversight.