An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.10, relating to school boards; participation in SAT School Day program required; student participation.
HB410 requires every Virginia school board to participate in the College Board’s SAT School Day program, or a substantially similar program, so that high school students can take the SAT during regular school hours at their enrolled public high school. Each school division must offer this opportunity to every high school student at least once during junior or senior year, either in the fall or spring testing window.
The bill also directs school boards, when offering the SAT in the fall, to align the testing day with the PSAT window to the extent feasible and to offer students the opportunity to take either the SAT or PSAT on the same school day during regular school hours, as applicable. The law expressly states that no student may be required to participate, making the program an access requirement for school divisions rather than a mandate on individual students.
HB410 adds a new section to the Code of Virginia, § 22.1-79.10, imposing a statewide obligation on local school boards to provide in-school SAT access for high school students. It affects public school divisions by requiring them to coordinate with the College Board or a similar provider, schedule testing during the school day, and ensure at least one opportunity for juniors or seniors to test at their home school. The bill does not change graduation requirements or compel student participation, but it does create an operational duty for school boards and may affect testing logistics, staffing, and scheduling.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded vote data, so there is no documented debate or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be framed as a student-access and college-readiness policy, with a generally supportive posture toward expanding convenient standardized testing opportunities in public schools.
The main potential points of contention are practical rather than ideological: school divisions may be concerned about scheduling, staffing, test administration costs, and coordination with existing instructional calendars, especially if aligning SAT and PSAT windows. Another possible issue is the requirement to offer the test at least once during junior or senior year, which could be viewed as a state mandate on local school boards even though student participation remains voluntary. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided legislative history.