Virginia House Bill HB2072

Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/7/25
• Refer: 1/7/25

Caption

Standards of School Safety; Board of Education, et al., to establish.

Impact

The implementation of HB2072 is anticipated to create a systematic approach for evaluating school safety across Virginia's local school divisions. By requiring the Board of Education to collaborate with the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety and relevant stakeholders, the bill aims to establish binding safety standards that contribute to the accountability measures involved in the Standards of Accreditation. This regulatory framework intends to compel school divisions to prioritize safety and ensure compliance with established standards.

Summary

House Bill 2072 seeks to amend the Code of Virginia by introducing new standards for school safety under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education. The bill emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive, objective measures to assess safety within local school divisions and individual school buildings throughout the Commonwealth. The objective is to enhance the overall safety of educational environments, acknowledging the crucial role that secure school settings play in effective education delivery.

Contention

While the bill is primarily focused on enhancing school safety, it may provoke discussions regarding the appropriateness of state mandates on local educational institutions. Some local administrators may express concerns over the potential imposition of unfunded mandates and additional reporting requirements that could strain resources. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed standards and how they will be enforced remains a point of contention, with various stakeholders debating the oversight mechanisms necessary to ensure that schools adhere to these new safety measures.