NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 22, 2021
Neighbors,
As I’ve mentioned previously, Governor Northam has directed all school districts to offer in-person instruction starting March 15, 2021 based on the guidance the Virginia Department of Education and Virginia Department of Health issued in January (see here) as well as the Centers for Disease Control guidance (see here).
This past week, House Democrats announced our legislation to require local school districts to offer in-person learning to every student for the 2021-2022 school year. We are coupling this with a proposal in the House budget of $51.1 million for our schools to address COVID-19 learning loss.
As a mother of three elementary school students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), I can relate firsthand with many parents who have reached out to share their concerns about our children's social, emotional, and academic well-being during the pandemic. In addition, like many of you, my husband and I are similarly dealing with the daily challenges of juggling work and supporting our children with remote learning.
Many constituents have provided their feedback on how and when FCPS students should return to in-person instruction, ranging from those who urge a return to school five days a week to those who want continued virtual instruction.
We all share the firm belief that in-person learning is best for our kids. The reality, however, is that we will still be dealing with COVID-19 into the next school year. Thus we need an approach that gets our kids back into schools safely, while recognizing differences in local conditions and family needs and preferences.
This bill provides a path forward to ensuring we provide in-person instruction safely in the 2021-2022 school year for those families who welcome it, while at the same time providing options for those families who do not yet feel ready for their children to return to classrooms. Please see below for more information.
As always, let me know if you have questions or need assistance by calling my office at (804) 698-1042 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.
Below you will find updates on
COVID-19 updates
Legislative updates
Best, Kathy
Delegate, 42nd District
COVID-19 UPDATES
Executive Order Amendment - Outdoor Sports Events
Governor Northam has amended Executive Order 72 and Order of Public Health Emergency Nine to allow for outdoor sports events to hold a maximum of 250 spectators, as long as they adhere to certain social distancing guidelines. You can find the full text of the amended orders here.
COVID-19 Vaccination Emergency Legislation
House Bill 2333, which I have discussed previously, has been signed into law by Governor Northam and is now in effect. This bill breaks down barriers for healthcare professionals to be able to provide vaccinations. It also establishes processes to set up more community vaccination sites. Lastly, it requires the Department of Health to collect data to ensure vaccines are being administered on an equitable basis. I co-sponsored this bill to ensure Virginia has the infrastructure to quickly get vaccines administered when more become available.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
My Legislative Agenda
This week, two of my bills passed the state Senate and are headed to Governor Northam to be signed into law:
House Bill 2036 my bill to make it easier for the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to communicate with Virginians and employers about unemployment insurance claims. I worked with the Chief Workforce Development Advisor and had the support of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, the Legal Aid Justice Society, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Independent Business.
House Bill 2161 my bill to protect military service members, military spouses, and their dependents from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. I appreciate the support of Blue Star Families, Veterans of Foreign Wars, multiple business chambers, Governor Northam, and Attorney General Mark Herring. This important legislation will provide critical anti-discrimination protections for families that sacrifice so much for our country.
Return to In-Person Instruction Legislation
This week, Virginia House Democrats announced our legislation to require local school districts to offer in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year (see here).
This proposal will provide assurance that our students will be back in the classroom in a safe manner. Highlights of the bill include:
School districts must offer in-person instruction.
School districts must offer virtual learning for families that request it.
Local school boards must adopt and update safety measures according to guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Local school boards may close a school and offer only virtual instruction if there is a localized outbreak of COVID-19 cases necessitating school closure.
All teachers and staff must be offered an opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine before the start of the school year. Local school boards must offer accommodations to high-risk staff and those unable to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
These changes would expire in August 2022 and are not permanent changes to how we reach our children.
The bill will be considered by the House Committee on Education on Monday, February 22. I expect the bill to pass the Committee, and I will be supporting it when it reaches the full House of Delegates this coming week.
In addition, the Virginia House of Delegates has included the following critical funding in our proposed update to the biennial budget to help safely return students to in-person learning:
$51.1 million to support local school efforts to address COVID-19 learning loss, which would be used for extending the school year, summer school, tutoring, remediation and recovery, and counseling services.
$123.9 in additional federal funding for statewide initiatives to address the impact of COVID-19.
$26 million to hire more counselors for our schools.