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VA HB613

VA HB613
Teacher Recruitment and Retention Mentorship Pilot Program; established, report, sunset.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
02/18/2026
Crossed Over
02/16/2026
Passed
Dead
03/14/2026

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Department of Education; division superintendents; Teacher Recruitment and Retention Mentorship Pilot Program established; administration; report. Directs the Department of Education (the Department), in coordination with the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, to establish and administer the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Mentorship Pilot Program (the Program) for the purpose of supporting division superintendents of school divisions with high teacher vacancy rates in improving teacher recruitment and retention in such school division by coordinating the establishment of mentorships whereby a division superintendent of a low vacancy-rate school division is connected with a division superintendent of a high vacancy-rate school division to provide mentorship in developing and implementing plans, strategies, and best practices for improving teacher vacancy rates in the high vacancy-rate school division. The bill directs the Department, in coordination with the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, to implement policies and procedures for the establishment and administration of the Program, including policies for coordinating such mentorships, encouraging participation of division superintendents in the Program, and for Program oversight. The bill directs each division superintendent mentorship pair participating in the Program to annually submit to the Department a report on their activities for the preceding school year and any recommendations relating to improving the effectiveness of mentorships under the Program. Finally, the bill directs the Department to submit to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1 of each year a report on the activities of the Program for the preceding school year. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Mentorship Pilot Program, which will be administered by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. The program aims to help school divisions struggling with high teacher vacancy rates by pairing their superintendents with superintendents from divisions with low vacancy rates. These experienced superintendents will provide guidance and share best practices on developing and implementing strategies to improve teacher recruitment and retention. The program will involve creating policies to facilitate these mentorship connections, encourage participation, and ensure oversight. Participating superintendent pairs will submit annual reports detailing their mentorship activities, strategies discussed, and outcomes, including any changes in teacher recruitment and retention rates, along with recommendations for improvement. The Department of Education will then compile these reports and submit an annual summary to the Governor and legislative committees, analyzing the program's effectiveness and suggesting ways to enhance it. This pilot program is set to expire on July 1, 2029.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

Sponsors (3)

Last Action

Continued to next session in Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (on 03/05/2026)

Taxonomy

Education
  • ‐ Education Excellence
  • ‐ Elementary and Secondary Education

bill text


bill summary

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bill summary

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location Created
State Bill Page https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB613 01/13/2026
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB613) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192154.PDF 03/04/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB613/text/HB613H1 02/13/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB613/text/HB613HC2 02/13/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB613/text/HB613HC1 02/13/2026
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB613) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098692.PDF 01/27/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB613/text/HB613 01/13/2026
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