GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 8, which would create a new executive branch agency known as the Board of the Virginia Virtual School, to govern and facilitate the provision of full-time, online education programs.

This legislation raises significant concerns regarding proper management and oversight by allowing the Board of the Virginia Virtual School to operate outside the jurisdiction of the Board of Education, local divisions, and local school boards. This would disrupt the established constitutional framework and the roles these entities play in ensuring the appropriate governance of schools, regulatory compliance, and positive student outcomes.

The corresponding resources allocated in the budget also would be insufficient to run a new state agency effectively. Inadequate funding and staffing will put all participating students, specifically English Language Learners, students with disabilities, and other at-risk youth, in danger of not receiving their constitutionally-guaranteed education.

Finally, Board of the Virginia Virtual School is also unnecessary given the current availability of high quality, online virtual learning opportunities. Delegate Richard P. Bell, the bill's patron, has a long standing commitment to advancing virtual learning, which has facilitated Virginia's ability to expand virtual learning opportunities to students throughout the Commonwealth. This includes the Virtual Virginia program, overseen by the Virginia Department of Education, which makes full and part time programming available to students while ensuring high quality instruction, providing extracurricular opportunities, and maintaining ongoing support from their local school division.

HB 8 would create a new state agency outside the constitutional framework governing school divisions and boards. There is no reason to sign into law legislation that would risk the educational well-being of our students.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.