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1999 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 476
Requesting the Departments of Education and Planning and Budget to examine teacher salary scales for the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 4, 1999
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 17, 1999

WHEREAS, located in Staunton and Hampton, the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) are under the operational control of the Board of Education, while the supervision of the contracts and agreements of the board of visitors of the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind rests with the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and

WHEREAS, while the Board is to provide rules and regulations for the governance of the Schools, the Superintendent of Public Instruction is to “administer, supervise and direct the activities and programs” pursuant to such rules and regulations, and is to appoint the officers and employees of each School; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § 22.1-346.1, the ten-member Advisory Commission on the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind was established to monitor the operations of the VSDB and to advise the Board and submit recommendations that “seek to ensure the maintenance of a high-quality and cost-effective program of study and a safe and nurturing residential environment at the schools”; and

WHEREAS, education programs at these institutions must also be approved by the Superintendent, who may consult with the Departments for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and for the Visually Handicapped; and

WHEREAS, in 1998-1999 the schools at Staunton and Hampton received appropriations of over $5.9 million and $6.4 million, respectively, and the maximum employment level was set at 144 for the Staunton school and 130 for the Hampton school; and

WHEREAS, the 1998 Appropriation Act states that the sense of the General Assembly is that the VSDB should “effect teacher salary scales that are competitive with those in effect for public school teachers” in the respective school divisions in which each School is located; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Departments of Education and Planning and Budget be requested to examine the teacher salary scales for the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. The Departments shall consider, among other things, salary scales for teachers in the Staunton and Hampton public schools.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Departments, upon request.

The Departments shall complete their work in time to report their findings and recommendations to the Advisory Commission on the Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind by September 30, 1999, and shall submit such findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2000 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.