VA HB 704
Status unknownPublic schools; mathematics and reading in kindergarten through grade eight, certain initiatives.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
Quick answers
Did VA HB 704 pass?
The current status of VA HB 704 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-02-18): Left in Education
What is VA HB 704 about?
Public schools; mathematics and reading in kindergarten through grade eight; certain initiatives. Establishes several requirements relating to mathematics and reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade eight, including (i) requiring the Department of Education to establish and administer the math teacher and specialist corps to provide grants on a competitive basis to school divisions in which the mathematics proficiency of students in kindergarten through grade eight indicates a high need for intervention and improvement in order for such school divisions to offer annual stipends to effective educators with endorsements in mathematics or as mathematics specialists and deploy such individuals to the schools with the highest need; (ii) requiring each student in kindergarten through grade three to participate in a mathematics screener approved by the Department and requiring any student whose results on such screener indicate the need for further assessment to participate in a diagnostic mathematics assessment approved by the Department and to receive a mathematics improvement plan if the results on such assessment indicate the need for accelerated interventions to progress toward proficient performance in mathematics; and (iii) prohibiting any student in grade three who receives reading intervention services and whose performance on the statewide literacy screener or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment at the end of the school year demonstrates substantial deficiencies from being promoted to grade four except in certain enumerated cases.
Who sponsors VA HB 704?
Anne Ferrell Tata is the primary sponsor of VA HB 704, joined by 25 cosponsors.
Description
Public schools; mathematics and reading in kindergarten through grade eight; certain initiatives. Establishes several requirements relating to mathematics and reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade eight, including (i) requiring the Department of Education to establish and administer the math teacher and specialist corps to provide grants on a competitive basis to school divisions in which the mathematics proficiency of students in kindergarten through grade eight indicates a high need for intervention and improvement in order for such school divisions to offer annual stipends to effective educators with endorsements in mathematics or as mathematics specialists and deploy such individuals to the schools with the highest need; (ii) requiring each student in kindergarten through grade three to participate in a mathematics screener approved by the Department and requiring any student whose results on such screener indicate the need for further assessment to participate in a diagnostic mathematics assessment approved by the Department and to receive a mathematics improvement plan if the results on such assessment indicate the need for accelerated interventions to progress toward proficient performance in mathematics; and (iii) prohibiting any student in grade three who receives reading intervention services and whose performance on the statewide literacy screener or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment at the end of the school year demonstrates substantial deficiencies from being promoted to grade four except in certain enumerated cases.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-02-18 — Left in Education
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Anne Ferrell Tataprimary
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.cosponsor
- Tony O. Wiltcosponsor
- Wren M. Williamscosponsor
- Bill Wileycosponsor
- Madison Whittlecosponsor
- Michael J. Webertcosponsor
- R. Lee Warecosponsor
- Wendell S. Walkercosponsor
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.cosponsor
- Chris S. Runioncosponsor
- Eric Phillipscosponsor
- Justin Pencecosponsor
- Scott A. Wyattcosponsor
- James W. Morefieldcosponsor
- Ellen H. McLaughlincosponsor
- James A. "Jay" Leftwichcosponsor
- Terry G. Kilgorecosponsor
- Hillary Pugh Kentcosponsor
- M. Keith Hodgescosponsor
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.cosponsor
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.cosponsor
- Will Daviscosponsor
- Mike A. Cherrycosponsor
- Jason S. Ballardcosponsor
- Delores Oatescosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103662D
filing,introduction
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on Education
referral-committee
2026-02-02
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
referral-committee
2026-02-03
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB704)
2026-02-03
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 3-N)
2026-02-18
Left in Education
Versions
Documents
Votes
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
2026-02-03 · pass · 7-3
Member-level votes (10)
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Anne Ferrell Tata: no
- Hillary Pugh Kent: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Use this data
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