The Virginia Legislature adopted budget bill House Bill 1400 on February 26 and adjourned sine die on February 27. The Legislature will reconvene April 15 to consider the governor’s recommendations and vetoed legislation. Education legislation passed during the legislative session includes:

Senate Joint Resolution 256, a constitutional amendment to authorize the state Board of Education (BOE) to establish charter schools, would have to pass again next year before going before voters in the 2016 general election.

House Bill 1675 and Senate Bill 982 require the BOE to allow local school districts to provide alternatives to meeting graduation credit requirements.

House Bill 1336 requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to establish a uniform policy for granting undergraduate credit to students.

Legislators also passed House Bill 2320, a bill to establish a cooperative online degree program with tuition not to exceed $4,000 per academic year.