Legislative Priorities

2026 General Assembly Session

The 2026 General Assembly Session will convene at noon on Wednesday, January 14th in Richmond. This is an even-numbered year, so Session will last 60 days and the Governor will introduce a new two-year (biennial) budget for the 2026-2028 fiscal years.

The introduction of a new budget is an important time for you to raise your voice as a PTA member.

  • Write a letter to your legislator sharing your support for a bill or budget item, and how it could impact your student or school community.
  • Share Virginia PTA’s calls to action on social media.
  • Join us in-person on Friday, January 23rd for PTA Capitol Day at the General Assembly.

Follow Virginia PTA on social media for urgent calls to action and check this page periodically for our bill watchlist and session updates.

2026 Legislative Priorities 

Now more than ever PTA’s voice is needed! Strong, fully funded public schools drive the economic success of our communities and ensure that all 1.26 million public school students in Virginia have the opportunity to reach their full academic potential.

🎯 2026 Legislative Priorities

>> Register for PTA’s Annual Capitol Day at the General Assembly

2025 Session Accomplishments

Thanks to the collective action of our members in 2025 we succeeded in fully lifting the Support Cap which had artificially capped state funding for the past 15 years. Together, we also secured the creation of add-on funding for special education students, increasing overall special education funding by 10%. In addition, we won the passage of new initiatives to strengthen math instruction. These wins demonstrate the power of our collective voice—and the progress we can achieve when we advocate for every child, with one voice.

✅ Fully Lift Support Cap ($223M)! Returns flexible spending to localities. Funds at prevailing ratio (27.89 support staff per 1,000 students) (125 #11c)
✅ Special Education Add-On ($53M): Creates per pupil add-on funding (4.75% for Level 1 services / 5.25% for Level 2 services) (125 #6c )
✅ IEP template Update ($5M): Includes student progress tracking, translation, family engagement, IEP and 504 processes (118 #1c)
✅ Math Improvement ($12M): Math Advisory Task Force, math specialist micro-credentials, online learning, $10M in grants. (117 #1c )
✅ School Construction ($150M): Funding for competitive school construction grants program (125 #9c)
✅ Teacher Pay ($134M): One-time $1,000 bonus for funded instructional and support positions, with no required local match. (125 #2c)
✅ Online Safety: New Cyberbullying policies (SB908) and Internet Safety Advisory Council (SB905)
✅ Overdose Notification: 24-hr parent notification of confirmed/suspected school-connected overdose (HB2774/SB1240)
✅ Mental TeleHealth: Allows mobile clinics to be used to provide school-based care (295 #5c/HB1945/SB1037) 
✅ Blocked Private School Vouchers: Successfully advocated against public school funds being diverted to a private school voucher handout.

 

This Is How YOU Can Help!!

EMAIL YOUR DELEGATE!

Legislators respond best to requests and personal stories from their constituents. Keep your message short and to the point!! Really, your letter can just be 2-3 sentences long. Please make sure you include the bill or funding you are asking for. We know sometimes passions can run high when thinking about the needs of our children and community, but please remember to always be respectful in your legislator letters.

Tips for a compelling letter to your legislator:

1. Introduce – Share where you live, how you volunteer with PTA, and the bill or topic you are writing about.
2. Persuade – Tell why/how the topic impacts you (or your community).
3. Inform – Add data or statements from PTA legislative priorities, resolutions, or position statements
4. Conclude – Restate your call to action.

Find your Virginia Delegate and Senator
Find your U.S. Representative
Find your U.S. Senator

 

QUESTIONS? Contact Virginia PTA’s Vice President of Advocacy

2026 Session Calendar

Dec 17: Governor Budget Announced
Jan 2:   House/Senate Budget Hearings
Jan 14: GA Session Starts
Jan 23: Capitol Day (8am-2pm)
Jan/Feb: Virtual Legislator Meetings
~Feb 12: Crossover
~Mar 1: Budget Sunday
TBD: Last day for committee action on bills
Mar 14: Session adjourns sine die
~Apr 22: Reconvene to act on Gov. Amendments
July 1: Legislation enacted

Follow Virginia General Assembly

Research Bills/Legislators

– General Assembly Main Page (legislators, committees)
– Legislative Information System (track bills)

Live Session Video
– House of Delegates Video
– Senate of Virginia Streaming

Key Committees To Follow

House – Education (M, W – 8:00 a.m.)
Sub Committee: PreK-12 (Tues 7:30 a.m./4:00pm)
Sub Committee: Early Ed (Wed after Full)

House Appropriations (M, W, F – 30 min after adjourn)
Sub Committee: K-12 Ed. (Mon after Session)

Senate Education & Health (Thurs 8:30 a.m.)
Sub Committee: Education (30 min after Gen Gvt)

Senate Finance & Appropriations (Tues & Wed 9:00am / Thurs 4:30pm)
Sub Committee: Education (Tues & Thurs 3pm)

Public Testimony/Comment

Public comments are generally taken only when the bill is being heard in subcommittee.

House Bills: Submit written comment to the committee using House’s public comment form.

Senate Bills: There is not a public comment form. You can email comments to the subcommittee

Senate Ed. & Health Public Ed. Subcommittee Emails:

senatorvanvalkenburg@senate.virginia.gov
senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov
senatorpeake@senate.virginia.gov
senatorpekarsky@senate.virginia.gov
senatorcraig@senate.virginia.gov