HB2269: Federal pandemic relief; funds for public education, certain conditions.

Legislative Summary

Certain federal pandemic relief funds for public education; certain conditions. Requires any local school division that, as of July 1, 2023, has available and unspent or unobligated federal ESSER formula funds exceeding 20 percent of its total awarded allocations to return unspent or unobligated ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds awarded to the local school division by the Virginia Department of Education (the Department) to the Department no later than July 15, 2023, unless precluded by federal law or regulation. The bill requires the Department to subsequently expend, including through awarding such funds to local school divisions, any such returned ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds for student instruction and remediation. The bill also requires each local school division to obtain the approval of the local school board for its federal ESSER III spending plan, update such spending plan at least once every six months, and publish such spending plan in an accessible format on a publicly available website. Certain federal pandemic relief funds for public education; certain conditions. Requires any local school division that, as of July 1, 2023, has available and unspent or unobligated federal ESSER formula funds exceeding 20 percent of its total awarded allocations to return unspent or unobligated ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds awarded to the local school division by the Virginia Department of Education (the Department) to the Department no later than July 15, 2023, unless precluded by federal law or regulation. The bill requires the Department to subsequently expend, including through awarding such funds to local school divisions, any such returned ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds for student instruction and remediation. The bill also requires each local school division to obtain the approval of the local school board for its federal ESSER III spending plan, update such spending plan at least once every six months, and publish such spending plan in an accessible format on a publicly available website.