HB362 • 2026

Public elementary and secondary student textbooks; print as primary curriculum basis.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-1, as it shall become effective, 22.1-238, as it is currently effective, and 22.1-241, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to public elementary and secondary student textbooks; print as primary curriculum basis.</p>

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Dougherty
Last action: 2026-02-09
Official status: Continued
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how many districts will be selected for the Pilot Program or what criteria will be used.

Public School Textbooks; Print as Primary Curriculum

This law requires public elementary and secondary schools in Virginia to use printed textbooks as the primary curriculum basis, with digital materials allowed as a secondary resource unless specified otherwise in an individual student's education plan.

What This Bill Does

Requires that printed textbooks be used as the primary source for teaching subjects in Virginia’s public schools.
Allows digital textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials to serve as a secondary curriculum basis if not indicated otherwise in a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Establishes a Pilot Program where up to ten school districts will use printed materials as their main curriculum basis, with the Department administering the selection process.
Provides grants from state funds to participating school divisions to buy printed textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.
Requires annual reports on the effectiveness of the Pilot Program, including student satisfaction and learning outcomes.

Who It Names or Affects

Public elementary and secondary schools in Virginia
Students enrolled in these schools
School districts participating in the Pilot Program

Terms To Know

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A personalized learning plan for students with disabilities or special needs.
Pilot Program: A trial program to test the effectiveness of a new educational approach before full implementation.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify an effective date, so it is unclear when schools must start using printed textbooks as their primary curriculum.
It is uncertain how many school districts will apply and be selected for the Pilot Program.
Details about the specific criteria used to select participating school divisions are not provided.

Bill History

2026-02-09 Education
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB362)
2026-02-09 Appropriations
Continued to 2027 in Appropriations (Voice Vote)
2026-02-09 Elementary & Secondary Education
Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)
2026-02-04 Elementary & Secondary Education
Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education
2026-02-04 Education
Reported from Education with substitute and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 5-N)
2026-02-04 Education
Committee substitute printed 26106181D-H1
2026-02-03 K-12 Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 1-N 1-A)
2026-02-02 K-12 Subcommittee
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-30 K-12 Subcommittee
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
2026-01-28 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB362)
2026-01-12 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103837D
2026-01-12 Education
Referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

Public elementary and secondary student textbooks; print as primary curriculum basis.
Requires, unless otherwise indicated in a student's individualized education program, print textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials to serve as the primary curriculum basis for a grade-level subject or course but permits digital textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials to serve as the secondary curriculum basis for a grade-level subject or course.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL NO. 362

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on February 4, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Dougherty)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
22.1-243.1
, relating to Printed Textbook Pilot Program established.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
22.1-243.1
as follows:

§ 22.1-
243.1
.
Print
ed
Textbook Pilot Program established
.

A. The
Print
ed
Textbook Pilot Program (the
Pilot
Program)
is hereby established
for the purpose of
promoting
positive educational outcomes by identifying school divisions in which
, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
print
ed
textbooks and
other high-quality instructional materials serve as the primary curriculum basis for each enrolled student

unless otherwise indicated in a student's individualized education program
.

B
. The Department shall
administer the
Pilot
Program by
selecting
, on a competitive basis,
up to 10 school divisions
for participation in the Pilot Program
. In
selecting
partici
pating school divisions
, the Department
may consider
such factors as
school and school division performance
,
e
nrollment and student demographics, including the percentage of economically disadvantaged students
,
and the

g
eographic diversity of
participating school divisions
.

In administering the Program, t
he Department shall
(i)
establish such timelines, forms, policies, processes
, and rules
as it deems necessary
and appropriate and (ii) provide technical assistance, upon request, to
participating
school divisions on the selection of the highest quality
printed
textbooks and materials.

D.
With such funds as may be appropriated for such purpose pursuant to the general appropriation act, the Department shall award grants to participating school divisions to
purchase printed textbooks
and other high-quality instructional materials
pursuant to
the Pilot Progra
m
.
No such grant funds shall be subject to a local match
,
and s
uch
grant
funds shall supplement and not supplant other state funds provided pursuant to the general appropriation act for the provision of te
xtbooks at no cost to students
.

E
.
No
later than November 1 of each year of the Pilot Program, the Department
, with the assistance of each parti
cipating school division,
shall submit a report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations
, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Edu
c
ation
and Health
,
and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations
that include
s
(i)
data an
d
information
on (
a
) i
mplementation challenges and best practices
;
(
b
) student, parent,
administrator,
and educator satisfaction with the
Pilot Program
;
and (
c
) student learning and outcomes and
(ii) any
other
data and information that the Department deems appropriate for informing decisions to modify or expand the Pilot Program.