Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program; plan for expansion of Program.
An Act to direct the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to <em style="">develop a plan to </em>expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program.
Education
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Seibold
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed
Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Plan to Expand Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program
This act requires two Virginia departments to work together on a plan that will help more students move from high school to postsecondary education or training.
What This Bill Does
Requires the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and the Department of Education to create a plan to expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program.
The plan must include ways to give local community services boards more resources to help students transition from high school to postsecondary programs.
It requires publishing online information about how to make this transition, including guidelines and contact points for assistance.
Develops an online dashboard with details on different postsecondary education options to help students find the best fit.
Who It Names or Affects
Students transitioning from high school to postsecondary programs
Local community services boards
The Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
The Department of Education
Terms To Know
Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program
A program that helps students with disabilities move from high school to postsecondary education or training.
Community Services Boards
Local agencies that provide mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability services in Virginia.
Limits and Unknowns
The bill does not specify when the plan must be completed.
It is unclear how much funding will be provided for expanding the PERT Program.
The exact details of the online dashboard are not fully described in the legislation.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment changes the bill's requirement for developing a plan to expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program by removing the need to immediately implement the plan.
Changes the title of the bill to direct the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to develop a plan to expand the program without requiring immediate implementation.
Removes 'and implement' after 'develop' on line 12 of the bill text.
Removes 'and implement' after 'identify' on line 20 of the bill text.
The amendment does not provide details about how or when the plan will be implemented in the future, only that it is no longer required to be done immediately.
Plain English: The amendment changes the bill so that it directs the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to develop a plan to expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program instead of implementing it directly.
Changes the title of the bill to direct the development of a plan rather than immediate implementation.
Removes 'and implement' after 'develop' in several places, ensuring that the focus is on planning rather than action.
The amendment does not specify what exactly will be included in the plan or when it should be completed.
Bill History
2026-04-13Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 721 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0721)
2026-03-10House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-10Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-02-26House
Signed by Speaker
2026-02-26Senate
Signed by President
2026-02-26House
Enrolled
2026-02-26House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB996ER)
2026-02-26House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB996)
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-18House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB996)
2026-02-16Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-16Rehabilitation and Social Services
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
2026-02-13House
Read third time and passed House (90-Y 6-N 0-A)
2026-02-12House
Read second time
2026-02-12House
committee amendments agreed to
2026-02-12House
Engrossed by House as amended
2026-02-11House
Read first time
2026-02-09Education
Reported from Education with amendment(s) (17-Y 4-N)
2026-02-06House
House committee offered
2026-02-03K-12 Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
2026-02-02House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB996)
2026-01-30K-12 Subcommittee
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
2026-01-13House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104810D
2026-01-13Education
Referred to Committee on Education
Official Summary Text
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services; Department of Education; Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program.
Directs the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to develop a plan to expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program to increase the number of students assisted in the transition from high school to postsecondary programs. The bill requires such plan to equip local community services boards with the resources to assist an increased number of students in such transition, publish online resources about the transition process, and develop an online dashboard to provide information about possible postsecondary education programs.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
An Act to direct the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to
develop a plan to
expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. The Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education, shall develop a plan to expand the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program. In developing such plan, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services shall consult with the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, representatives from public schools and postsecondary school programs, students transitioning from high school into postsecondary programs and their guardians, and other relevant stakeholders. The purpose of the plan shall be to increase the number of students assisted in the transition from high school to postsecondary programs by providing clear guidelines on the transition process and helping connect students and their guardians to postsecondary programs, including work-based programs, day programs, and independence and life skills-based programs. In furtherance of the PERT Program's expansion, the plan shall identify methods to (i) equip local community services boards with the resources to assist an increased number of students; (ii) publish public online resources to inform and assist those students seeking to transition from high school to postsecondary programs, including resources about the transition process such as guidelines, requirements, and points of contact for assistance; and (iii) develop an online dashboard to provide information about possible postsecondary education programs, with relevant data about the level of support provided to students, expectations of the incoming students, skills taught or received, and other standards to identify the best fit for the individual transitioning from high school to secondary programs.