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SB102 • 2026

School boards; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certain certifications.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-204.4, relating to school boards; courses of instruction; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician, or firefighter; establishment permitted; requirements.</p>

Education Healthcare
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Stanley
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not explicitly mention background checks for instructors. It only requires that instructors meet the qualifications and licensure requirements set by state regulations.

School Boards; High School Courses and Dual Enrollment Programs

This law allows Virginia school boards to offer high school students courses or dual enrollment programs that prepare them for certifications as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician (EMT), or firefighter.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows school boards to provide courses on school premises or through partnerships with community colleges for certifications in nursing, EMT, and firefighting.
  • Requires these courses to meet specific standards set by the Board of Nursing, Office of Emergency Medical Services, and Department of Fire Programs.
  • Specifies that instructors must be qualified and approved according to state regulations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • High school students in Virginia who want to earn certifications while still in high school.
  • School boards responsible for offering these courses or partnering with community colleges.
  • Instructors and training providers involved in delivering the certification programs.

Terms To Know

Certified Nurse Aide
A person who has completed a state-approved course and passed an exam to work as a nurse aide under supervision of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
An individual trained in emergency medical care who can provide basic life support services during emergencies.
Firefighting Level 1 Certification
A certification that meets the National Fire Protection Association's standards for entry-level firefighters.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify funding sources for these programs.
  • It is unclear how many school boards will choose to implement such courses or partnerships with community colleges.
  • Details about the exact qualifications and requirements for instructors are outlined in other state laws, which may change over time.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Finance and Appropriations

    Continued to 2027 in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  2. 2026-01-27 Education and Health

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB102)

  3. 2026-01-23 Education and Health

    Committee substitute printed 26105912D-S1

  4. 2026-01-22 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  5. 2026-01-22 Public Education

    Senate subcommittee offered

  6. 2026-01-22 Education and Health

    Senate committee offered

  7. 2026-01-22 Public Education

    Senate subcommittee offered

  8. 2026-01-22 Education and Health

    Senate committee offered

  9. 2026-01-22 Public Education

    Senate subcommittee offered

  10. 2026-01-15 Public Education

    Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  11. 2025-12-31 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100074D

  12. 2025-12-31 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Official Summary Text

School boards; courses of instruction; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician, or firefighter; establishment permitted; requirements.
Permits any school board to provide to high school students, either on school premises or through a dual enrollment program or other partnership with a comprehensive community college, courses of instruction that prepare students for and lead to (i) certification as a certified nurse aide, provided that such course is approved by and meets the requirements of the Board of Nursing and is taught by a qualified individual, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) certification as an emergency medical technician, provided that such course is consistent with the requirements established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and taught by an emergency medical technician instructor who meets the requirements set forth in the bill; or (iii) firefighting level 1 certification, as defined by the bill, provided that such course is consistent with the National Fire Protection Association 1001, level one, firefighter standards as administered by the Department of Fire Programs and taught by an individual qualified to provided such instruction. The bill also requires any school board that provides any such course of instruction on school premises to high school students to ensure that any individual employed, contracted, or permitted to volunteer to provide instruction in such course meets the requirements set forth in applicable law relating to data on convictions for certain crimes and child abuse and neglect, fingerprinting, and criminal history records checks.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL NO. 102

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health

on January 22, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Stanley)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
22.1-204.4
, relating to school boards; courses of instruction; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician, or firefighter; establishment permitted; requirements.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
22.1-204.4
as follows:

§
22.1-204.4
.
High school courses or
dual enrollment programs
for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician
,
or
firefighter; establishment; requirements.

A. As used in this section:

"Certified nurse aide" means the same as that term
is defined in §
54.1-3000
.

"Emergency medical technician" or "EMT" means
an individual who holds a valid certificate as an emergency medical technician
and who has successfully completed the
emergency medical technician
training program and
emergency medical technician
written and practical examinations approved by the Office of E
mergency
M
edical
S
ervices
, consistent with the requirements of Article 2.1 (§
32.1-111.1
et seq.
) of Chapter
4 of Title 32.1.

"Firefighting level 1 certification" means certification under National Fire Protection Association 1001, level one, firefighter standards, as administered by the
Department of Fire Programs.

"Office of Emergency Medical Services" means the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health.

B. Each school board may provide
to high school students courses of instruction that prepare students for and
that lead students to certification as a certified nurse aide or emergency medical technician, or firefighting level 1 certification
, in accordance with the following requirements
:

1.
Each school board may
(i)
provide such program on school premises for high school students in accordance with subsection C or

(ii)
enter into an agreement with a comprehensive community college to provide or make available such courses to high school students, including through a dual enrollment program pursuant to
§
22.1-206.3
;

2. Any course of instruction for certification as a certified nurse aide
shall
be
(i)
approved by and meet the requirements of the Board of Nursing in accordance with
Article 4 (§
54.1
-3022
et seq.
) of Chapter 30 of Title 54.1
and (ii) taught by an individual
who (a)
is

qualified to provide such instruction, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Nursing
and (b)
has been issued or meets the requirements
to be issued
a t
hree-year career and technical education license pursuant to §
22.1-299.6
or meets such other

requirements relating to teacher
qualification
s and
licensure
as
prescribed by the

Board
of Education
;

3. Any course of instruction for certification as an EMT
shall
be
(i) consistent with the requirements established by the Office of Emergency
Medical Services for a training program for certification as an EMT and (ii) taught by an emergency medical technician instructor who
(a)
holds a valid certification issued by the O
ffice of Emergency Medical Services to provide such instruction
and (b) has been issued or meets the requirements to be issued a three-year career and technical education license pursuant to §
22.1-299.6
or meets such other requirements relating to teacher qualifications and licensure as prescribed by the

Board
of Education
; and

4. A
ny course of instruction for firefight
ing
level 1 certification shall
be
(i)
consistent with the National Fire Protection Association 1001, level one, firefighter standards as administered by the
Department of Fire Programs and (ii) taught by an individual
who (a) is
qualified and approved by the Department of Fire
Programs to provide such instruction
and (b) has been issued or meets the requirements to be issued a three-year career and technical education license pursuant to §
22.1-299.6
or meets such other requirements relating to teacher qualifications and licensure as prescribed by the

Board
of Education
.

C. Any
school board that provides any
course of instruction
on school premises pursuant to clause (i) of
subdivision B 1 shall ensure that any
individual employed
,
contracted
, or permitted to volunteer to provide instruction in any such course

meets the requirements set forth in
§§
22.1-296.1
,

22.1-296.2
,
and

22.1-296.4
relating to
criminal history record
s
check
s
, fingerprinting, data on
convictions for
certain crimes
,
and criminal history records checks
.
However, no individual employed, contracted, or permitted to volunteer to provide instruction in any such course pursuant to subsection B shall be required to obtain
any
certification
or license
required for public school teachers.