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SB105 • 2026

STEM+C competition team grants; DOE to consider changes to application and eligibility guidelines.

An Act to require the Department of Education to consider certain changes to the application and eligibility guidelines for STEM+C competition team grants.

Education Technology
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Stanley
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included speculative claims about the Department's actions that were not supported by the official source material.

STEM+C Competition Team Grants: Department of Education Changes

This act requires the Virginia Department of Education to consider changes to the application and eligibility guidelines for STEM+C competition team grants before the 2026 grant period.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Education to review and possibly change the rules for applying for STEM+C competition team grants.
  • Clarifies that grants may be awarded to establish new teams or support existing ones in accordance with relevant law.
  • Provides that if there are not enough funds, priority shall be given to applications from new teams with demonstrated financial need.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Virginia Department of Education
  • Schools and organizations applying for STEM+C competition team grants

Terms To Know

STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program
A program that gives money to schools or groups to help them start or support teams in science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science competitions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the Department of Education will make changes.
  • It is unclear if these changes will actually be made before the 2026 application period.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 483 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0483)

  3. 2026-03-31 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  4. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  5. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-03-31 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  8. 2026-03-31 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB105)

  9. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  10. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Enrolled

  11. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB105ER)

  12. 2026-03-10 Senate

    House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-03-09 House

    Read third time

  14. 2026-03-09 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  15. 2026-03-09 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  16. 2026-03-09 House

    Passed House with substitute Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-06 House

    Read second time

  18. 2026-03-04 Education

    Reported from Education with substitute (21-Y 0-N)

  19. 2026-03-04 House

    House committee offered

  20. 2026-03-04 Education

    Committee substitute printed 26108641D-H1

  21. 2026-03-04 Education

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB105)

  22. 2026-02-26 K-12 Subcommittee

    Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

  23. 2026-02-24 K-12 Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)

  24. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB105)

  25. 2026-02-03 House

    Placed on Calendar

  26. 2026-02-03 House

    Read first time

  27. 2026-02-03 Education

    Referred to Committee on Education

  28. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read third time

  29. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Read second time

  31. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate

  32. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  33. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Rules suspended

  34. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  35. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  36. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  37. 2026-01-22 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health (14-Y 0-N)

  38. 2026-01-15 Public Education

    Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  39. 2025-12-31 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102162D

  40. 2025-12-31 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Official Summary Text

Department of Education; STEM+C Competition Grant Program eligibility.
Requires the Department of Education, prior to the 2026 application period for grants pursuant to the STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program (the Program), to consider making the following changes to the grant application and eligibility guidelines: (i) clarify that, in accordance with the provision of relevant law that provides that the purpose of the Program is to provide grants for use in establishing or supporting STEM+C competition teams, grants may be awarded to establish new STEM+C competition teams or support existing STEM+C competition teams and (ii) provide that, in the event that grant applications exceed available funds, priority shall be given to applications for the establishment of new STEM+C competition teams with demonstrated financial need.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to require the Department of Education to consider certain changes to the application and eligibility guidelines for STEM+C competition team grants.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Department of Education shall, prior to the 2026 application period for grants pursuant to the STEM+C Competition Team Grant Program (the Program) established pursuant to Chapter 29 (§
22.1-384
et seq.) of Title 22.1 of the Code of Virginia, consider making the following changes to the grant application and eligibility guidelines:
1. Clarify that, in accordance with the provision of §
22.1-385
of the Code of Virginia that provides that the purpose of the Program is to provide grants for use in establishing or supporting STEM+C competition teams, grants may be awarded to establish new STEM+C competition teams or support existing STEM+C competition teams; and
2. Provide that, in the event that grant applications exceed available funds, priority shall be given to applications for the establishment of new STEM+C competition teams with demonstrated financial need.