Individualized education programs; guidelines/materials for students for addressing bullying, etc.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact timeline and funding details are not specified in the bill text, leaving room for interpretation on these points.

Guidelines for Preventing Bullying in Schools

This bill requires the Virginia Department of Education to create guidelines and materials that help schools prevent bullying and teach students about neurodivergence.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Department of Education to develop and make available to school boards guidelines for including strategies and supports in individualized education programs (IEPs) to address and prevent bullying, harassment, and teasing.
• Guidelines should recommend that IEP teams consider whether a child has social skills issues or has experienced bullying, harassment, or teasing at school.
• If applicable, the guidelines should provide advice on services and supports to include in an IEP to help the child develop better social skills and self-advocacy skills.
• Requires the Department of Education to create model instructional programs or materials for students that teach awareness, understanding, and acceptance of neurodivergence.

Who It Names or Affects

• Children with disabilities who may experience bullying, harassment, or teasing at school.
• School boards and IEP teams responsible for developing individualized education programs (IEPs).
• Students learning about neurodiversity.

Terms To Know

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

A plan created by a school team to help students with disabilities get the support they need in their education.

Neurodivergence

The state of having a brain that functions differently from what is considered typical, often referring to conditions like autism spectrum disorder.

Limits and Unknowns

• It does not specify how the guidelines and materials will be funded.
• It does not provide details on when these guidelines and materials must be developed or made available.
• The bill does not mention any penalties for schools that do not follow the guidelines.

Official Summary Text

Department of Education; individualized education programs; social skills development.
Directs the Department of Education to develop and make available to each school board (i) guidelines for including in individualized education programs strategies and supports to address and prevent bullying, harassment, and teasing, and (ii) model instructional programs or materials for students on awareness, understanding, and acceptance of neurodivergence.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL NO. 264
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health
on February 5, 2026)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Stanley)
A BILL to direct the Department of Education to develop and make available to school boards guidelines for including in individualized education programs strategies and supports to address and prevent bullying, harassment, and teasing and model instructional programs or materials for students on awareness, understanding, and acceptance of neurodivergence.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Department of Education shall, for the purpose of addressing and preventing bullying, harassment, and teasing of children with disabilities and increasing awareness and acceptance of neurodivergence, including autism spectrum disorder, among students, develop, make available to each school board, and post on its website:
1. Guidelines for individualized education program (IEP) teams to use in developing IEPs for children with disabilities relating to addressing and preventing bullying, harassment, and teasing that shall (i) recommend that an IEP team consider whether the child has a disability that affects social skills development or is experiencing or has experienced bullying, harassment, or teasing in school and (ii) if either consideration in clause (i) is applicable, include guidance on certain strategies, services, and supports to consider including in the child's IEP to support the child in achieving objectives relating to addressing and preventing bullying, harassment, and teasing, including the development of appropriate social skills and self-advocacy and self-awareness skills; and
2. Model instructional programs or materials for students designed to increase awareness, understanding, and acceptance of neurodivergence and autism spectrum disorder.
In developing such guidelines and model instructional programs or materials, the Department shall consult with special education instructors, groups dedicated to disability and neurodivergence advocacy, and such other stakeholders as the Department deems appropriate.