Back to Virginia

SB469 • 2026

Regional or local detention homes; educational programs, staffing, funding.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to regional or local detention homes; educational programs; staffing; funding.</p>

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Marsden
Last action
2026-02-17
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide detailed information on specific departments' roles or funding implementation details.

Improving Education Programs and Staffing in Detention Homes

This bill changes how educational programs and staffing ratios are funded and managed in regional or local detention homes, focusing on specific teacher-to-student ratios and distribution of funds.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the teacher-to-student ratio to one teacher for every eight students based on average daily attendance.
  • Adds an additional teacher for every ten students in a special program called the Community Placement Program.
  • Requires that funding support these new staffing ratios and educational programs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students in regional or local detention homes
  • Teachers working in these detention homes

Terms To Know

Community Placement Program
A special program for students in detention homes that requires additional teacher support.
Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
The number of students present on an average day, used to determine staffing needs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the new funding will be implemented or if there are enough resources.
  • Details about specific departments and their roles in managing these changes are limited.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Left in Finance and Appropriations

  2. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB469)

  3. 2026-02-06 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Rereferred from Rehabilitation and Social Services to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 1-N 2-A)

  4. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104368D

  5. 2026-01-13 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

Official Summary Text

Regional or local detention homes; educational programs; staffing; funding.
Provides that the state general funds required to be provided for educational programs in regional or local detention homes (i) shall support a statewide staffing ratio of one teacher for every eight students in average daily attendance and an additional one teacher for every 10 students in the Community Placement Program and (ii) shall be distributed to regional or local detention homes in such a manner as determined by the Department of Education, whether in a ratio-based manner or otherwise, based on such factors as the Department deems appropriate, including capacity, need, enrollment trends, and the availability of alternative educational settings. Current law provides that teacher staffing ratios for regional or local detention homes shall be based on a ratio of one teacher for every 12 beds based on the capacity of the facility; however, if the previous year's average daily attendance exceeds this bed capacity, the ratio shall be based on the average daily attendance at the facility as calculated by the Department from the previous school year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A BILL to amend and reenact §
22.1-209.2
of the Code of Virginia, relating to regional or local detention homes; educational programs; staffing; funding.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
22.1-209.2
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
22.1-209.2
. Programs and teachers in regional detention homes, certain local detention homes, and state agencies and institutions.

The Board shall prepare and supervise
the implementation
in regional detention homes and local detention homes
the implementation of
a program designed to educate and train the children detained in the homes. In addition, the Board shall supervise those programs of evaluation, education, and training provided to school-age children by the Department of Health, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the children's teaching hospital associated with the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at Old Dominion University, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, the children's teaching hospital associated with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, and the University of Virginia Hospitals pursuant to the Board's standards and regulations as required by §
22.1-7
.

The Board shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to conform these programs with the applicable federal and state laws and regulations including teacher/student ratios and special education requirements for children with disabilities. The education programs in the relevant detention homes and state agencies and institutions shall be approved by the Board, and the Board shall prepare a budget for these educational programs that shall be solely supported by such general funds as are appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose.
T
eacher
Such general funds
(i)
shall

support a statewide
staffing

ratios
for regional or local detention homes
shall be based on a
ratio of one teacher for every
12
beds
based on the capacity of the facility; however, if the previous year's average daily attendance exceeds this bed capacity, the ratio shall be based on the average daily attendance at the facility as calculated by the Department from the previous school year

eight
students
in average daily attendance
in regional or local detention homes
and an additional one teacher for every
10 students in the Community Placement Program
and (ii)
shall

be distributed to
regional or local detention homes
in such a manner as may be

determined by the Department
, whether in a ratio-based manner or otherwise,
based on such factors as
the Department deems appropriate, including
capacity, need, enrollment trends,
and the availability of alternative
educational settings
.

The Board shall enter into contracts with the relevant state agency or institution or detention facility or the local school divisions in which the state agencies or institutions or the regional detention homes and the relevant local detention homes are located for the hiring and supervision of teachers.

In any case in which the Board enters into a contract with the relevant state agency or institution, the Department of Human Resource Management shall establish salary schedules for the teachers that are competitive with those in effect for the school divisions in which the agency or institution is located.