SB817 • 2026

School bds.; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required, policies.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.3:2, relating to school boards; public middle and high schools; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required.

Education

Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details of what information must be included in the notification are not explicitly stated.

Parental Notification for Course Registration

This law requires school boards to create policies that notify parents about course registration deadlines and processes at least 30 days before the deadline.

What This Bill Does

Requires each school board to develop and implement policies by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
These policies must require public middle and high schools to notify parents via email or SMS text message at least 30 days before course registration deadlines.

Who It Names or Affects

School boards
Public middle and high schools
Students' parents

Terms To Know

Course registration deadline: The last day when students can sign up for classes.
SMS text message: A short message sent to a mobile phone.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify the consequences if parents do not receive the notification.
It does not detail how schools will obtain parents' contact information for notifications.

Bill History

2026-04-08 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 523 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-08 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0523)
2026-03-14 Senate
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-14 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-13 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-13 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-13 Senate
Enrolled
2026-03-13 Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB817ER)
2026-03-13 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB817)
2026-03-09 House
Read third time
2026-03-09 House
Passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-06 House
Read second time
2026-03-04 Education
Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N)
2026-03-03 K-12 Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
2026-02-26 K-12 Subcommittee
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
2026-02-24 House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-24 House
Read first time
2026-02-24 Education
Referred to Committee on Education
2026-02-16 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-16 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-16 Senate
Blank Action
2026-02-16 Education and Health
Education and Health Substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 Senate
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-13 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-13 Education and Health
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB817)
2026-02-12 Education and Health
Reported from Education and Health with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-12 Senate
Senate committee offered
2026-02-12 Education and Health
Committee substitute printed 26107357D-S1
2026-02-05 Public Education
Senate subcommittee offered
2026-02-05 Public Education
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
2026-01-28 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB817)
2026-01-23 Senate
Presented and ordered printed 26105676D
2026-01-23 Education and Health
Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Official Summary Text

School boards; public middle and high schools; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required.
Requires each school board to develop and implement, by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, policies requiring each public middle and high school in the school division to provide, at least 30 days prior to the course registration deadline, parental notification by email or SMS text message to the parent of each student in the public middle or high school of course enrollment deadlines and the process for requesting changes to the student's course selection.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
22.1-79.3:2
, relating to school boards; public middle and high schools; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
22.1-79.3:2
as follows:
§
22.1-79.3:2
. Parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required; policies.
Each school board shall develop and implement policies requiring each public middle and high school in the school division to provide, at least 30 days prior to the course registration deadline, parental notification by email or SMS text message to the parent of each student in the public middle or high school of course enrollment deadlines and the process for requesting changes to the student's course selection.
2. That each school board shall develop and implement by the start of the 2026–2027 school year the policies requiring the parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes in accordance with the provisions of §
22.1-79.3:2
of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act.