# Virginia SB955: Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.

Virginia SB955, Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-05-02 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0683)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB955-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB955
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Public schools; definitions, textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2025-05-02, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0683)
- Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 12 (433 yes, 86 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Public schools; textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials. Makes several changes relating to the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials that are utilized as the curriculum basis for public elementary and secondary school student instruction, including (i) requiring each local school board to adopt and implement textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials in English language arts for grades six through 12 and mathematics, science, and history and social studies for grades kindergarten through 12 and requiring the Department of Education to support such local adoption and implementation in several ways and (ii) requiring each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any student seeking initial licensure by the Board of Education with certain endorsements to include a program of coursework and clinical experience and require all such students to demonstrate mastery in identifying and implementing textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials. The provisions of the bill, with the exception of a provision that requires a study of and report on the textbook review and approval process by November 1, 2025, have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2777.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate rejected Governor's recommendation | fail | 19 | 21 |   |
| 2025-02-21 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-21 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 88 | 8 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 84 | 11 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Reported from Education with substitute | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-23 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (57)

- 2025-05-02: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0683) (Governor)
- 2025-05-02: Approved by Governor-Chapter 683 (Effective 07/01/26) (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: Senate rejected Governor's recommendation (19-Y 21-N) (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 2, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: Communicated to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Governor's substitute printed (SB955S4) (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's substitute printed (SB955S4) (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB955) (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB955ER) (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-21: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Conference substitute printed 25107827D-S3 (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Amended by conference committee
- 2025-02-21: Conference report agreed to by House (88-Y 8-N) (House)
- 2025-02-20: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Senators: VanValkenburg, Pekarsky, Pillion (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Delegates: Rasoul, Simonds, Coyner (House)
- 2025-02-20: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2025-02-19: House requested conference committee (House)
- 2025-02-19: House insisted on substitute (House)
- 2025-02-18: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Passed House with substitute (84-Y 11-N) (House)
- 2025-02-17: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-17: Education Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-17: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-14: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB955) (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Committee substitute printed 25106937D-H1 (House)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from Education with substitute (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB955) (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2025-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-01-31: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Education and Health Substitute rejected (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Committee substitute printed 25106456D-S2 (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Committee substitute printed 25104821D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104228D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-05-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080004.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080003.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-03-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074736.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074735.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074039.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069001.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069000.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2025-02-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066510.HTML)
- Substitute, 2025-02-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066529.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066528.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047768.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047767.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047546.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047545.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034634.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034633.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021721.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021720.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014603.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014602.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080004.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080003.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074736.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074735.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074039.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069001.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069000.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066510.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066529.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066528.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047768.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047767.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047546.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1047545.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034634.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034633.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021721.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021720.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014603.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014602.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
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- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB955-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).