HB 1165 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Division superintendents; Board of Education to amend regulations, qualifications.

Summary
Board of Education; regulations; qualifications of division superintendents. Requires the Board of Education to amend its regulation that establishes the qualifications for division superintendents to (i) require the record of each candidate for the list of eligible division superintendents and the renewable division superintendent license under any of the four permitted options to attest to good character and demonstrated ability as an educational administrator and (ii) amend Option IV by requiring the candidate to have (a) completed five years of successful educational experience in a public school or an accredited nonpublic school, two years of which shall have been full-time teaching experience at the preK-12 level and two years of which shall have been in administration and supervision and (b) been recommended by a school board that is interested in employing the individual as division superintendent and that governs a school division with fewer than 2,000 enrolled students. The bill also provides that the requirements under Option IV that were in effect prior to the effective date of the bill shall apply to any individual who was employed as a division superintendent pursuant to Option IV as of such date and who maintains continuous employment as a division superintendent in any school division in the Commonwealth after such date.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Vetoed
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Vetoed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Governor Substitute Engrossed · 2 edits · Mar 11, 2026
MINOR
The bill was amended to remove a waiver option for candidates who do not meet specific educational experience requirements, ensuring all applicants must strictly satisfy the five-year experience rule. Additionally, the transition period for current employees was updated to a specific date of December 31, 2025, clarifying when old rules stop applying to existing staff.
Scope change
The scope of eligibility for the 'Option IV' division superintendent license was narrowed by eliminating an exception for candidates who fail to meet standard experience criteria.
ELIGIBILITY

Removed the provision allowing candidates to request a waiver from the Board of Education if they could not meet the standard five years of educational experience and two years of teaching experience.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date for protecting current employees from new requirements from 'the effective date of this act' to a fixed date of December 31, 2025.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026

How they voted

360
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 39
Feb 27, 2026
D Democratic20
18 Yea 2
90% Yea
R Republican19
18 Yea 1
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
14
Committee
9
Amendments
5
Apr 13, 2026
Vetoed
Governor's recommendation received by House
executive
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1165ER)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate amendment agreed to by House (62-Y 33-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Education and Health Amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Education and Health with amendment (9-Y 6-N)
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate subcommittee offered
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 9, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Feb 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
committee amendments agreed to
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Education with amendment(s) (14-Y 7-N)
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N)
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 30, 2026
Committee
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
lower
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors