SB 685 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents.

Summary

School boards; language access plan for limited English proficient parents. Requires each school board to develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website a language access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility for limited English proficient (LEP) parents, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1278.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

K-12 Subcommittee Subcommittee Substitute → Engrossed · 6 edits · Mar 30, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to move from a House substitute to an engrossed version, changing the section number and chapter in the Code of Virginia. The most significant changes include adding a requirement for school boards to submit annual reports to the Department of Education, requiring the Department to post these reports online, and mandating the Department to provide technical assistance and guidance to school boards. Additionally, the definition of 'LEP parent' was slightly modified to use 'their' instead of 'his', and training requirements for school employees were made more flexible with bracketed options for the legislature to decide.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from Chapter 1 of Title 22.1 to Chapter 13.2 of Title 22.1, and the section number changed from 22.1-4.4 to 22.1-253.13:11.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new subsection requiring school boards to submit annual reports on their language access plans and LEP parent data to the Department of Education.

Modified the training requirement for school employees to include bracketed options, allowing the legislature to decide if training must be 'annual' and exactly which employees are covered.

Modified the language access technology provision to include bracketed text regarding the use of qualified human interpretation, leaving the specific condition for the legislature to decide.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a requirement for the Department of Education to post all submitted reports on its website and adopt policies to monitor compliance.

TECHNICAL

Added new subsections requiring the Department to provide guidance, model policies, and designated staff for technical assistance to school boards by specific dates.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'LEP parent' to change the possessive pronoun from 'his' to 'their' for consistency.

Introduced → Education Substitute · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a Senate introduction to a House substitute, moving the new law from Chapter 13.2 to Chapter 1 of Title 22.1. This change reorganizes the bill's location within the Code of Virginia while keeping the core policy on language accessibility for Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents intact. The House version also clarifies that training is required only for employees whose duties involve communicating with LEP parents and removes the requirement for school boards to obtain Department authorization before using regional service contracts.

Scope change

The bill's location in the Code of Virginia changed from Chapter 13.2 (Standards of Quality) to Chapter 1 (General Provisions), but the substantive scope of the law regarding LEP parent rights remains the same.

SCOPE

The bill was reclassified from a Senate Bill to a House Substitute, and the section number changed from 22.1-253.13:11 to 22.1-4.4, moving the law to Chapter 1 of Title 22.1.

REQUIREMENT

Training requirements were narrowed; school boards now only need to train employees whose specific duties involve communicating with LEP parents, rather than all school board employees.

School boards no longer need explicit Department authorization to use statewide or regional service arrangements for translation and interpretation; they only need to ensure the services are cost-effective and meet specific needs.

The requirement for school boards to provide language assistance services in a manner consistent with the Standards of Quality was removed, though they must still select cost-effective models.

The House version added a condition that research-based language access technology must be 'deemed appropriate by the school board' before being used alongside human interpreters.

The Department's obligation to provide technical assistance was simplified by removing the specific list of tasks (guidance, consultation, model tools, coordination) and replacing it with a general mandate to provide direct technical assistance and compliance support.

The Department's duty to post annual reports from school boards on its website was removed entirely from the House substitute version.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 11, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 2, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Feb 11, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 13, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor-Chapter 765 (effective 7/1/2026)

executive

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB685ER)

upper

Mar 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 33-N 0-A)

lower

Mar 14, 2026

Legislature · Passed

Conference Report released

legislature

Mar 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference report agreed to by Senate (25-Y 14-N 0-A)

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Committee

House requested conference committee

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Education with substitute (15-Y 7-N)

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Education

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced

Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Education and Health Amendments agreed to

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Education and Health with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N 1-A)

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate committee offered

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate subcommittee offered

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Assigned Education sub: Public Education

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Education and Health

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor