VA Lawmaker Pushes Bill To Increase School Health Transparency

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-2nd) introduced new legislation Friday directing each school board in the state to disclose sanitization and health measures for the 2020-2021 school year on their websites in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The state lawmaker, who represents parts of Prince William and Stafford counties and announced her candidacy for governor earlier this year, said the bill is in response to the "legitimate concerns of teachers, families, and students regarding in-person instruction."

All school districts in Northern Virginia and most jurisdictions across the state are starting the school year with all-virtual instruction, although teachers and administrators in some jurisdictions will be allowed to work from their schools.

School systems are planning to monitor health conditions in their jurisdictions to determine when it would be safe to allow for in-person instruction. Some districts are considering returning to in-person learning as early as October if pandemic conditions have improved.

Other districts, like the city of Bristol, are starting their school year on Aug. 20 with an in-person hybrid model. In Bristol's schools, face coverings for all students pre-K and up will be required in addition to social distancing measures.

Carroll Foy's legislation will require school districts to report policies on the use of face coverings, health screenings of staff and students, physical distancing measures, enhanced hygiene practices for staff and students, isolation of symptomatic cases, and cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

"The safety of our kids, our teachers, and the communities they live in must be our number one priority," Carroll Foy said in a statement. "And as we confront the challenges of in person learning during COVID-19, it's critical they have all the information about safety practices in school.”

Carroll Foy, who lives in Woodbridge, said she was inspired to introduce the bill by conversations she has had with teachers and families across the state.

"This is an incredibly uncertain time, and the more information schools can provide to keep everyone as safe as possible, the better," she said.