HB392: No Child Left Behind Testing; all costs incurred by localities to be paid by State.

HOUSE BILL NO. 392
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 6, 2006
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-7.1, relating to costs to localities for No Child Left Behind testing.
Patron-- Englin

Referred to Committee on Education

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-8 as follows:

§ 22.1-7.1. State funding for federal No Child Left Behind Act testing requirements.  

All costs incurred by localities resulting from student testing required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (Public Law 107-110) shall be paid by the Commonwealth. Beginning with the Commonwealth's fiscal year starting July 1, 2006, each locality shall, in each even-numbered year, submit cost estimates of such testing to the Department of Education for certification by the Department that the estimates submitted by the localities are a reasonable assessment of such costs. The Department shall review the estimates and may adjust any assessment that it finds is not a reasonable assessment of such costs. The Department shall certify to the Governor all costs incurred by localities from student testing by the end of the relevant fiscal year. Beginning in 2007, the Governor shall include an appropriation in the budget bill and the gubernatorial amendments thereto pursuant to § 2.2-1509 to fund all such costs incurred by localities as certified by the Department.