Committee extends 180-day long-term substitute allowance, adds degree and mentoring requirements

The Senate K–12 Subcommittee recommended reporting Senate Bill 1230, a substitute that extends a COVID-era exemption allowing long-term substitutes to serve 180 days (rather than the ordinary 90) for two additional years and adds new qualifications and monitoring requirements.

Under the substitute, a long-term substitute who serves beyond 90 days would generally be required to hold a bachelor’s degree (unless the superintendent specifies otherwise) and to participate in mentoring, coaching and professional development aimed at supporting a path to full licensure. The substitute also requires school divisions to collect data about long-term substitute use and outcomes so the General Assembly can review the policy at the end of the two-year extension.

Supporters — including multiple school division human-resources officials — said longer placements give students continuity and allow divisions to build pipelines from substitute roles into licensure. The Virginia Education Association testified in partial opposition: while it supported the sunset and degree requirement, it urged that substitutes who continue past 90 days be required to enter the provisional licensure process, arguing that provisional licensure includes required courses that better prepare teachers.

Committee discussion noted a tension between retaining instructional continuity in a tight labor market and ensuring pathways to full licensure and classroom preparation. The subcommittee voted to recommend reporting the substitute; the hearing record shows an affirmative committee recommendation with one recorded abstention by Senator Locke.