Public schools; instructional time.
Do you support it?
Want to know if it passes?
We'll email you when SB 273 moves — a committee vote, a floor vote, or a signature. Nothing else.
Free forever · unsubscribe in one click.
Your answer was recorded either way.
Which district are you in?
Your ZIP is all we need to match you to your own representatives — so we can tell you how they voted on SB 273.
You're tracking SB 273
We'll email you the moment it moves.
SB 273 — Public schools; instructional time.
Last action — Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 3-N)
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
3Passed Senate
-
4Passed House of Delegates
-
5To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Summary
Requires local school boards to provide (i) a minimum of 680 hours of instructional time to students in elementary, except for students in half-day kindergarten, in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science and (ii) a minimum of 375 hours of instructional time to students in half-day kindergarten in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. The bill authorizes local school boards to include and requires the Board of Education to accept, elementary school, unstructured recreational time that is intended to develop teamwork, social skills, and overall physical fitness in any calculation of total instructional time or teaching hours. This bill is identical to
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
17 added · 12 removedPlain-language change summary
The amended version of SB 273 specifies that local school boards must provide a minimum of 680 instructional hours for elementary school students and 375 hours for half-day kindergarten students in core subjects like English, math, science, and history. It also clarifies that unstructured recreational time can be included in the total instructional hours, but it must not exceed 15% of the total. This change is important because it establishes clear time requirements for core academic instruction while allowing some flexibility for play and physical activity, promoting a balanced approach to education.
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 18101672D18107366D SENATE BILL NO.
273 SenateAMENDMENT AmendmentsIN inTHE [NATURE ]OF --A JanuarySUBSTITUTE 29,(Proposed 2018by the House Committee on Education on February 26, 2018) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Petersen) A BILL to include unstructured recreational time in any calculation of total instructional time.
---------- Patron Prior to Engrossment--Senator Petersen ---------- Referred to Committee on Education and Health ---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
Local school boards mayshall includeprovide and(i) thea Boardminimum of Education680 shallhours accept,of forinstructional [time gradesto onestudents throughin six elementary schoolschool, ]except ,for unstructuredstudents recreationalin timehalf-day thatkindergarten, isin designedthe tofour developacademic teamwork,disciplines socialof skills,English, mathematics, science, and overallhistory physicaland fitnesssocial inscience anyand calculation(ii) a minimum of total375 hours of instructional time orto teachingstudents hours.in half-day kindergarten in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science.
§ 2.
Local school boards may include and the Board of Education shall accept, for elementary school, unstructured recreational time that is intended to develop teamwork, social skills, and overall physical fitness in any calculation of total instructional time or teaching hours, provided that such unstructured recreational time does not exceed 15 percent of total instructional time or teaching hours.
View plain text versions (3)
- Committee Substitute House: Committee substitute printed 18107366D-H1 Current html February 26, 2018
- Engrossed Senate: Printed as engrossed 18101672D-E html January 29, 2018
- Prefiled Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101672D html January 05, 2018
Action History
-
Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 3-N)
-
Amended by conference committee
-
Conferees appointed by House
-
Conferees appointed by Senate
-
House requested conference committee
-
House insisted on substitute
-
Passed House with substitute (98-Y 2-N)
-
Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB273H1
-
Committee substitute agreed to 18107366D-H1
-
Read third time
-
Read second time
-
Assigned Education sub: Subcommittee #2
-
Referred to Committee on Education
-
Read first time
-
Placed on Calendar
-
Printed as engrossed 18101672D-E
-
Engrossed by Senate as amended SB273E
-
Committee amendment agreed to
-
Reading of amendment waived
-
Read second time
-
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
-
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
-
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101672D
Sponsors
- Barbara A. Favola · Cosponsor
- J. Chapman Petersen · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 146 not signed on · 4 voted No
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (1)
Not signed on (146)
146 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 146 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 93 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 93 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 97% | 3% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (96)
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 98% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (100)
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 273 do?
- Requires local school boards to provide (i) a minimum of 680 hours of instructional time to students in elementary, except for students in half-day kindergarten, in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science and (ii) a minimum of 375 hours of instructional time to students in half-day kindergarten in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. The bill authorizes local school boards to include and requires the Board of Education to accept, elementary school, unstructured recreational time that is intended to develop teamwork, social skills, and overall physical fitness in any calculation of total instructional time or teaching hours. This bill is identical to
- Who sponsors SB 273?
- SB 273 is sponsored by Barbara A. Favola and Petersen, J. Chapman.
- What is the current status of SB 273?
- This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
- Where can I track SB 273?
- Track SB 273 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on SB 273
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of SB 273
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →