An act appropriating the sum of $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the purpose of conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services

2025-2026 Regular Session

Allocates $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Dept. of Education to fund evaluations determining students' eligibility for special education services.

Introduced

Overview

Bill 36-0120 would appropriate $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education. The funds are designated for conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services. The bill is currently introduced.

Bill number: 36-0120

Title: An act appropriating the sum of $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the purpose of conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services

Status: Introduced

Introduced date: June 27, 2025

Classification: bill

Key Provisions

Personal allocation: The act would transfer $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE).

Purpose of funds: The money is to be used specifically for conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services.

Scope: The summary provided does not specify additional uses, sunset provisions, or reporting requirements beyond the stated purpose.

Funding and Fiscal Impact

Source: Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund

Amount: $341,460

Intended use: Evaluations to assess eligibility for special education services

Fiscal implications: The bill creates a targeted one-time or ongoing allocation (based on the fund’s guidelines) to support evaluation activities within the Department of Education. Specific administration or oversight details are not provided in the summary.

Affected Parties

Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE): Primary recipient and executor of evaluation activities.

Students: Those who may be referred for evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services.

Parents/Guardians: Individuals with children who may undergo evaluation for special education eligibility.

Schools and educators: Entities responsible for referrals and coordinating evaluations.

Legislative Timeline and Process

June 27, 2025: Bill received (per provided actions).

June 30, 2025: Bill assigned.

July 10, 2025: Bill introduced and sent to the Senate (to Senate).

Note: The bill’s materials do not specify procedural details such as evaluation timelines, reporting requirements, or oversight mechanisms beyond the appropriation and intended purpose. The dates in the legislative actions section show a sequence leading to referral to the Senate, with some minor date discrepancies in the introductory notes versus actions.

Potential Implications and Considerations

Improved eligibility determinations: Targeted funding could support more thorough or timely evaluations, potentially affecting identification rates for special education services.

Alignment with compliance: Properly conducted evaluations support compliance with state and federal requirements for evaluating students for special education.

Administrative considerations: The bill does not detail administration, oversight, or reporting requirements, which may be addressed in subsequent amendments or implementing regulations.

If you’d like, I can add context on how similar appropriations typically function in the Virgin Islands or compare this to standard evaluation funding practices.

Bill