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Bill

SB 110

Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stella Pekarsky

Virginia would require the Department of Education to hire certified school library specialists to strengthen state-level library support infrastructure and services.

Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
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Bill Summary · SB 110

Legislative bill overview

SB 110 would require the Virginia Department of Education to employ certified school library specialists to support public school libraries across the state. The bill establishes a new staffing requirement within the DOE specifically for professionals with school library certification credentials.

Why is this important

School libraries serve as critical information hubs and literacy centers in K-12 education, and certified specialists bring expertise in information literacy, research skills, and collection development. The bill addresses potential gaps in library services by ensuring dedicated professional support at the state level, though implementation depends on funding and resource allocation decisions.

Potential points of contention

  • Fiscal impact and funding source: The Department of Planning and Budget has issued a fiscal impact statement, raising questions about costs and whether this represents a significant new state expenditure
  • State versus local responsibility: Some may argue school library staffing is primarily a local school division responsibility rather than a state-level DOE function
  • Implementation details: The bill's language doesn't specify how many positions, what specific duties these DOE-level specialists would perform, or how they would coordinate with school-based librarians

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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