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Bill

SB 61

Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program; established.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Christie Craig and 1 co-sponsor

Virginia bill establishes program to hire and support nationally certified school psychologists in public schools to address student mental health staffing shortages.

Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB61)
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Bill Summary · SB 61

Legislative bill overview

SB 61 establishes a program in Virginia to support the certification and employment of nationally certified school psychologists in public schools. The bill aims to create pathways for credentialed mental health professionals to work within the state's K-12 education system, addressing potential staffing gaps in student mental health services.

Why is this important

School psychologists provide critical mental health support, behavioral interventions, and crisis response services to students. Virginia faces documented shortages in school mental health personnel, and this bill attempts to leverage national certification standards to expand the qualified workforce available to school districts, potentially improving student mental health outcomes and school safety.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and funding mechanisms: The fiscal impact statement suggests budgetary implications; the bill's funding source and whether it imposes unfunded mandates on school districts remains unclear from available information
  • Certification standards alignment: Questions about how national certification aligns with Virginia's existing state licensure requirements and whether dual certification creates unnecessary burden
  • Implementation timeline and feasibility: School districts may face administrative challenges in recruiting, onboarding, and integrating nationally certified psychologists, particularly in rural areas with limited resources

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

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