0120 (25-0703) - (REVISED) COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE-RULES, Bills — Rules And Judiciary, September 15, 2025
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE 09/11/2025-REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY BILL NO. 36-0120 Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands July 10, 2025 An act appropriating the sum of $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 for the purpose of conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services PROPOSED BY: Senators Kurt A. Vialet and Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. WHEREAS, the Virgin Islands Department of Education currently has a backlog of 1 more than 569 student evaluations required to determine eligibility for special education 2 services; 3 WHEREAS, timely and comprehensive evaluations are essential to identifying students 4 with disabilities and ensuring they receive the appropriate educational intervention and support; 5 WHEREAS, delays in evaluations—often caused by limited personnel or financial 6 resources—can result in students being denied necessary services, adversely affecting their 7 academic p …
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COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE 09/11/2025-REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY BILL NO. 36-0120 Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands July 10, 2025 An act appropriating the sum of $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 for the purpose of conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education services PROPOSED BY: Senators Kurt A. Vialet and Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. WHEREAS, the Virgin Islands Department of Education currently has a backlog of 1 more than 569 student evaluations required to determine eligibility for special education 2 services; 3 WHEREAS, timely and comprehensive evaluations are essential to identifying students 4 with disabilities and ensuring they receive the appropriate educational intervention and support; 5 WHEREAS, delays in evaluations—often caused by limited personnel or financial 6 resources—can result in students being denied necessary services, adversely affecting their 7 academic performance and social development; 8 WHEREAS, additional funding is needed to increase the Department’s capacity to 9 conduct evaluations and to ensure students in the territory are assessed timely; and 10 2 WHEREAS, dedicating funds specifically for special education evaluations promotes 1 compliance with federal and local laws and furthers educational equity for all Virgin Islands 2 students; Now, Therefore, 3 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 4 SECTION 1. (a) The sum of $341,460 is appropriated in the fiscal year ending 5 September 30, 2025, from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund of the Treasury of the 6 Government of the Virgin Islands to the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the 7 purpose of conducting evaluations to determine students’ eligibility for special education 8 services. The appropriation must be allocated as follows: 9 (a) $161,460 to the St. Croix District; and 10 (b) $180,000 to the St. Thomas/St. John District. 11 (b) The funds appropriated under subsection (a) remain available until expended. 12 BILL SUMMARY 13 This bill appropriates the sum of $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative 14 Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the purpose of conducting evaluations 15 to determine students’ eligibility for special education services. The appropriation is divided 16 between the St. Croix District and the St. Thomas/St. John District to address the Department’s 17 current backlog of evaluations and ensure timely compliance with applicable education laws. 18 BR25-0703/July 10, 2025/KEH 19