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_ 205 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 125. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 To provide flexibility in implementing this new staffing standard in the first year, the number of English Learner teachers required for each school division for the first year shall be equal to the number of such teachers that were required during the 2023-2024 school year, plus one half of the additional positions required in the above table for the first year. 19. Special Education Instruction Payments a. The Department of Education shall establish rates for all elements of Special Education Instruction Payments. b. Out of the appropriations in this Item, the Department of Education shall make available, subject to implementation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, an amount estimated at $93,967,863$95,778,547 the first year and $98,967,863$99,778,547 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund for the purpose of the state's share of the tuition rates for approved public Special Education Regional Tuition school programs. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, the state's share of the tuition rates shall be based on the composite index of local ability-to-pay. c. Out of the amounts for Financial Assistance for Categorical Programs, $41,386,161 the first year and $44,570,183 the second year from the general fund is appropriated to permit the Department of Education to enter into agreements with selected local school boards for the provision of educational services to children residing in certain hospitals, clinics, and detention homes by employees of the local school boards. The portion of these funds provided for educational services to children residing in local or regional detention homes shall only be determined on the basis of children detained in such facilities through a court order issued by a court of the Commonwealth. The selection and employment of instructional and administrative personnel under such agreements will be the responsibility of the local school board in accordance with procedures as prescribed by the local school board. State payments for the first year to the local school boards operating these programs will be based on certified expenditures from the fourth quarter of FY 2024 and the first three quarters of FY 2025. State payments for the second year to the local school boards operating these programs will be based on certified expenditures from the fourth quarter of FY 2025 and the first three quarters of FY 2026. 20. Vocational Education Instruction Payments a. It is the intention of the General Assembly that the Department of Education explore initiatives that will encourage greater cooperation between jurisdictions and the Virginia Community College System in meeting the needs of public school systems. b. This appropriation includes $1,800,000 the first year and $1,800,000 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund for secondary vocational-technical equipment. A base allocation of $2,000 each year shall be available for all divisions, with the remainder of the funding distributed on the basis of student enrollment in secondary vocational- technical courses. State funds received for secondary vocational-technical equipment must be used to supplement, not supplant, any funds currently provided for secondary vocational-technical equipment within the locality. Local school divisions are not required to provide a local match in order to receive these state funds. c.1) This appropriation includes an additional $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund to update vocational-technical equipment to industry standards providing students with classroom experience that translates to the workforce. 2) Of this amount, $1,400,000 the first year and $1,400,000 the second year is provided for vocational-technical equipment in high-demand, high-skill, and fast-growth industry sectors as identified by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development and based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Virginia Employment Commission. 3) Of this amount, $600,000 the first year and $600,000 the second year will be awarded based on competitive innovative program grants for high-demand and fast-growth industry sectors with priority given to state-identified challenged schools, the Governor's Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) academies, and the Governor's