Good Job Delegate Dickie Bell.

In today's News Leader, 20th District Delegate Dickie Bell's Education Bill, House Bill 76, has passed in the Education Committee and goes before the full General Assembly for vote. The bill, Delegate Bell explains, requires school districts to spend at least 65% of its annual budget in the classroom on instruction, not on administration costs. This idea is not new to the General Assembly, it was introduced 4-5 years ago by Delegate Albo of Springfield. However, Delegate Bell, being a teacher, drafted the bill better to the committee's liking and was successful at getting it passed. Delegate Dickie Bell is a special education teacher from Augusta County and a freshman delegate this year in the Virginia General Assembly.

Delegate Albo explained that the bill will have a tough time getting through the General Assembly and even harder time getting through the Virginia Senate because the Teachers Unions are opposed to the measure. The Teachers Unions also represent the Administrative staff and explain that the bill would result in layoffs of administration in order to comply with the mandate.