INFORMATIONAL

  Now that the reconvened session has concluded, this
  memorandum serves to (1) provide information on particular
  legislation of specific interest to local superintendents
  and school divisions; (2) transmit the Final Legislative
  Tracking Report; and (3) provide information on the
  necessary follow-up related to studies, guidelines, and
  staffing.

  Legislative Information  Each piece of legislation of
  specific interest to local superintendents and school
  divisions is described and indexed by category for easier
  reference, included here as Attachment 1. 

  Final Legislative Tracking Report  The  Final Legislative
  Tracking Report reflects action on education-related
  legislation (Attachment 2).

  Necessary Follow-up  Each year following the close of the
  legislative session, the Department of Education identifies
  the necessary follow-up related to studies, guidelines or
  regulations, and staffing.  Attachment 3 lists the separate
  responsibilities of the Secretary of Education, the Board of
  Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or the
  Department of Education to respond to the provisions of the
  bill or resolution.  We thought the enclosed material would
  be useful and informative. 

  Following in a few weeks will be a booklet containing the
  actual text of the bills passed by the 1997 General Assembly
  which are included on the legislative tracking report.  The
  indexing of that booklet should correspond to organizational
  indexing of the "Legislative Information" attachment of this
  memo.  I hope you find this helpful and will not hesitate to
  call for information on the various items included in this
  memorandum.  Mrs. Diane T. Atkinson, Principal Policy
  Analyst in the Division of Policy and Public Affairs, will
  be able to assist you and she can be reached at (804) 225-2403.

  Attachments: A hard copy of this memo and its attachments
               will be sent to the superintendent's office.

  RTL/kbs