Committee on Education and Workforce Development

The Committee on Education and Workforce Development has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, February 8th, 2022, at 10:00 AM in the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix.

OPENING REMARKS/STATEMENTS 10:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.

 BLOCK I: 10:15 A.M. – 12:15 P.M.

The committee will receive testimony on the following bills:

Bill No. 34-0154         An Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41(a) relating to bilingual education to direct the Department of Education to establish and maintain the Bilingual and English Language Development Program in the public schools.

Invited Testifiers:

Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Stephanie Berry, Ph.D., Executive Director, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Bill No. 34-0189          An Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, section 24 relating to school management accountability.

Invited Testifiers:

Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education

Rosa-Soto Thomas, President, St. Croix Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1826

Dr. Michael T. Francois, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education

Leontyne Jones, President, St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1825

Margarita Benjamin, President, U.S. Virgin Islands Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students Association, Inc.

BREAK 12:15 P.M. – 12:45 P.M.

 BLOCK II: 12:45 P.M. – 1:15 P.M.

The committee will receive testimony on the following bills:

Bill No. 34-0086          An Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 10, section 111(a) relating to school health programs to provide for mental health education and instruction.

Invited Testifiers:

Racquel Berry Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Dr. J. Zen Meservy, Psychiatrist, St. Thomas East End Medical Center Corporation

Lori Thompson, Ph.D., Psychologist, Insight Psychological Services, LLC

Bill No. 34-0079          An Act amending the Virgin Islands Code, Title 3, chapter 7, by designating the existing provisions as subchapter I and adding a subchapter II establishing the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance within the Virgin Islands Department of Education; amending title 33, chapter 111, section 3092a, changing the Education Maintenance Fund to the School Construction and Maintenance Fund, and making an appropriation of $2,500,000 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the School Construction and Maintenance Fund and for other related purposes.

Karl Knight, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Albert Bryan

Racquel Berry-Benjamin, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education

Emmanuella Perez-Cassius, Chairperson, Virgin Islands Board of Education

BLOCK III: 1:15 P.M. – 4:15 P.M.

The committee will receive testimony from the Virgin Islands Department of Education and the Virgin Islands Board of Education regarding the status of the State Educational Agency Plan for the American Rescue Plan Outlying Areas State Educational Agencies Fund, as it relates to 2022 in-person school reopening and the overall status of the 2022 in-school reopening.

Invited Testifiers:

Racquel Berry Benjamin, Commissioner, VI Department of Education

Kyza Callwood, Chairman, Virgin Islands Board of Education