Statutory Changes in Child Placement

Based on recommendations by the Joint Subcommittee on the Placement of Children for Adoption, [hereinafter cited as the Subcommittee], the 1978 Session of the General Assembly made significant changes in the adoption statutes. The study by the Subcommittee was authorized during the 1977 Session following the introduction of several bills which would have permitted physicians and attorneys to participate in child placement without being licensed. The Assembly felt that such an important issue was deserving of closer scrutiny and therefore commissioned the study. The Subcommittee was directed to probe with particular care the special case of independent adoptions, that is, those adoptions brought about without the assistance of a licensed social service agency

Education Law

This article presents a survey of the significant developments in the area of K-12 education law in Virginia from 2012 to the present. After two of the most active legislative and judicial sessions for education policy in recent years, this review can present only a select number of the many education-related statutes and judicial decisions introduced during this time. This survey places a special emphasis on the Virginia General Assembly\u27s recent legislative updates to the Virginia education code. The volume and significance of these updates reflects Governor Robert McDonnell\u27s commitment in 2013 to pursuing a bold education agenda. As Congress begins to seriously consider the reauthorization ofthe Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, however, the education community may need to prepare for additional significant changes to the K-12 school law landscape