WHEREAS, Virginia Governor's Schools provide some of the state's most able students academically and artistically challenging programs beyond those offered in their home schools; and

WHEREAS, Academic-Year Governor's Schools are established as "joint schools" and are typically managed by a regional governing board of representatives from the school boards of each participating school division; and

WHEREAS, with the support of the Board of Education and the General Assembly, the Governor's Schools presently include summer residential and regional programs and academic-year programs serving approximately 7,500 gifted students from all parts of the state; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Education must approve proposals for new or expanding Governor's Schools; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax was recently ranked the number four high school in the nation in 2013 by U.S. News & World Report; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Science, Math, and Technology Education in the Commonwealth at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels (HJR 25, 2006, and HJR 90, 2008), charged with reviewing and recommending innovative ways to interest students in math, science, and technology, in its final report agreed that Thomas Jefferson High School is a pioneer and any efforts by other local school divisions to reproduce such a model should be encouraged; and

WHEREAS, the outstanding demand for admission to Thomas Jefferson High School demonstrates the need for the creation of similar programs in Northern Virginia, and similar demand may exist throughout the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Board of Education determine the need for additional mathematics, science, and technology Governor's Schools in the Commonwealth. The Board shall develop a plan by December 31, 2014 to establish such schools or similar academic programs, including an estimate of the funding required.

The Board shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of its progress in meeting the request of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.