The lowering of Cosmetology Hours in the state of Virginia is intended to help the student join the workforce sooner and not have a burdensome amount of debt when they graduate.

The results of the reduction in hours will not only make it harder to join the workforce but in turn may result in the student leaving the industry. Leaving the industry will make it harder for the student to pay back their student loans and they will not have the benefit of the career they are passionate about and will have paid for an education they are not using!

Students today are struggling. As schools educate the student, we also build confidence in the student not just with the practical skills needed but for a lasting career.

The cosmetology industry has changed! It is not a simple matter of teaching them to pass the state board exam. Students need 1500 hours for a solid foundation, reducing the hours will set them up for failure. Yes, there are those few students who will excel regardless of the obstacles, but there are very few who will be able to rise to the challenge. This isn't because they don't have the talent or ability. It is because they will not be prepared! We all know regardless of what job or what we endeavor to do if we are not prepared and lack confidence we most often fail.

Salon Business models have changed. There will be very few salon owners and stylist that can take the time from their schedules to continue to educate and help the graduate grow to their full potential.

Salons that need to fill their empty chairs need to change their business model and adapt to what is happening in our industry. Salon owners I work with take pride and are passionate about what they do, they produce quality services.  Schools have many requirements set forth by the department of education and other accrediting bodies that are required for the students' education. We will teach what is required but give schools the time needed to help make them successful for a career that can last a lifetime. I have been in the industry for 45 years because of the foundation I was afforded.

Respectfully

Linda Ingram

Currently in the state of Virginia the required hours for cosmetology is 1500, for Barbering is 1100, 600 for Estheticians, and 150 hours for Nail Techs.  After looking through the proposal for the 1000 Cosmetology program, I was shocked to see how many educational hours will be spent on information not related to hair.  The minimum requirement for Manicuring and Pedicuring is 75 hours, half the amount of hours it would take to obtain a Nail Technician license.  The minimum requirement for skin care is 160 hours, the state requirement to obtain an Esthetician's license is 600.  The minimum requirement for makeup is 35 hours.  How can we put a minimum requirement on makeup when you don't need a license to perform makeup services?  The minimum requirement for straight razor use and shaving would be 20 hours and 12 performances of straight razor shaving on the face and neck.  In the 10 years I spent as a Cosmetology Instructor, this wasn't even a service we taught our cosmetology students.  How will this factor in with current cosmetology instructors now being forced to teach something they were never taught?  Where is the consideration for the safety of the public?  Is this now the responsibility of the school to get training for their staff when this is a service taught within a Barbering program?  Hair removal has a minimum of 35 hours and Body and other Treatments an additional 20 hours.  Combined skincare, nails, makeup, straight razor, hair removal,  body and other treatments comes out to be 345 educational hours.  We will also spend another 150 hours on orientation information, laws and regulations, general sciences, and applied sciences.  That leaves us with 505 hours to be spent on hair.  As a cosmetologist my time was spent behind the chair, cutting, coloring, chemically altering, and styling hair.  As a cosmetology instructor we focused heavy on those skills so our students can leave school with the confidence to step behind the chair, build a clientele, and make a living.  Hair bleach, hair color, chemical relaxers, perms, and scissors all have the potential to harm the client, if they are not used properly.  But we only want to dedicate a minimum of 505 educational hours to these items? From what I have heard after visiting Richmond for the past few years to battle the reduction of cosmetology hours, you believe the hours should be dropped from 1500 to 1000 to get people out of school and into the workforce.  You are reducing the hours by 500 educational hours to 1000 and then further watering down their education with the addition of information outside of hair and they are left with 505 education hours dedicated to hair.  If you look through service menus that salons offer, it is rare that you find nail services being offered.  If they offer skin services, they are performed by a licensed esthetician, not a licensed cosmetologist.  But every salon offered haircutting and haircoloring services.  And if the objective is to give them enough education to pass their state board testing, then we are doing them a disservice there too because we use mock product at their state board testing. Their curls come pre-done, they are using a cold iron to perform these services, but in a salon that iron is hot.  Behind the chair with an actual human sitting in your chair the product is real and the tools are hot. A reduction of educational hours means a reduction in practice time with real guests and real product. 

The reduction of educational hours is doing future cosmetologists a great disservice.  We are not setting them up for success by watering down their education with information and procedures that can be learned in a different profession or through a different license.  You are doing a great disservice to other occupations that require a license by adding more of their information into the cosmetology requirements.  You are harming salon businesses by reducing the hours because they will have to take time to further train new stylists.  I think the bigger question is, who is this benefiting?  Are we truly looking out for the cosmetology student?  Are we truly looking out for the good of the industry?  Are we truly concerned for the safety and welfare of the public? I often ask myself, if this were any other occupation... would we have to fight for our educational hours?  

Hour Reduction but Expanded Curriculum?

Because this hour reduction removes 500 hours from the current program, the assumption would be that the curriculum is reduced. However, the curriculum has been expanded to include straight razor shaving, extensive skin care services such as electrical facials and extractions, camouflage and special occasion makeup, lash perming and extensions, body treatments, aromatherapy, lightening of body hair, chemical hair removal, and threading – all of which are not part of the 1500-hour curriculum. This is nonsensical. When other states have reduced hours, they have removed requirements instead of adding new ones. New York has offered a 1000-hour Cosmetology program for years but only require 60 hours of skin and 40 hours of nails, for a total of 100 hours. VA’s proposed curriculum requires 345 hours of skin and nails, more than triple the amount.

No Avenue for Hairstylists

Virginia does not have a Hairstylist license. We have advocated for the addition of this license during the legislative process for years, but it has not been implemented. Students seeking to learn how to be a hairstylist have historically enrolled in a Cosmetology program because there is no alternative option in a school environment. Therefore, the large majority of the 1500-hour program has been spent on hair-related subjects to satisfy this demand and prepare students for a successful career in the hair salon industry. Because of the expansion of the curriculum to include emphasis on skin, nails, waxing and shaving, the number of hours spent on hair under the proposed regulations is reduced to 505. This is a nearly two-thirds reduction in training on the subjects most needed for a successful career as a hairstylist. Students interested in esthetics will pursue an Esthetics or Master Esthetics program. Students interested in nail will pursue a Nail Tech program. Students interested in hair will be forced to be a “jack of all trades, a master of none.”

Effective Date Too Soon

These changes to the Cosmetology curriculum and required hours are set to be effective 9/1/2024. This is not reasonable for schools to implement. The process of getting a new program approved can take several months to a year. We first have to completely overhaul our curriculum and reformat it, especially with the expanded curriculum and new practical requirements. This will take significant time and resources to get accomplished once the regulatory process is completed. Then we have to get that new program/curriculum approved through the Board before we can submit an application for a new program to SCHEV. Then we must wait for SCHEV approval before submitting our application for accreditor approval. After our accreditor approves the new program, we have to submit it to the Department of Education to get approved before we can add the program to our catalog and begin offering it to our prospective students. Schools also need time to inform prospective students of the upcoming changes. We’ve been communicating with prospective students for our fall classes for over a year. In some cases, students have already signed contracts for a 1500-hour program this fall. In states that have reduced the hours in recent years, such as Texas, they have allotted a full year for schools to implement the new program, which is a reasonable timeframe. If you implement these changes on 9/1/2024, you will have a complete halt of enrollment in Cosmetology programs at the busiest time of the year for enrollment while schools wait months on these approvals to go through. This will put Cosmetology schools out of business.

Effective Date puts Students at Risk of Losing Federal Student Aid due to 150% Rule Elimination

As of July 2024, the Department of Education has eliminated the 150% rule, which allowed schools to offer programs exceeding the state minimum hours requirement up to 150% of the state hours. This means that previously schools in states requiring 1000 hours of Cosmetology would be allowed to continue to offer a 1500-hour program. However, with the elimination of that rule, schools are limited to the exact number of hours that the state requires, meaning that as soon as the state reduces the hours, our 1500-hour program will not be approved by the Department of Education. This puts even our current students at risk in terms of the funding of their education. There are huge implications to lowering state hours at this critical juncture. Schools must be able to inform students accurately of what portion of the tuition their federal student aid can be reasonably expected to cover. Without significant lead time on the hour reduction, schools are unable to inform students prior to signing a contract of what their costs may be.

State & Federal Governments At Odds; Puts Schools and Students in No-Win Situation

DPOR has admitted that their goal is to set minimum safety standards in order to protect the public, not to train students to be successful in the profession. In an email dated April 6, 2022 to the Regulatory Advisory Panel, the panel members were tasked with a list of “20-25 training topics for you to identify whether there are safety risks involved, whether training is the least restrictive way to address that risk, and the least number of hours needed to train a student to perform that service safely. This last item we call ‘minimum competence,’ and should be thought of as a minimum training for safety, not skill level or professional performance.”

However, the Department of Education believes that when a state arrives at a minimum number of required education hours, the state has made a reasonable judgment about how many hours it takes to be trained and ready to work in a profession.[1]

The phrase above, pulled from an article on the elimination of the 150% Rule, is the perfect example of the dilemma our industry faces when we are caught between state and federal government agencies. The state thinks they are setting a minimum for safety, but because of the federal Department of Education, the state is actually setting a maximum. This process was started before the Department of Education made changes and DPOR needs to take that into consideration before revising current programs. The Department of Education expects schools to train students to be successful in the industry and to find gainful employment in the profession, to the extent that the Gainful Employment regulation holds schools responsible for the income a student makes post-graduation. How are schools expected to improve employment outcomes while being forced to spend less time on marketable skills? The ability for a graduate to avoid burning or cutting a client when performing a service has little bearing on their success in the industry if they’re unable to give a client the desired cut and color. That graduate will not be successful or remain in the industry. This dilemma will result in the closure of Cosmetology schools in Virginia as a direct result of these changes.

Makeup is Not a Regulated Profession

Why are there required makeup hours in the Cosmetology curriculum when Makeup Artist is not a regulated profession in Virginia? Forcing schools to spend 35 hours on Makeup doesn’t align with the fact that someone can work as a Makeup Artist without a license. If it’s unsafe to perform makeup without 35 hours of instruction for a Cosmetologist, then it should be unsafe for an unlicensed Makeup Artist to do so. This section of the curriculum should be removed due to inconsistency.

Not Solving Any Problems

This regulation was started because of a need for more stylists in the industry, but removing a third of a student’s education will make a huge impact on their career trajectory. This 33% reduction of total hours (realistically closer to 60% reduction for hairstylists) could mean the difference between a student working for minimum wage as an assistant, not being able to make a living or advance their career, and quickly burning out of the industry versus a student having the training and skills to work behind the chair right out of school and open up their own salon. There is value in education. By taking away education from our students/graduates, we are reducing their value in the workforce. We want our students to not only graduate, get licensed, and work in the field, but most importantly to make a living to support their families. We fear that by devaluing our students by reducing their education, this will lead to devalued pay, high turnover, and high industry attrition rates.

Increased Burden on Salon Owners

Salon owners will bear the burden of providing education to make up for the missing hands-on training as well as increased costs to fix mistakes from lack of practical experience. Small businesses need and want graduates who are prepared to work behind the chair immediately.

Reduced License Portability

Because a majority of the states have Cosmetology at 1500 hours or higher, including ALL of our bordering states (Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia), having a 1500-hour program makes it much easier to transfer educational hours and licenses to nearby states. Reducing the hours to 1000 will create increased difficulty for transient students.

In regards to the proposed reduction of cosmetology training hours from 1500 to 1000 hours:

This issue is of significant importance to our community, and I appreciate the opportunity to address it.

Firstly, I want to emphasize that the current 1500-hour requirement exists for a reason: to ensure that our future stylists receive comprehensive and thorough training. Cosmetology is not merely about styling hair or applying makeup; it involves critical aspects such as safety, sanitation, and the ability to practice effectively on real clients. 

Lowering the training hours to 1000 would severely impact our educators' ability to adequately prepare students for the demands of the salon environment. Training programs would be forced to condense essential curriculum components, potentially compromising the quality of education provided. 

Moreover, reducing training hours could lead to a decrease in hands-on practice opportunities. Practical experience is crucial for honing skills and ensuring that stylists are proficient and confident when they begin their careers. With fewer hours available, students may not have as many chances to work on real people under supervision, which is essential for their development and for ensuring client safety.

Safety and sanitation standards are non-negotiable in our profession. The additional 500 hours currently required allow students to thoroughly learn and practice these standards, ensuring that when they enter the workforce, they do so with a full understanding of their responsibilities to protect public health.

You are also putting a burden on current instructors to teach things that were not previously within the scope of practice in our state such as straight razor shaving, nail, and skin services. Many were never instructed thoroughly in those areas. What’s the plan for that? 

In conclusion, lowering the cosmetology training requirement to 1000 hours would be detrimental to our industry. It would compromise the quality of education, reduce hands-on training opportunities, and potentially compromise safety and sanitation standards. I would not be surprised to see many new stylists leave our industry when they graduate and realize they were not fully prepared for the real salon experience. I also fear less students being able to afford coming to cosmetology school as it will now be harder to qualify for aid. As our governing board, it is your duty to prioritize the well-being of our community and maintain the integrity of our profession. Therefore, I strongly oppose this change and urge you to join me in advocating for the retention of the 1500-hour requirement.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to continuing our dialogue on how best to support our cosmetology students and professionals.

Sincerely,

Courtney Carver

Cosmetology Instructor 

Firstly I believe that as a student 1500 hours sounds like a long time, however all fo those hours go into training us and making sure that we are successfully prepared for entering the professional world. Secondly, changing the curriculum to include more estition type services and decrease our cosmetology services would be a huge detriment to our education. Students need as much time and training working with the hair section of our field as possible because most of us plan to go that rout after graduation. I honestly wished we would have even more time with live guests to get a feel for how it will be like in the industry. I've seen first hand stylists who have just graduated and still need more training on live guests because they didn't have enough in cosmetology school. Therefore I am strongly against the change in hours and curriculum for cosmetology school

Good Afternoon, My name is Bryant Murphy, a licensed cosmetologist of 23 years, a licensed instructor for 12 years, and a newly licensed Master Barber of 1 year.  I am writing in concern for the hours reduction but mostly due to the shock of the new theory and practical hours of instruction that will be spent on things not related to solely cosmetology.  In the state of Virginia it is important that we uphold the maximum not minimum standard of safety for students but mostly the general public.  When we force potential students who are  not interested in barbering, skin, nails, and makeup, as an instructor this can overwhelm the experience, because not all instructors hold valid licenses in these areas, but it could send people who haven’t and will not do these services to the best of their ability, because of lack of interest.  Makeup in Virginia does not require a license so the amount of time that will be required in this area will take opportunities from those who solely want to do hair.  As a stylist and instructor the reasoning for wanting to obtain my master barber license was to legally give me permission to use a straight razor, but it was a want of mine not a mandatory obligation.  When we hold schools accountable to these new guidelines, instructors who haven’t been appropriately trained and licensed will create a disservice to the students and harm to the general public.  Another role of mine, is to write curriculum for Paul Mitchell Schools across the country, and the biggest challenge with other states that have reduced their hours is that, instructors are burning out and that the quality of graduates has reduced significantly.  To force 1500 hours of hair, sanitation and everything required to be gainfully employed in 1000 hours is doing our future pros a disservice and the general public harm.

To whom it may concern, I personally urge everyone responsible for deciding the curriculum standards to allow the schools to keep what the original focus is for cosmetology hair related and not skin, makeup, barber related.  Let’s keep our future industry professional and schools in control over what a hair curriculum should look like,  and leave the barber, nail, makeup and esthetics to what they are.  Let’s allow those interested in choosing those other options instead of forcing them into one.

I look forward to hearing your response to my concern

Bryant Murphy

I strongly believe that this change should be in effect immediately.

I firmly believe that if you cannot comprehend everything after 1000 hours you should consider a different career. Everything is well explained within the program and easy to comprehend. I also think changing the education material is very beneficial. When I started Cosmotolgy school, I was informed I was going to be a well rounded student. We have far more specialty classes on than on skin and nails. I couldn’t tell you a thing about nails. I also believe as a cosmetologist if we can handle scissors you should be able to straight shave. Since I have started school I have realized I genuinely have a passion and am good at what I do but I do not feel as if I receive the same amount of education that I pay for. 

I think this change should pass and go into effect!

As a client I find it very unsettling sitting in a chair of a student who only has to complete 1000 hours of school.  And will it even truly be 1000 hours with the addition of skin and nails? You’re setting up hair stylists for disappointment and failure. You’re sending them out with false hope and confidence. DO BETTER FOR THE ASPIRING HAIR STYLISTS. 

As a salon guest, I would not book with a stylist who only has 1000 hours of schooling.  I would feel more comfortable with someone who has had adequate training and educational classes necessary to meet the standard 1500 hours to cut and/or color my hair.  

1000 hours is simply not enough hours! I would not feel comfortable sitting in a chair with a student that has only 1000 hours of schooling. 

As a client, I feel extremely uneasy about having a stylist work on me who has not done the hours of schooling that have been recommended for years and years prior. NOT GOOD!    

A reduction would be great! I currently don’t get enough practice on live guests therefore the sooner I am out of school the sooner I can get real experiences. With hard work and dedication from students the reduced curriculum would not  be a problem. I am over 1000 hours and wish I would have graduated at 1000 hours. Also, I would have LOVED to learn more about skin and nails. The school is not offering skin services therefore I can not get the practice I would have liked. I feel that the changes would be great even though they will not affect me, but they will be appreciated by future professionals. 

As a salon guest, I would not be comfortable reviving services from someone with 1000 hours of schooling. 

Hello,

I am a licensed hairstylist, a national educator with 43 years of experience, salon owner  former school owner and now an  educator at Rudy and Kelly Academy for 10 years. I have seen many changes in the cosmetology program since obtaining my license including having my license allow me to perform in all areas of the industry such as hair, skin, nails, and barbering. I have seen Virginia reduce the hours to 1500,   which as a salon owner I  found that new stylists had not had enough training and lacked confidence  at that point(1500 hrs) to begin working in the industry. Now it is being proposed to reduce the hours down to 1000 hours as to  allow graduates to  enter into the work force at a much quicker pace. It is also being proposed that more hours of instruction will be added to a curriculum  for more nails, skin , make up and using a straight razor therefore reducing the hours of instruction for hair to  equate to only 505 hours in a 1000 hour program which decreases the time for practical skills.  This is insane and a great disservice to those entering into the industry therefore in my opinion causing less people to enter into cosmetology, causing schools to close  and  graduates not being qualified to perform services on the public. 

I have read the proposal and I see the word " safety" mentioned alot. If the hours are reduced, the students will not have enough practical training to ensure the safety of those that they will be performing services on and possibly causing them to quit the profession as well as injuring  someone.  The state of Virginia made it necessary that if someone wanted to do barbering services they had to attend a school just to obtain that license because a cosmetology license would no longer cover those services, it is the same for nails  and esthetics as well and no license is necessary for someone to do make up and now it is going to be added back into a curriculum at less hours of completion. 

I find that at 1500 hours students do not feel confident in their ability to go behind the chair right away and reducing the hours will make it harder for them all the way around. I also read that it will be up to the salon owners to get new stylists more education once they hire into a salon and as a salon owner who is busy, there is not  enough time to spend teaching someone what they didn't learn in school which will hurt salon revenue it should not be up to the salon owners to pick up what is lacking. 

What is the plan for instructors teaching currently?    Many were not trained in the areas of straight razor shaving, nails and skin services. What will they have to do?

Lastly, in breaking down the actual time spent on cutting, coloring, styling etc. a instructor will have to teach a concept, the student will have to perform the concept then have to practice the concept before performing on a person, in the 505 hours dedicated to all  of those areas there is no way that they will achieve the counts necessary to complete a program, 1000 hours is simply NOT enough time to successfully train a student for success in the salon and making a living.  I am against reducing the hours of cosmetology to 1000 hours because I feel that new stylists will not have the practical skills necessary to perform in a salon atmosphere. 

Thank you,

Terri Howell 

A reduction in hours is fair. A public votec school only has to complete 800 hours but my private school has to complete 1500! That’s not necessary! I can learn what I need in 1000 hours if a high school student can learn in 800! 

Honestly this is dumb and makes no sense.
          This is COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL! Mainly HAIR which is literally the purpose. If people want continued education in the other areas we are allowed to work in (ie. skin, nails, and barbering); then, people need to go to school for those areas. That’s the whole point of Esthetician,  Nail Technician, and Barbering School! There are also programs in place for people to get more hours in an actual facility in order to get there license in that are without having to go back to school.

           Reducing the amount of hours in cosmetology WILL NOT help ANYONE in a salon! The reality is no one will want to, nor have time to train people on how to do basic hair. Especially when you have school for it. 1500 hours isn’t even enough time to practice and perfect every area of hair. There are so many different areas and avenues in hair! Anything less than 1500 is a joke! We have to work with various amounts of chemicals: perms, hair color, relaxers; learn so many techniques: curling, straightening, cutting, braiding; learn to strengthen your fingers for each type of technique for each type of hair texture: from straight to coily;  product knowledge, etc etc! The list goes on! You are more liable to have people messing up everyone’s hair, not understanding why, costing salons MORE MONEY to fix, continuously firing inexperienced people; then, having people well educated enough to start in a salon and make promising careers! 

             People aren’t comfortable leaving school at 1500 hours to start and do hair! So, why reduce the hours AND change the curriculum to do less hair!? People come to school to learn other ethnicity’s hair, to learn to do their kids’ hair, to create a future, to learn to show their creativity through hair, etc. Why take that away from them? It’s not fair to the people who truly love the art of hair, and truly want to learn! 

           We need to be able to properly do hair, learn infection control, learn to be safe, to to keep the client safe, and learn to satisfy everyone’s needs! Reducing the amount of hours and changing the COSMETOLOGY curriculum will not help us do so! Like I said, if anyone wants to learn and expand the other areas of cosmetology; then they can do so after or before Cosmetology School. There are steps and plans in order for them to take to successfully do so! Apprentice in a shop, go back to school, practice those areas on Guinea pig clients for half off, etc. Don’t make everyone else suffer because Salon’s are too lazy to thoroughly hire people. That has nothing to do with the people who TRULY want to learn HAIR!

        P.S. Stop moving in such a sneaky way just because you guys are afraid of loosing this battle. It’s dishonorable, distasteful, classless, and down right WRONG! Let it be fair and square! LISTEN to the people the same way we listen to you guys. Hold meetings at an appropriate time for ANY and EVERYONE who wants to attend that truly cares about this career choice, education, and has the license/schooling to do so! 

As a future Cosmetologist with over 10 years experience in the industry across the U.S., and a daughter of a 30 year salon owner, I strongly disagree with the change in curriculum and reduction of hours for the cosmetology program. In my years of experience, the NUMBER ONE service that is in demand, no matter where you go, is hair. The hands-on experience with real humans is the most important part of our education.

As some other states may be dropping their hours for Cosmetology, there are still states who have hours well over 2000 and Hair is a majority of that program. Future cosmetologists and hairstylists will lack confidence, and possibly damage  clients' hair if they do not have the proper education and hands-on experience before getting licensed and stepping out into the industry. Keeping the hours at 1500 is important. Most people don’t realize the amount of education we actually receive on hair and it’s serious that we’re educated well. It is detrimental that students learn the proper background of hair and the science behind it, as well as getting hands-on experience with every different type of hair. If the hours are reduced, that will be almost impossible. We work with chemicals and tools that can cause great damage if not used properly and we need the time to practice with these things. We already lack enough hours on the floor with real clients as it is, so I would be terrified for future Cosmetologists if they were thrown out into it with less experience than that.

Our goal as Cosmetologists is to be knowledgeable, help people feel confident, and educate them on how to make sure their hair is as healthy as possible. If Cosmetologists lack education in hair, everyone in the future industry will suffer. The knowledge we receive in skin and nails is efficient enough for basic services, and there are other programs that offer further education in those areas if a student decides to pursue that. A majority of the students in Cosmetology school are there for the hair portion and we all want to keep as much in the curriculum for it as possible. Please consider this from not only one, but many other concerned future Cosmetologists, current Cosmetologists, Educators, and clients. We desperately need these hours. Our industry depends on it. 

As a licensed cosmetology instructor, with more than 13 years of experience in this field of education. It does not make any sense as to WHY, we are now going to lower the hour requirement to become a cosmetologist, but increase and drastically change the things required to be taught that are not currently a part of the curriculum, with things like specialty skin care services, such as  extractions, electrical facials, eyelash perming, threading, body hair lightening,shaving, etc.  These items belong in a totally different category, like barbering and the esthetician world.

Adding these additional items seems to also eliminate the need for estheticians and barbers. If they go away then you will have an influx of people wanting to get licensed and fitting all of that into one cosmetology program will not be sufficient hours wise..

To reduce the hours and add in new items, that we as licensed instructors do not practice, because it is not currently in our curriculum. It seems that we are on the road to minimizing or lessening the cosmetology professions worth.  A guest would prefer go to a licensed stylist to receive services, because that have been taught and test in the profession, by licensed and experienced instructors that focus on the skills, sanitation and even their soft skills with how to consult, address any sanitation concerns. This has been expressed  by guest that currently come to a cosmetology school to receive services that are supervised, by professionals.  A learning environment  led by licensed and experienced instructors, is a great way to set the example for future cosmetologist, to perform in a safe and controlled environment, so when they are licensed, there is some 

Cosmetology school does not take up much of your time, it can be less than a year. And to earn a license/certificate in that amount of time is doable.  For the safety and sanity of the public, i do not think we should be reducing the hours and adding in NEW information that we currently do not know as a cosmetology instructor and expecting a quality education/outcome.

The reduction in training hours is absolutely a terrible idea and plan. Not a single person graduates Hair School and knows everything already at 1500 hours. How can we set them up for future success by taking mandatory hours away? Also, if a certified cosmetologist did not sit in on this plan, or second this plan, then it absolutely should not be passed. If you are not in this industry, you should have no authority in how this industry is ran and its requirements. 

By reducing these hours, it puts more responsibility and pressure on salon owners, not just the stylist themselves. As of now, Va does not have continuing education requirements either. This plan will do a massive disservice to those who chose this career and the clients. If the hours get reduced, a plan for requiring continued education hours should then be put in place. This is the beauty industry, it is always evolving and changing. Getting proper and thorough education is an absolute must! If anything, they should add hours and courses that are more diverse and address different hair types and textures. 

While streamlining the path to cosmetology licensure might seem appealing, reducing the required training hours will absolutely have unintended consequences for both public safety and the profession itself. Here's just a few reasons maintaining current training standards is crucial:

• Client Safety: We perform a variety of procedures that can impact a client's health and well-being. Chemical applications can cause allergic reactions or damage hair if not administered correctly. Fewer training hours could translate to a less thorough understanding of proper technique, product knowledge, and potential risks.  

• Skill Development: Cosmetology is a skilled trade. Mastering cutting techniques, coloring processes, and hairstyling takes time and practice. Reducing training hours could limit a new cosmetologist's ability to provide high-quality services, potentially leading to dissatisfied clients and damage to the profession's reputation.

• Salon Standards: Salons rely on cosmetologists who possess a strong foundation in all aspects of the field. This includes not just technical skills, but also sanitation practices, business knowledge, and effective communication with clients. Fewer training hours could lead to new graduates who are unprepared for the demands of a professional salon environment.

• Devaluing the Profession: Reducing training requirements could be seen as diminishing the value of a cosmetology license. A strong educational foundation helps to ensure that cosmetologists are taken seriously as professionals and can command competitive wages.

• Focus on Quality, Not Quantity: The emphasis should be on ensuring graduates have a comprehensive understanding of the field, rather than simply completing a set number of hours. Current training programs may benefit from revisions to optimize efficiency, but reducing the total time without addressing the curriculum could be detrimental.  Especially when salon owners are often focused on running the business as a whole, vs. having time to essentially train an apprentice to become proficient enough to make a living. 

In conclusion, maintaining current cosmetology training standards protects both the public and the profession. While streamlining the process might have some appeal to those who don’t understand the ins and outs of this industry, suffice to say - it's important to prioritize safety, skill development, and ensuring new cosmetologists are well-equipped for success.

As a student in school(with over 1300 hours into the program) it baffles me that you would want to reduce the hours. I barely feel comfortable graduating at 1500 hours never mind 1000 hours. Most people after graduating school with 1500 hours go on to assist at a salon for six months to a year because they don’t have enough experience yet to become a stylist. The industry is only as strong as our weakest link and a student graduating at 1000 hours will significantly hurt the industry as a whole. On top of all the concerns with that, the new curriculum will hurt all students in so many ways. As a cosmetology student, I came to school with the intention to learn mainly about hair. If I wanted to learn about esthetician related study, I would go to esthetician school. So now students will graduate with 1000 hours and know even less about hair related information. I think this is a big mistake and see no validation to your proposal! 

I’m commenting to say how unfair I think the curriculum is becoming and will not prepare future cosmologists for real salon world. I was in school when I needed 320 hair styles and it’s going down to 60 is beyond under preparing. If someone wants to do skin or barbering they should go to schools specifically for that purpose. I want to be a salon owner in the future and it’ll be so hard to hire people who are coming out of school knowing the absolute bare minimum. I will have to teacher the graduates from cosmetology school how to do hair. Raising skin curriculum is unnecessary for cosmetology school, there’s esthetic school for that. I am beyond frustrated as well as my classmates in cosmetology school. ITS UNFAIR!!

The reduction of hours from 1500 to 1000 is an extremely poor choice for cosmetology students, teachers, and salon owners. Cosmetology school is for students that want to be hairstylists, needing time to learn how to do hair and that being there focus. In order to be a successful hairstylist we need to build our clientele and experience At 1500 hours we are barely getting enough information to be able to go straight out to the workforce. This is purely a financial decision by the government in order to have more UNQUALIFIED workers in the workforce to make more money. In the long run this is again just such a horrible decision and will cause such a lack of education. And lack of educated stylists. 

To those whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed changes to the cosmetology curriculum that deprioritizes hands-on experience with hair. As a current student of Rudy & Kelly Academy, I believe this shift in focus will significantly impact our preparedness and readiness for the industry.

The foundation of cosmetology education has always been practical, hands-on training, especially when it comes to hair styling, cutting, and coloring. These are the core skills that salon owners expect us to have mastered upon graduation. Without sufficient practical experience, we will not be equipped with the necessary proficiency and confidence to succeed in a salon environment. This deficiency will place an undue burden on salon owners, who will have to spend valuable time and resources to train new stylists on fundamental skills that should have been acquired during their schooling.

Providing only the bare minimum will not only create unhappy and unconfident stylists but also extremely dissatisfied customers, which will impact the whole industry. Furthermore, this change makes it challenging for graduates to practice their craft if they move to states that still maintain adequate training requirements.

Moreover, the new curriculum focusing on a broader range of cosmetology aspects may not align with the primary reasons many of us chose to enroll in this program. Those interested in specializing in areas such as barbering, esthetics, or nail technology typically enroll in schools dedicated to those fields. By diluting the focus on hair, the curriculum risks inadequately preparing students for the specific demands of the hairstyling profession.

As students who have committed time, effort, and financial resources to our education, we deserve to receive the training we signed up for and paid for. Therefore, I respectfully request that the institution ensure current students are grandfathered into the original curriculum. This measure will honor our investment and guarantee that we receive the comprehensive hands-on training necessary to thrive in our chosen careers.

I hope you consider our concerns and take appropriate steps to ensure that the quality and focus of our education are preserved. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, 

A Concerned Student

In today’s society with social media, more and more people are doing things without licensure’s. They do it out of there house with no proper training or regulations. That’s problem one secondly so many people have issues going to a stylist that is somehow just unable to give satisfactory work and use any sort of technique. How do you think decreasing hours will affect that? This industry is looked up to and looked down upon because to many people experience and get scared by a bad haircut and unprofessional behavior.as a recent Graduate of a 1500 hour program. I can assure that I learned so much even reaching my 1,500 reaching that last 500 really solidified everything for me and I feel so much more prepared for salon life. Not only that but now you are flipping all the educators worlds upside down . Now they have to change the curriculum, classes and timing which equals less education and faster pace. Which not saying all but many beauty school attendees are often people who need a little more care when it comes to education and studying. On top of the fact that by changing state board all the people who have already graduated and have been taught how to approach this will now suffer for new circumstances and new test regulations and cause so much anxiety for people who already did there 1500. So please consider this a dangerous idea. 

Reducing the hours on their own would be so unfair to the industry as well as the future cosmetologists.  More time is needed to provide services, understand the chemicals that are being used and how they work, how to formulate colors and especially how to do corrections when needed.  If there was a required apprenticeship where they can continue their training and understanding the geometry used for hair cutting, the chemicals for color, perms and relaxers as a start.  You learn so much by providing services, working side by side with a teacher/stylist trainer, I understand there are people wanting quicker turns on schooling, reduced costs and such but for the majority of students it would be unfair and setting them up for failure.  More technical aspects of the field are what occurs in those 500 hours you are considering eliminating and they truly are so very critical for learning and practicing skills and knowledge needed for success.

To whom it may concern,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to address the recent proposal to reduce the required training hours for obtaining a cosmetology license from 1,500 to 1,000 hours.

After careful consideration and review, I personally do not agree with this decision. The primary reasons for this decision include:

1. **Comprehensive Skill Development**: Cosmetology is a field that demands a diverse set of skills and knowledge, including sanitation, chemical treatments, and client safety. The current training hours ensure that all cosmetologists are well-prepared and comfortable to provide high-quality and safe services.

2. **Public Health and Safety**: A reduction in training hours could compromise the quality of education and practical experience that aspiring cosmetologists receive. This could, in turn, affect public health and safety, as insufficiently trained professionals may not be fully equipped to handle various procedures and emergencies.

3. **Professional Standards**: Maintaining rigorous training standards upholds the integrity and professionalism of the cosmetology industry. It ensures that all practitioners meet a consistent and high level of competency, which is crucial for client trust and industry reputation.

4. **Competitive Edge**: Higher training standards contribute to the professional development and competitive edge of our cosmetologists. By ensuring comprehensive training, we equip our professionals with the skills needed to excel and innovate within the industry.

We understand the intent behind the proposal to make the profession more accessible. However, we believe that quality and thorough education should not be compromised. Ensuring our cosmetologists are fully trained and prepared is essential for maintaining the high standards that our clients expect and deserve.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration on this matter.

I believe that the influence of social media has had a diluting effect on our industry, making it appear easier than it is and accessible to anyone. From a student's perspective, achieving 1500 hours of experience seems like a significant undertaking, requiring a considerable amount of time and prior expertise. This industry encompasses diverse avenues beyond the mastery of styling hair, a fact that I only became aware of upon entering school. Therefore, adjusting the required hours by subtracting hours seems impractical. In my opinion, setting the minimum requirement at 2000 hours, with an additional 500 hours dedicated to specialized training in skincare and nail services, would be more appropriate.

Furthermore, observing the high prices charged by stylists, which often exceed those of a visit to a healthcare professional, raises the question of why there is a proposal to reduce the required hours for licensure? I believe that this industry does not receive the level of respect it merits, which directly impacts the challenges associated with obtaining a license.

Dear Members of the Virginia State Board for Barbers and Cosmetology,

I am writing to express my strong disagreement with the proposed reduction of required training hours for cosmetologists from 1500 to 1000 hours. As a licensed professional with 16 years of experience, I am deeply invested in maintaining high educational standards and quality. I believe that reducing the required training hours will have several detrimental effects on both the profession and the public.

1. Comprehensive Skill Development: The cosmetology profession encompasses a wide range of skills, including hair cutting, coloring, styling, skincare, and nail services. The current 1500-hour requirement ensures that students receive comprehensive training in all these areas. Reducing the hours to 1000 would likely result in a more superficial understanding of these critical skills, ultimately compromising service quality and client safety.

2. Safety and Sanitation: Proper sanitation and safety practices are paramount in cosmetology to prevent the spread of infections and ensure the well-being of clients. The current curriculum includes extensive training in these areas, which would be significantly reduced under the new law. This could lead to an increase in health-related incidents, harming both clients and professionals.

3. Industry Standards and Competitiveness: The current 1500-hour standard aligns Virginia with many other states that maintain high training requirements. Reducing the hours could place Virginia cosmetologists at a disadvantage compared to those from states with more rigorous training. It could also affect their ability to find employment across state lines or gain recognition for their skills.

4. Professionalism and Career Readiness: Extensive training not only equips students with technical skills but also instills a sense of professionalism and preparedness for a career in cosmetology. Shortening the training period may leave graduates feeling less confident and less prepared to handle the diverse challenges they will face in their careers.

5. Feedback from Industry Professionals: Feedback from salon owners, educators, and seasoned cosmetologists indicates that the current training hours are necessary to produce well-rounded, competent professionals. The reduction could lead to a decline in the overall reputation and standards of the cosmetology profession in Virginia.

I urge the Board to reconsider this reduction and maintain the 1500-hour requirement to ensure that Virginia continues to produce highly skilled, knowledgeable, and professional cosmetologists. Our industry’s reputation and the safety of our clients depend on maintaining these high standards.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

John McCown

Stylist - Educator - Compliance Leader