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The Virginia economy is strong, with a nearly $1.2 billion budget surplus. Although school divisions have adjusted staffing and resources to meet modern educational expectations and the rising number of at-risk students, Virginia’s education budget has remained stuck in 2009.
Billions of dollars of shortfalls have been identified in Virginia’s education system. Virginia’s education funding formula doesn’t provide supplemental funding for special education students, or English Learner students, and uses outdated assumptions to calculate salaries, staffing levels, and the number of economically disadvantaged students.
Now is the time to modernize Virginia’s public education funding to ensure that Virginia’s 1.26 million students are each able to reach their full academic potential.
🎯 Special Education Add-On Add 6% to the basic per pupil funding for a new state contribution to special education staffing and resources. This $52M investment in 12-14% of Virginia's students would start to close the $480M gap in funding for students with disabilities.
🎯 Fully Lift the Support Cap: We made significant progress in 2023! Fully repealing this 15-year old artificial cap on funding critical staff that aid teachers and keep our schools safe, and clean would cost $200M.
🎯 Implement JLARC formula changes: Use staffing and salary assumptions that reflect actual school division norms.
🎯 School Improvement Grants: Improve academic performance at schools identified through Virginia's accountability system. Although we have concerns with the new 2024 Accountability System, many of our lowest performing schools have already been identified by the federal accountability system and the current/old Virginia accountability framework. Although the federal government allocates school improvement funding, Virginia doesn't have a history of consistently or adequate funding school improvement programs. Governor Youngkin suggested a one-time $50M investment. We support the creation of an ongoing School Improvement Grant Program, and an initial allocation of $100M to support the more than 600 schools expected to be identified this summer as "Off-Track" or "Needs Intensive Support"
🎯 Assessments & Accountability: Reduce high-stakes testing and increase access to high-quality instructional tools. Learn about the new accountability system.
🎯 Improve School Meals & Food Insecurity
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Farm to School Centralized Local Procurement Program: USDA grant funding ($3M) expires in January. It enables 700 schools to purchase Virginia grown foods from more than 80 farmers through regional food hubs. The most commonly purchased items are Lettuce, Tomatoes, Ground Beef, Apples, and Pears. Through this program Virginia farmers are able to plan and plant crops specifically for school needs
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Free School Breakfast: Approximately 70% of Virginia's schools already provide free breakfast and lunch to their students as part of the federal Community Eligibility Program. Enabling all students to access free breakfast helps reduce stigma and paperwork while ensuring that all students are prepared to learn.
🎯 Improve School Violence Prevention Programs and Funding Every student should be able to learn in a safe environment. We support investments in School Resource Officers, security equipment, after school programs, integrated community violence prevention programs, and strong parent engagement.
🎯 Invest in School Renovation/Construction: Virginia identified $25 billion of school renovation needed across more than 50% of Virginia's schools to provide a healthy, accessible, modern learning environment for all students. Governor Youngkin proposed $250M.
🎯 Protect public school funding from voucher and other private school handouts The Governor’s budget proposes diverting $50 million from public education to provide 10,000 private school students with $5,000 vouchers. Public schools are the heartbeat of a thriving community. Diverting public dollars to private schools - especially with billions of dollars of unmet need for our most at-risk learners - does not provide spending transparency or accountability for academic success.
Legislative Priorities Talking Points (pdf)
Statement on Governor's Proposed Budget
Bill Watchlist (COMING SOON! - We are sorting through hundreds of bills!)
2025 Call To Action (Check this page for updates during session)
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