Education
State Leaders Have Opportunity to Prioritize Prevention in School Safety Debate
Last Wednesday, the House Select Committee on School Safety had their final meeting to discuss the 24 priority recommendations put forth by House Speaker Kirk Cox. The wide-ranging proposals
The Great Shift: Students Pay More in College Costs, While the State Contributes Less
Virginia’s inadequate investment in public colleges and universities over the last decade has contributed to rising tuition prices, often leaving students with little choice but to take on more debt or give up on their dreams of going to college.
In Funding High-Poverty Schools, Virginia Gets a Failing Grade
Virginia is one of just six states in the nation where the wealthiest school districts receive more funding per student than the poorest districts, according to a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Capital Spending on Virginia’s K-12 Schools Way Down
Virginia’s school buildings seem worse for wear with examples mounting across the state from Southwest Virginia to Richmond to Norfolk of leaking roofs, broken faucets, mold, infestation, insufficient space, and faltering heating and cooling systems.
Ensuring Every Child Has a Meal at the Lunch Table
More than 700 schools across Virginia are eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a program where high-poverty schools provide a nutritious free breakfast and lunch to every student. CEP is federally funded, reimbursing schools for most or all of the cost of providing meals.
Where Money Matters Most in K-12
The state legislature has returned to Richmond to approve a new two-year state budget, and they’ll be making important decisions on more than Medicaid expansion. They will also be deciding on state investment in other vital programs and services across the budget, including where the state invests in K-12 education. One proposal they will be considering is whether they will strengthen Virginia’s targeted aid to high poverty school divisions. Recent studies make the case for why that’s a wise investment.
Decision to Be Made on Teacher Pay in Pending Budget Deal
West Virginia lawmakers reached a deal on Tuesday to give teachers in the state a much needed pay increase of five percent. This comes at a time when Virginia legislators are negotiating a budget deal that may or may not include the state’s share of a two percent pay increase for teachers and school staff.
Comparing House and Senate K-12, Higher Education Investments: Division by Division and College by College Breakdown
There is a chasm between the House and Senate versions of the...
GOP Tax Bills Threaten Revenues for Schools while Benefiting Wealthy and Corporations
The GOP tax proposals in the House and Senate are a bad deal for most Virginia families. They’re also a bad deal for Virginia’s communities and a bad deal for Virginia’s schools.