Education

This report takes an in-depth look at resources and classes available at over 1,800 public schools across Virginia. The findings are clear: students who have fewer resources outside of the school building are getting shortchanged in the classroom as well. And the differences are striking.

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The Commonwealth Institute has completed its latest compilation of data on K-12 public schools in short, easy-to-read summary reports. We...

Reduced state investment in public schools in Virginia since the recession has significantly impacted day-to-day operations in schools all over the Commonwealth. Schools have been forced to eliminate teachers and instructional specialists, place increasing responsibilities on teachers, reduce critical support positions such as nurses and school counselors, not keep pace with the changing language needs of students, eliminate student clubs and shorten afterschool programs, and allow facilities to deteriorate and fall into disrepair.

Key proposed changes to the enacted budget, Ch. 780 click image for pdf...

There are more public schools isolated by race and income in Virginia and across the United States than there were over a decade ago.

Virginia’s state support for students from families that struggle economically lags behind many other states and behind what research shows is needed to provide these students with the same opportunities to be successful in the classroom as their financially more secure peers.

African-American and immigrant communities in Virginia share many challenges, and there are critical policy solutions that could improve the lives of both immigrant and African-American Virginians. This report explores some of these challenges and solutions, focusing on residential segregation, schools that too often fail to meet the needs of all students, employment challenges for adults without high school diplomas, low wages for many workers, lack of health insurance and culturally competent health care, significant caretaking responsibilities without the benefit of paid sick leave and family leave, and harsher punishment in the criminal justice system.

Virginia’s Senate and House approved a two-year budget that takes an important step forward by partially restoring support for public schools after many years of significant cuts. Unfortunately, the legislature did not appropriately target the help to school divisions in high-poverty communities that sustained the largest cuts.