John,

When Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was a candidate, he promised he would “fix public education.” Instead, as governor, he pushed for eliminating state sales taxes that went toward the schools, and when the end of COVID funding hit as well, the statewide two-year budget for schools fell $300 million short.

This about-face set off alarm bells for supporters of public education across the country, reminding us we must remain vigilant to keep school funding as a top priority.

Jason Kamras, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools, has raised the issue with voters, and he is calling on the Virginia General Assembly to amend the biennial budget to improve the outlook for educating the state’s children.

Sign the petition to tell state legislatures across the country: Increase, don’t decrease, funding for public schools! To address learning lost in the pandemic and infrastructure challenges, we must maintain and increase educational funding.

Especially galling to Superintendent Kamras is that the loss of funding was also related to a faulty algorithm that somehow showed a higher share of cost for Richmond, which has more families and children in poverty, than for the nearby suburbs, where poverty levels are much lower. Disproportionately decreasing resources for children in poverty is not acceptable.

Dr. James Fedderman, president of the Virginia Education Association, is also holding the Governor’s feet to the fire. He also notes Youngkin’s high-optimism campaign posture, but says, “once elected, it took a backseat to culture wars and partisan politics. And here again, when given the opportunity to be an education governor, Youngkin fails to deliver.”

Teachers’ real wages in Virginia will be dropping, as their 1% salary increases this year will not keep up with inflation. Virginia already faces a severe teacher shortage. Falling behind on teacher pay will not encourage strong candidates to enter the teaching field.

Kamras notes the budget proposal “fails to include any substantive new funding” to support students’ needs, “especially in places like Richmond where we have a diverse community of learners.” The ever-present tax cuts are sacrificing children’s education, who will lack essential services, such as mental health support, modernized facilities, and diverse learning resources.

Tell state lawmakers across the country: No education funding cuts!

Thank you for prioritizing the education of our children.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund