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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter shares information about proposed changes to public school funding, important updates from various Committee and Commission meetings, information on an upcoming event with the Harris-Walz campaign in Henrico, and highlights from events this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Joint Subcommittee on Public School Funding
Last Monday, the Joint Subcommittee to Study Elementary and Secondary Education Funding [[link removed](iii)] met for the first time. This joint subcommittee was established in the 2024 legislative session, with the purpose of moving Virginia forward towards a new funding model that is a student-based formula. Virginia has used its current staffing-based formula for decades, and it has now become antiquated; the majority of states have transitioned away from this model.
Chaired by Senator Mamie Locke, the joint subcommittee has focused first on research and information from experts. We received presentations from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) [[link removed]] , the Learning Policy Institute [[link removed]] , Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) [[link removed]'s_K-12_Funding_Formula.pdf?1726520507] , and Senate and House Appropriations Committees staff [[link removed]] .
Last Fall’s JLARC study highlighted the severe levels of underfunding of our public schools. According to JLARC, “Virginia school divisions receive less K–12 funding per student than the 50-state average, the regional average, and three of Virginia’s five bordering states. School divisions in other states receive 14 percent more per student than school divisions in Virginia, on average, after normalizing for differences in cost of labor among states. This equates to about $1,900 more per student than Virginia.”
Moving Virginia towards a student-based model will help to address these issues of underfunding and help to direct resources towards school divisions serving the students with highest-need. The process will not occur overnight but certainly will be built into our budget conversations and budget amendments this upcoming Session. This past Session initiated some of these changes already as the General Assembly directed more funding to targeted student populations: students in special education, our English language students, and students in underserved communities. More directions will emerge as we move forward in the next few months.
Commission and Committee Meetings
In addition to the Joint Subcommittee on Public School Funding, this past week was busy with several other committee and commission meetings.
On Monday, the Joint Committee on Technology and Sciences (JCOTS) [[link removed]] Subcommittee on Online and Data Protections met to discuss legislation from the 2024 General Assembly session, including legislation pertaining to children’s safety online, the collection of data using cookies, and algorithm management. As we navigate these issues, our greatest challenges are finding the balance between individual rights to access materials and information while keeping children safe from predatory marketing strategies, bullying, shaming, and the numerous other dangers of the internet.
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee (SFAC) [[link removed]] received presentations from Virginia’s Secretary of Finance Steven Cummings [[link removed]] on how funds distributed by the federal government during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to support our state agencies [[link removed]] , as well as K-12 education [[link removed]] , were deployed. We also received presentations on the outcomes of the Virginia Transformation Office [[link removed]] ; as well as the Commonwealth Health Benefits Update for State Employee Health Plans [[link removed]] . The Department of Human Resource Management has also launched a re-solicitation of health plans for state employees. Several questions were raised during this discussion, and as we learn more about the re-solicitation proposals, I will be providing more information.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Education and Health Committee met to learn more about the student demonstrations on the campuses of colleges and universities, the responses by institutions and administrators, issues of academic freedom, the impacts on students, faculty and staff at the protests and on campus, and the policies that govern student actions. Through the afternoon, we received both oral and written testimony and generated questions for follow-up. Over the next several weeks, my office will be compiling those materials and reaching out to institutions and participants for further clarification and details as we begin to discuss possible next policy steps.
On Wednesday, the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) [[link removed]] received comprehensive presentations on the following: Workforce programs to address recruitment and retention of our healthcare providers [[link removed]] , the issues of shortages in primary care and opportunities to expand and improve access [[link removed]] ; and the plan by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to close the Hiram Davis Medical Center [[link removed]] in Petersburg which serves individuals with acute medical needs. These presentations will all help to guide our next steps in healthcare services.
Asian American Stories: A Central Virginia AANHPI Gathering for Harris-Walz
This Wednesday, September 25, I and other Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders from across Central Virginia will gather to discuss how to mobilize voters in Central Virginia. AANHPI communities are the fastest-growing ethnic groups in Virginia and will continue to help shape the economy, development, and politics over this next century. Registration is available through this link [[link removed]] .
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Select Community Engagements
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This past Thursday, Delegate Carrie Coyner and I provided welcoming comments to attendees at the Virginia School Boards Association Annual Legislative Advocacy Conference in Chesterfield. I shared updates from the Joint Subcommittee on K-12 Funding Formula, proposed legislation for student cell phones in schools, the impacts of artificial intelligence on education, and the new VDOE policies on accreditation and accountability.
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Later on Thursday, I traveled to Hot Springs, Virginia, to speak with the Old Dominion Highway Contractors Association on a panel with Delegate Tony Wilt. We discussed procurement policies, proposal bidding processes, the impacts of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, workforce shortages, and more. The Association members shared one of their most critical priorities: the safety of their employees. Aggressive drivers, those driving impaired by alcohol or drugs, and drivers disregarding work zone speed limits cause far too many fatalities and injuries of highway construction workers. I will be holding conversations to discuss how we can strengthen life-saving protections for our workers.
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Bright and early on Friday morning, I returned to Richmond for a very informative session on VCU Health’s LifeEvac program. We joined several representatives from the Emergency Department for a tour of the life-saving helicopter services provided to patients across Central Virginia. We also joined the flight crew for a tour of the Richmond region as they updated their records with aerial shots of the other landing pads across the city and suburbs.
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Friday evening, I attended the Initiatives of Change International Trustbuilding Awards Program with special guest Professor Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Initiatives of Change USA and its international partners continue to focus on issues of peace, justice, and transformation of communities through effective community-building.
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On Saturday morning, I traveled to Fredericksburg to speak in support of Eugene Vindman, candidate for the 7th Congressional District (CD-7) at a canvass launch. The enthusiasm of volunteers is infectious, especially during these final days of campaigning work and the start of early voting in Virginia.
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On Saturday evening, I was joined by Delegates Betsy Carr, Rae Cousins, and Michael Jones, as well as supporters from across the Metro Richmond Area, at a fundraiser in support of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. This event would not have been possible without our gracious hosts, and I’m incredibly humbled by the fantastic support shown early in our campaign.
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On Sunday, I traveled to Woodstock for the Joint Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committee and the House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee Retreat. We visited a cattle farm, dairy farm, poultry farm, and also toured solar farms in the region. We were also able to observe multiple races at Shenandoah Downs, a racetrack that brings community members out regularly to enjoy carriage racing. Committee members also heard presentations on preservation and conservation.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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