Tomorrow's education system, not yesterday's

February 27, 2012

The News Virginian reports, "Crowds at recent local government meetings have pleaded for more school funding, and their ardor has been matched by educators donning black on a recent Friday to mourn the lack of state funding for public education. Next Saturday, the Blue Ridge Uniserv of the Virginia Education Association plans a wake for education in downtown Charlottesville."

Progressive Point: Virginia's children need a world-class education to ensure they're ready to succeed in an increasing global economy. But the Senate Republicans' budget funds yesterday's education system, not tomorrow's.

While Virginia is stuck in the past, our competitors are racing ahead--lowering class sizes and investing in new technology. We are at an education crisis--the current Senate budget proposes to fund K-12 education at $40 million less than we spent in 2007, and when you adjust for inflation and enrollment increases you find that the Senate budget is down nearly $1.5 billion since 2007. Inflation has only continued and we know we have more students to educate. Conservatives now want our children do it with less than we had before. The Senate must pass a budget that prepares our kids to succeed by investing in their education and our future.

Get the Facts:

• "'I voted against the proposed budget because it did not fund education at the appropriate level,' he [State Senator Mark Herring] added... Herring noted that the budget on the table would have kept the average per-pupil funding in Virginia's schools to below 2007 levels, and that public education took a huge blow in the last two-year budget cycle with $1.6 billion in cuts." (Leesburg Today, February 25, 2012)


• Virginia loses $12.5 billion in revenue a year through credits and giveaways that receive little-to-no scrutiny and accountability. (JLARC)

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