Issue Position: Ensuring a Quality Education for all Virginians

Issue Position

Ensuring a Quality Education for all Virginians
The Commonwealth consistently has one of the top ranked public education systems in the United States. However, changing technology and workforce needs require us to constantly reevaluate what can be done better. I support the current high school redesign effort to better prepare students for the workforce or higher education upon graduation from high school. While the success of our schools is not based solely on funding, it is an important factor. Since I took office, the General Assembly has invested an additional $1,040 per student annually back into k-12 education. I have supported teacher pay increases and efforts to direct more dollars to the classroom, and will continue to do so.

I believe in accountability for students and teachers, but I also understand that too much standardization and testing can stifle student interest and limit teacher effectiveness. This is why I supported the Standards of Learning Reform legislation in 2014 and will continue to favorably consider other reforms that seek to strike a more appropriate balance.

We are blessed to have local public schools that generally perform above the state-wide averages, but unfortunately some areas of Virginia are not so fortunate. Even in good schools there are students that are not thriving in the traditional learning environment. This is why I have consistently supported and co-patroned legislation that seeks to provide improved opportunities for all students, regardless of income, zip code, or individual learning needs. Among these proposals, I have supported measures to establish more charter schools in Virginia, a full time virtual learning program, a scholarship tax credit program that allows low income individuals to attend private school, and a measure that would empower parents of disabled students to utilize resources that would otherwise be expended on their student in the traditional classroom setting to get the specialized assistance they may need.

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