See below for press releases from Delegates-elect and educators Schuyler VanValkenburg and Debra Rodman on “a letter to Governor McAuliffe calling for a better balance of funding in our schools, saying state contributions have been too low.” Also signing on to the letter are Delegate-elect Cheryl Turpin and Shelly Simonds, who is in the midst of a recount in the 94th HoD district. Good stuff.
Delegate-Elect Schuyler VanValkenburg calls for increased Funding to public schools in anticipation of governor’s budget
Incoming Educators of the Virginia House of Delegates Call on Governor to Prioritize Funding to Local School Divisions
Richmond, VA, 12/13/2017 – Today, Schuyler VanValkenburg, Delegate-Elect in the 72nd District, joined Debra Rodman, Delegate-Elect in the 73rd District, Cheryl Turpin, Delegate-Elect in the 85th District, and Shelly Simonds, Recount in the 94th District, in a letter lauding Governor Terry McAuliffe for his continued dedication to improving Virginia’s public educational system. The letter encourages a more concerted focus in the next budget on state funding in order to combat the resource crisis facing schools and to alleviate the financial burden on localities.
VanValkenburg issued the following statement:
“As a public school teacher and parent, I know how important schools are to the citizens of Henrico county. But we have suffered through cuts and reductions which resulted from the legacy of the 2008 recession. I saw first hand the resulting cuts to support staff, increased class sizes, and backlog of building repairs — and on the campaign trail, I heard hundreds of constituents talk about the same things. We have been fortunate to have Terry McAuliffe as governor. He has made historic pushes for increased state support to move public education forward. However, as we enter this stage of budget deliberations, we must have a revived focus on the Commonwealth meetings its constitutional duties under the Standards of Quality in order to relieve the stress on localities, who are currently paying roughly double what they are required by law and making certain that that funding is flexible so schools can tailor the funding to their unique needs. By doing this, we can ensure we are supporting all of Virginia’s students.”
RODMAN PUSHES FOR FUNDING LOCAL SCHOOLS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2017
Delegate-Elects Debra Rodman, Schuyler VanValkenburg, and Cheryl Turpin along with Shelly Simonds of House District 94 presented a letter to Governor McAuliffe calling for a better balance of funding in our schools, saying state contributions have been too low. As educators themselves, the Delegates-Elect voiced their support of the Governor’s education budget and suggested improvements to the Standards of Quality based on information from the Board of Education.
The new Delegates requested a shift in Virginia’s Standards of Quality, echoing the Board of Education’s concerns about how Virginia calculates the need for support staff such as school counselors and nurses. The Board’s summary asks for more flexibility of funds at the state level, as support staff needs differ by district and locality.
Said Delegate-Elect Rodman,
“As a professor at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland and the mother of two school age children, I am well aware of the issues in education Virginia is facing today. We must set the bar high for Virginia Education. The ratio of support positions to students has been capped for too long, leading to fewer assistant principals, school psychologists, and social workers available to help our children. I support the Board in calling for a much needed update to our Standards of Quality.”
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