PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger — the mom of three daughters in Virginia public schools — today announced her new “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan,” which outlines her priorities for strengthening Virginia’s child care and early childhood education programs, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher education.

Spanberger’s announcement comes as Virginia is facing a chronic teacher shortage and lagging far behind the rest of the country in education recovery. Virginia ranks 51st in the country in math recovery from 2019 to 2024 — behind all other states and Washington, D.C.

During today’s event at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, Spanberger was joined by Democratic ticket mates Senator Ghazala Hashmi and Delegate Jay Jones — as well as Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas. Alongside parents, educators, and local leaders, Spanberger rolled out a new slate of policy priorities focused on preparing Virginia’s next generation for success, supporting Virginia educators, and lowering child care costs for Virginia parents. She also made clear how she will make sure Virginia’s public schools are the best in the country.

Today’s announcement comes after Spanberger earlier this year announced her “Affordable Virginia Plan” to lower healthcare, housing, and energy costs for Virginia families. And last month, she announced her “Growing Virginia Plan,” her priorities for creating jobs and spurring economic growth — which include an emphasis on strengthening workforce training programs for Virginia students.

“The strength of Virginia’s schools is personal for me, just as it is to parents across the Commonwealth. As their children grow, parents deserve to know their child is receiving an outstanding education in our Commonwealth. Virginia’s students deserve to learn in safe classrooms with educators who prepare them for success in their next steps — whether that’s in a career, an apprenticeship program, the military, or college,” said Spanberger during the event. “As Virginia’s next Governor, I will be focused on making sure Virginia is leading the way on academic excellence nationwide. I will support Virginia’s educators who go above and beyond to support our children. I will put Virginia students first.”

Spanberger continued, “My opponent has a decades-long record of wanting to defund Virginia public schools — and on the campaign trail, she has offered no plan to increase student achievement or support Virginia teachers. Today, I’m laying out my real plan to get Virginia back on track to deliver the world-class education our students deserve, and that we want for our children.”

Alongside Virginia parents and educators who shared their stories, the Spanberger for Governor campaign launched “Parents and Educators for Spanberger,” demonstrating grassroots support for Spanberger’s vision for stronger schools and her focus on academic excellence.

“While parents and teachers are working to find the best resources to make sure our children are successful, we need a leader who will work to make that easier with all of the tools at our disposal. Parents should also be able to rest easy knowing that their child will be prepared for whatever comes after their K-12 education — whether it’s college like my oldest daughter, the military like myself, trade school, or a career,” said Antonne Smalls, U.S. Navy Veteran, and father of two school-aged girls in Virginia public schools. “That’s why I’m grateful to have someone like Abigail who is focused on providing our kids with an education that sets them up to succeed.”

“Through my years working with students here in Portsmouth, I have seen firsthand the difference it makes to have leaders who listen to educators and work to support them with the resources they need. I, like so many other educators across Virginia, chose this field because we want to give the next generation of Virginians the tools that will help them succeed,” said Shauneille Perry-Wallace, a middle school counselor in Portsmouth and Portsmouth Public Schools 2024 Middle School Teacher of the Year. “We need a Governor who is going to support both current and aspiring educators. Abigail Spanberger is someone who is actually committed to fixing the issues that schools across the Commonwealth are facing — not just talking about them.”

Spanberger was also joined by Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas, who spoke about how Virginians need a Governor who will put the needs of students above political games.

“I don’t just talk about priorities, I fund them. Because if we’re serious about preparing our kids for the future, we need to invest in K-12 classrooms and career training programs that actually get them there. And I’m ready for a partner in the Governor’s office that will partner with us on this mission,” said Lucas, speaking at I.C. Norcom High School, her alma mater. “With Abigail Spanberger as Governor, we will have a Governor who puts Virginia families and students first. If we want stronger schools, she is what the community needs, and she is what our Commonwealth needs as well.

Spanberger was also joined by Princess Moss, a Louisa County public school teacher and Vice President of the National Education Association (NEA).

Spanberger’s plan will strengthen Virginia’s K-12 schools by:

• Recruiting, retaining, and providing ongoing support to high-quality teachers to address Virginia’s teacher shortage.
• Upholding academic excellence and rigor in Virginia’s public schools.
• Repairing and modernizing crumbling schools.
• Preparing students with advanced academic programs and career-ready skills by promoting innovation within Virginia’s public schools.
• Rejecting efforts to divert funding from public education to pay for voucher programs.
• Increasing support for students with disabilities, and their parents.
• Giving kids the opportunity to focus on learning at school by supporting wraparound services — including making it easier for rural school divisions to implement telehealth programs for mental health services.

Spanberger’s plan will strengthen Virginia’s institutions of higher education by:

• Making college more affordable and accessible for Virginia students, including by improving financial aid options for students.
• Supporting Virginia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which have been chronically underfunded.
• Increasing access to college coursework for high school students, particularly for courses aligning with Virginia industry needs and regional demands.
• Recognizing and leveraging Virginia’s colleges and universities as engines for economic development and to promote innovation.
• Supporting Virginia’s community colleges — including by strengthening the G3 and Fast Forward programs.
• Enhancing support services to allow students to focus on academic success.
• Protecting Virginia’s institutions of higher education from political influence.

Spanberger’s plan will strengthen Virginia’s child care and early childhood education opportunities by:

• Making sure more parents have access to high-quality child care options in their area.
• Creating greater access to the Child Care Subsidy Program.
• Expanding public-private partnerships to lower child care costs for Virginia parents, including by working with the General Assembly to establish an Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program.
• Helping more Virginians enter the early child care sector and improving worker retention.
• Increasing the supply of child care, particularly in areas of the Commonwealth with child care deserts.
• Preventing benefit cliffs to support more hardworking Virginia families.
• Increasing access to enrichment activities, wraparound services, and healthcare for infants and toddlers.

Click here for more information on Spanberger’s “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan.”

BACKGROUND

Spanberger — a product of Virginia public schools, is the proud parent of three school-age daughters in Virginia public schools. Spanberger graduated from J.R. Tucker High School in Henrico County and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. Her husband Adam also grew up in Henrico County, graduating from Mills Godwin High School and the University of Virginia.

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