We must address funding issues for our public schools. There is currently a bill in both the House and the Senate to implement the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. Please take action on both bills! This is one of two actions to take as soon as possible.

Public education is a cornerstone of democracy, yet Virginia seriously underfunds its public schools, as documented by Virginia’s Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC). The Commonwealth’s per student funding level is 41st in the United States, between that of Mississippi and Missouri.  

This problem is made worse by the fact that public schools are primarily funded by localities, largely through property taxes. This means localities with lower income levels have less funding available for education. School divisions in rural areas, that have a majority of students of color, or that are in communities with a high share of poverty have fewer resources per student to invest in schools, making it harder for their students to obtain a quality education.  

The passage of SB977 will update the seriously out-of-date funding formula for Virginia’s public schools and address the current deficiencies in funding identified by JLARC.