This week, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) acknowledged an error in their mathematical formula for funding local school divisions. Reversing this at the expense of Virginia schools would have significant consequences for students — amounting to a reduction of $201 million in state funding over two fiscal years and seriously cutting into school operating budgets. Many school divisions, particularly rural school divisions rely on this state funding in their local budgets and cannot compensate for this loss.
This school funding is especially needed now when students, teachers, and staff are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic academically and emotionally. Not only should the General Assembly fix the Youngkin administration’s error, but this should be the minimum done given the vast available resources. It’s essential this happens without taking new funds that would otherwise have gone to increasing school funding.