Our 2025 Legislative Priorities
All of our students should have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of where they live or how much money their family has. But for that to become a reality we need our legislators to significantly increase investments in our public schools, especially for students facing the greatest barriers.
These are our priorities for the 2025 legislative session to get us closer to that goal:
Making sure the state pays its fair share of school costs
When we place the largest burden of school funding on local communities rather than the state it means that the quality of each child’s education depends on the neighborhood they happen to live in. In summer of 2023 the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), the nonpartisan research arm of the General Assembly, published a comprehensive report on Virginia’s current public education funding showing yet again that the state is not sufficiently funding our public schools.
The report from JLARC also had a number of policy recommendations for improving our school funding system. We support the implementation of JLARC’s near-term funding recommendations and add-on funding inspired by Policy Option 5 to improve our support for English language learners and students with disabilities. We also think it’s important for lawmakers to fully lift the Support Cap, a Great Recession-era policy that limits the state funding for school support staff, and update state funding for teacher and staff salaries to make them more attuned to what schools actually need.
This is a crucial opportunity for legislators to address research-backed, nonpartisan recommendations to ensure children across urban, rural, and suburban communities all have the opportunity to attend well-funded schools. Learn more about our recommendations based on JLARC’s report here.
Improve funding for youth facing the highest barriers
In order to give every student the same opportunity to succeed, we must increase our supports for students that are facing the greatest barriers. This includes students with disabilities, students who are learning English, and students from under-resourced communities whose families might not have a lot of financial resources. We will be advocating for funding initiatives that specifically increase supports for these groups of students. Making sure that all of our students have their needs met will help create schools where everyone can thrive.
Increase school-based mental health supports
Virginia students are navigating a mental health crisis. We know that our students can’t learn as well when they’re struggling emotionally, so mental health support for our K-12 students is a necessity. When we prioritize our students’ mental health it allows them to focus on their classes and prepare for life after graduation. We can support our students by increasing funding for school-based mental health supports and ensuring students have access to community-based mental health providers through their schools when needed.
Creating safe and restorative environments for every student
Making sure students feel safe, welcomed, and valued is essential for their safety, well-being, and academic success. An investment in creating positive school climates that address disciplinary issues in restorative ways is an investment in the safety and well-being of our students.
This legislative session our elected representatives can support safe and restorative environments for our students by investing in positive behavioral intervention programs and investing in additional support staff and resources for communities dealing with high rates of violence. Learn more about the importance of safe and restorative schools here.
Support school models and systems that increase community involvement
Schools are essential community spaces and are most effective when families and communities are part of a student’s educational experience. Students learn best when they are fed, housed, and have their basic needs met. Community school models, parent liaisons, and wraparound services help make sure that students and their families are supported and involved beyond the classroom, which is essential for their well-being and academic success. Investing in community involvement and support initiatives will help families stay engaged and supported throughout a student’s education.