RICHMOND, VA – Following the release of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s (JLARC) report on Virginia’s K–12 Funding Formula, Virginia House Democratic leadership, as well as members of the House Education Committee and the JLARC released the following statements calling on House Republicans to focus on funding Virginia’s schools over tax breaks for corporate interests:
“Our public schools are woefully underfunded and understaffed,” said House Democratic Leader Don Scott. “It is our children who are suffering because extremists in the Virginia GOP would rather fund corporate giveaways than their education. It is well past time the Republicans got serious about protecting and supporting our children and worked with us to make sure that our students have access to the best teachers, the best resources, and the best education possible.”
House Education Committee member and former School Board member Delegate Shelly Simonds said, “Today’s JLARC report only confirms that our children need more support. It’s crucial that Virginia Republicans stop prioritizing tax cuts for the biggest corporations and put our children first. It is our job as legislators, on both sides of the aisle, to make sure that every child in Virginia has access to a world-class education.”
“Our children are receiving a fraction of the resources that they need to achieve a proper and well-rounded education. It is imperative that we fully fund our schools, including hiring and paying top-notch educators, so that our children are equipped with the tools and skills they need to succeed,” said Delegate Luke Torian, member of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
More information on the JLARC report is available here. Members of the press interested in speaking to a member of the House Democratic Caucus on the importance of fully funding education for our children, should contact Morgan Hopkins at morgan@vahousedems.org.
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