by Gina Patterson & Scott Brabrand
Every public school in Virginia has a responsibility that is both simple to describe and difficult to deliver: provide every student with a high-quality education and the opportunity to succeed.
Doing that requires clear goals for student success, great teachers and leaders, modern facilities and technology, and meaningful pathways to colleges and careers. Most importantly, it also requires the necessary resources.
New statewide polling from the Virginia Business-K12 Partnership suggests Virginians understand that reality.
The survey, conducted by a bipartisan polling team, found strong confidence in Virginia’s public schools. Seventy percent agree that our K-12 schools are generally well-run, provide high-quality instruction, and are a sound place to invest public dollars. Nearly three-quarters say Virginians should be proud of our public education system.
Virginians also recognize that maintaining and strengthening those schools requires investment. Ninety-one percent say it is important to invest more given the state currently spends approximately $2,000 less per student than the national average. The polling also shows extremely strong support for a new funding model that invests at or above that national average.
Those of us who work with Virginia’s local school divisions see where those needs show up every day.
They show up in student achievement. Virginia is still working to address pandemic-related learning losses and achievement gaps. We must provide students with fundamental skills in reading and math while also developing the critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills they will need throughout their lives.
They show up when divisions struggle to find qualified teachers and principals. Addressing these shortages will require new approaches to recruiting, preparing and retaining great teachers, developing strong school leaders, and providing the resources necessary to support them.
They show up in the opportunities available to students after graduation. Whether a student chooses a university, community college, military service, apprenticeship, industry credential or skilled trade, our schools should help put that student on a path to success.
That preparation is becoming even more important as the workplace changes. Technology and evolving workforce needs are reshaping virtually every industry. Stronger connections among schools, colleges, employers and communities can help students understand the opportunities available to them and develop the skills they will need to succeed.
And these needs even show up in the buildings themselves. Local leaders and communities understand the condition of their schools and the needs of their students. Providing communities with the tools and flexibility to address infrastructure improvements is an important part of providing the learning environments students and educators need.
The partnership’s polling found overwhelming support for addressing these challenges. We encourage anyone with an interest in K-12 education to review the polling data and what it tells us about the priorities we share.
As members of the Virginia Business-K12 Partnership’s Executive Committee, we have seen firsthand the value of bringing business and education leaders together around these issues. But the significance of this research extends well beyond any one organization.
It shows substantial common ground around the fundamentals: Virginians value their public schools, recognize their importance to students, communities and the economy, and understand that meeting the challenges facing them requires greater, focused investment.
Strong public schools do not happen by accident. They require successful governance, good teachers, effective leadership, rigorous academics, modern learning environments, strong partnerships and sustained investment from both the commonwealth and local communities.
Our responsibility is to ensure those resources translate into stronger schools and better opportunities for every student in every region of our great commonwealth. Doing that well is an investment not only in public education, but in the students, families, communities and local economies our schools serve.
Gina Patterson of Charlottesville is executive director of the Virginia School Boards Association. Scott Brabrand of Lynchburg is executive director of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.