RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The General Assembly and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) are taking different approaches when it comes to funding school support staff positions in Virginia.
“We’re talking about school nurses, school social workers, school counselors, bus drivers, custodians, folks who keep our schools running,” Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Prince William) told 8News.
Currently, the state helps fund 24 school support positions per 1,000 students, a number that’s been raised several times since that cap was instituted during the Great Recession.
The budget passed by the General Assembly includes $222.9 million to raise that to 27.89 school support positions per 1,000 students, something a Senate committee found was the estimated state average.
However, Youngkin’s proposed budget amendments include only $84.8 million to increase the funding cap to 25.50 support positions per 1,000 students.
“By eliminating $130 million of K-12 funding, all he’s going to hurt is a lot of locals that are desperate for that money right now,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax).
Carroll Foy says Youngkin’s proposed changes mean school districts will have to use money to pay school support staff that could have gone to other key initiatives.
“Whether it’s more tutoring, or whether it’s enrichment programs, or summer programs, addressing the specific needs of the children in their community,” Carroll Foy said.
8News reached out to Youngkin’s office to ask him why he scaled back the General Assembly’s proposed increase, but did not respond as of the time of reporting.
On Wednesday, April 2, Democrats can reject any of Youngkin’s budget amendments with a simple majority vote in either chamber.
