I have been fighting to ensure that every student in Virginia has access to a high-quality education since before I was even elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. In 2013, I helped found Green Run Collegiate, a public charter school in Virginia Beach. GRC’s student population is 77% minority and 49% economically disadvantaged, yet it boasts a 100% graduation rate and some of the highest test scores of any public school in Virginia Beach, including the academies. These metrics speak to the success of charter schools as a viable alternative to traditional public schools in areas where those schools are failing to meet the needs of students. I have pushed for numerous bills to strengthen the ability of charter schools to serve as that alternative, including legislation which would permit them to partner with nonprofit organizations to provide wraparound services including nutritional, health, and dental to underserved students (at zero taxpayer expense) and a constitutional amendment enabling the Virginia Board of Education to establish more charter schools in Virginia.
Parents need to be able to choose from a variety of public AND private options to ensure that their children are provided with the resources necessary to reach their full potential. That’s why last year, I introduced House Bill 2225, which would have allowed education dollars to follow students with special needs, giving them alternative education opportunities. We are seeing across the country how virtual education is exacerbating existing disparities in our education system, and students on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are among the hardest hit. These students are falling through the cracks. We owe them an education that allows them to reach their potential.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to get the Education Savings Account Program established in Virginia.
–Delegate Glenn R. Davis
Virginia House of Delegates, 84th District