Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears (R), the first Black woman to hold that office, recently issued this press release calling on the General Assembly to provide more educational choices for parents and young people in the Old Dominion. Demonstrating teamwork, Governor Youngkin (R) in his annual “State of the Commonwealth Address” pressed for the same reforms. Instead of the traditional model we have today, where the government assigns a child’s school based on the child’s address and zip code, an Education Success Account will let parents have more choices over where the child attends.
The Lieutenant Governor’s text is below:
Delegate Glenn Davis has introduced HB 1508 Virginia Education Success Accounts for K-12 students. This bill sets aside a portion of the state education funding allocated to each child and deposits it into an education savings account, where the parent directs the funds to go to pre-approved education expenses, including a range of schooling options and support services.
“Too many students are trapped in schools that are failing them, especially in our historically Black communities.” Delegate Glenn Davis said. “All children should have access to the resources necessary to reach their full potential and it starts with a strong educational foundation. This bill allows parents to choose the educational experience best suited for their child.”
“The 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores confirm that many of our children are not learning the basics of math and reading. Sadly, communities of color were hit the hardest,” stated Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears. “We will continue to invest in our public schools, and we currently fund them at the highest level in history, but we must provide options for students who need a lifeline now. We can do both. We need to empower parents to make choices on their child’s education regardless of zip code. Our children don’t get do-overs.”
-Scott Dreyer
