@fundourschoolsva
A Virginia statewide coalition of parents, teachers, and organizations fighting for fully and fairly funded schools where every student has access to a high-quality public education regardless of their zip code. https://www.fundourschoolsva.org
Over the coming weeks, VDOE and the Sec of Education are hosting listening sessions to hear from parents, students, educators, and community members on the issues impacting our public schools.
We encourage you to attend your local session! More info here: www.doe.virginia.gov/about-vdoe/p...
Check out this budget breakdown from Voices for Virginia's Children with a special focus on much-needed school-based mental health and student support resources!
vakids.org/posts/the-bu...
"Ending the exemption, Bauer said Tuesday, could generate roughly $1 billion over the biennium to fund teacher raises, school construction and child care subsidies."
richmond.com/news/state-r...
"Take action: Contact your legislators and Governor Spanberger to urge them to ensure that key public school funding items are included in the final budget! fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/"
It's time to make sure that key investments in our public schools that were included in the House and Senate budgets make it into the final budget proposal!
Contact your legislators here to urge them to prioritize public school funding in the budget: fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/
VA has once again received D and C grades for public school funding in the @edlawcenter.bsky.social's new "Making the Grade" report. While we've made some progress over the past few years, we have a long way to go.
You can see our full state profile here: edlawcenter.org/.../making-t...
"Take action: Contact your Senators to urge them to support HB 334, which would give localities the freedom to decide via referendum if they want to enact a 1% sales tax to fund school construction. fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/"
Currently only 9 localities in Virginia are allowed to decide via voter referendum if they want to pay an extra 1% sales tax to pay for school construction in their district. HB 334 would change that.
Take action here: fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/
"Both budget proposals make progress on key items for our public schools, particularly support for students with disabilities and students from low-income families. However, both budgets fall short in some areas, including not raising the sustainable revenue needed to fund the investments that our students desperately deserve. Ultimately both of these proposals would bring us closer to fully and fairly funded public schools in Virginia, but we still have a long way to go. Full statement: bit.ly/FOSBudget2026"
The Virginia House and Senate released their proposed budgets this afternoon, both of which include important investments in our public schools. Rad our full statement here: www.fundourschoolsva.org/statement-on...
"Crossover update" over a photo of the Virginia state Capitol Building
We’re now over halfway through this year’s #VaLeg session! This Weds was "crossover", after which bills that have passed their original chamber move to the other chamber for consideration.
You can read some updates on our priorities here: www.fundourschoolsva.org/2026-general...
What do tax policies have to do with #affordability? A lot.
Key proposals could lower everyday costs for many Virginia families, and requiring the wealthy to pay their #FairShare could fund critical services that reduce costs elsewhere.
Some examples ⤵️
Good news! Today SB 685 and HB 1278 both passed their chambers of origin. Both of these bills would expand language access for public school parents and therefore boost parent involvement in schools!
Millionaires shouldn't be paying the same tax rate as teachers and firefighters. HB188 would provide much-needed revenue for public schools, childcare, and housing without costing middle and working-class Virginians anything.
www.13newsnow.com/article/news...
The improvements our public schools need require major financial investments - which requires creating new, sustainable sources of revenue that don’t overburden working and middle-class Virginians. Making sure the rich and powerful corporations pay their fair share can help our students while making our tax code fairer for everyone.
The improvements our public schools need require major financial investments - which requires creating new, sustainable sources of revenue.
Take action: www.fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/
These tax proposals would bring in more money to support our students' learning without burdening the working class.
Take action: www.fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/
Finally some good news on the federal level! The federal fiscal year 2026 education budget that was signed on Tuesday largely maintains (or slightly increases) current levels of funding.
You can read more here: www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
Graphic reads "Take action: Contact your legislators to urge them to support common-sense revenue-raising measures to invest in our public schools without overburdening working and middle-class Virginians. fundourschoolsva.org/take/action/"
In order to give educators and students the support that they need, lawmakers must make bold choices to make sure there are enough resources available.
Contact your reps to urge them to support common-sense revenue-raising measures to invest in public schools: www.fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/
“If we can catch young people early enough, we can help change their lives. We can bring about transformation changes, so they are able to live a successful life," McQuinn said. "But just expelling and suspending them is not the answer.”
www.wvtf.org/news/2026-02...
Thank you to all the youth, parents, teachers, school staff, and advocates who joined us for our Advocacy Day and restorative practices press conference yesterday! We had a great time and made our voices heard for public school funding.
""At its core, a school voucher is a way for public money to help pay for private education instead of public schools. Voucher programs can look different from state to state."
vadogwood.com/2026/01/30/v...
Supporting and engaging our young people is an important part of making our schools and communities safer. Newport News has had success in addressing root causes of violence, and additional funding support could help communities across VA do the same.
www.pilotonline.com/2026/01/25/n...
"The House bill passed Tuesday, introduced by Del. Sam Rasoul, R-Roanoke, would allow any locality to levy a 1% surcharge on top of current sales tax collections to cover school construction projects if voters approve that in a referendum."
richmond.com/news/state-r...
Text reads "Fund Our Schools Advocacy Day: Tuesday, 2/3, 2026 8:45am-1:00pm, Richmond, VA, bit.ly/FOSAD26" Text is in bubbles surrounded by other bubbles, one of which contains a photo of two young people speaking into a microphone and another of which contains a group of people wearing Fund Our Schools Coalition t-shirts posing together in the Capitol building. At the bottom is the Fund Our Schools logo.
Want to make a difference for our public schools? Join us next Tuesday in Richmond for our annual Advocacy Day!
Get more information and register here: www.fundourschoolsva.org/2026-advocac...
More good news from the General Assembly! Yesterday the Senate Education & Health Subcommittee voted to advance SB90, which codifies additional funding support for students facing the highest barriers, and SB685, which sets statewide standards for school language access plans.
We need to be working towards safer and restorative schools so that our students can have learning environments where they feel valued and supported.
Learn more about why funding the Restorative Schools Pilot Program this year is crucial:
richmond.com/opinion/colu...
"It never made sense that the Assembly granted nine localities this option but denied it elsewhere. Legislators and Spanberger should approve the measure for the rest of the state.
Students, educators and administrators would thank them."
virginiamercury.com/2026/01/20/g...
Good news from the General Assembly! HB 334 (Del. Rasoul) to give localities the freedom to enact a sales tax via referendum to support school construction has reported out of House Finance Subcommittee!
Every single child deserves a high-quality public education, but some student groups consistently don’t receive the support that they need. VA needs to invest more in state funding for students with disabilities, English learners, and low-income students.
www.fundourschoolsva.org/resources/im...
The 2026 Virginia Legislative Session starts today! These are the priorities that we'll be advocating for this session:
Join @colorofchange.bsky.social and @neatoday.bsky.social for their virtual "Vouchers Disguised as 'Scholarships'" Town Hall on 1/21!
www.mobilize.us/colorofchang...
"The VEA on Jan. 9 said the announcement is 'an attempt to lock VA into a program before the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service have finalized the rules that will determine how the program works and how it will affect VA students and communities.'"
www.wric.com/news/virgini...