Issue Position: Ensuring a Quality Education for all Virginians

Issue Position

The Commonwealth consistently has one of the top ranked public education systems in the United States. However, in today's competitive global marketplace we not only need to have the best schools in the nation, but in the world. The world is changing dramatically and our education system must adapt with it. Pouring more money into school systems is not necessarily always the answer. All options and avenues must be utilized to improve the educational opportunities for children across the Commonwealth. I have supported initiatives that work to ensure that regardless of your zip code or income level, your child can receive a quality education. These include measures to create a scholarship program for disadvantaged kids to attend private schools, the expansion of charter schools and virtual schools in Virginia, directing more of our existing dollars directly into the classroom, and efforts to reward our best and brightest teachers with additional compensation.

One of the biggest challenges I face as a state legislator is finding the appropriate balance between holding our educators and students accountable, while recognizing that the school system cannot be expected to pick up all of the slack if parents or students are failing to hold up their end of the bargain. The public schools cannot be expected to be "babysitters" for our children. For this reason, I chose to carry legislation in 2011 and 2012 which delayed the implementation of new requirements on school systems to allow them to focus on their core responsibilities. This was necessary at the time, given that schools resources were still stretched thin because of the recent recession.

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