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Virginia Schools Facing a 'Freight Train' of Budget Cuts

Virginia's mounting budget hole is a "freight train" aimed straight at public schools, VEA and other education advocates testified yesterday.

At a mid-day press conference, and in later testimony to the Education Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, VEA President Kitty Boitnott said most Virginians don't yet realize the magnitude of the Commonwealth's budget challenges and what they mean for public schools. Having rejected a tax proposal made by outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine in December, lawmakers must find a total of $4 billion to balance the state budget for 2010-2012. Every Virginian will feel the pain.

"If something isn't done to stop the out-of-control freight train that is heading down the track in the form of the impending budget for Virginia, our students, their parents, and our school professionals won't know what ran over them by this time next year," Boitnott said at the news briefing at the state Capitol. (Read press accounts or watch the videos.)

VEA's analysis of the current state budget is that at least 23,000 education jobs are on the chopping block. Class sizes will go up and worthy programs, both academic and extracurricular, will fall by the wayside if the cuts are sustained. Overburdened staff have little hope of keeping up. "Quality of instruction…will unquestioningly plummet," Boitnott said.

At the Senate Finance subcommittee meeting, Boitnott and other education advocates further laid out the devastating impact of proposed cuts. Kathy Burcher, legislation chair of the Virginia PTA, recounted a litany of effects from the cuts already being felt: RIFs of staff, increases in class size, elimination of summer school, cuts to enrichment programs and extracurriculars, and more. "School systems are actually weighing out which schools inside the divisions can bear the greatest burden so as to minimize the impact on the lowest-performing schools inside the division," she said. "Superintendents and school boards are actually pondering the question, 'How much can some children bear so that others might succeed?' knowing that the actions they take might change successful schools into underperforming ones."

Richard Salmon, an education expert at Virginia Tech, said the magnitude of the cuts are unprecedented. "I've been involved in education for a half-century and I've never seen this," he said. "It's beyond comprehension." His analysis showed that cuts in per-pupil state aid would amount to $12,000 less spending per classroom. "It's a dagger in the heart of public education, and it will take generations to repair the damage to public schools," he added.

Take action! To forestall the worst damage to public schools, e-mail your representatives in the General Assembly with a message supporting education. Our email tool makes it easy.

Photos: Kitty Boitnott (at top) is interviewed following news briefing; Kathy Burcher (bottom) of the Virginia PTA weighs in. More photos available at our Flickr site.

Extra Credit: Selected testimony from the Senate Finance Education Subcommittee

• Virginia Education Association, Kitty Boitnott. 
• Virginia Association of School Superintendents, Milton Liverman
• Virginia School Boards Association, Pat Lacy
• Virginia Municipal League/Virginia Association of Counties, Steve Owen 
• Richard Salmon, education expert and researcher