Education

League of Women Voters^®
of Virginia

Public Policy Position

EDUCATION
The League of Women Voters of Virginia believes that state funding for elementary and secondary public schools should insure a high quality education with equal educational opportunities for all children.
PART 1: Funding
In order to accomplish this goal, the League supports the following:
Funding for Standards of Quality (SOQ)

Funding the SOQ by including all actual costs to localities;
Establishing the SOQ to exceed the average level of practices in school divisions when evidence exists that the average level is inadequate; and
Adopting a per-pupil cost figure which represents actual costs per pupil for school systems in Virginia.

Local Effort

Improving the formula for determining the measure of local ability to pay and using it in the distribution of all state school funds;
Increasing the state's share of the costs of education;
Providing state funds to local school divisions for capital outlay, using an improved measure of local ability to pay and priorities of educational need; and
Requiring at least a minimum local effort in funding school costs.

Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten Funding

Providing state funding for half-day pre-kindergarten programs for all at-risk-children;
Providing funding for full-day kindergarten programs provided at the option of localities.

Other Funding

Funding fully the actual costs to local school division of state and federal mandates which are not included in the SOQ;
Continuing the current methods of financing. capital costs by low-interest loans and bonds; and
Continuing state funding of a share of the employer costs in local school budgets for Social Security, retirement, and group life insurance.

We oppose placing a limit on the amount of local education funding which exceeds the cost of state requirements. (1993)
PART II: Quality Education
The League of Women Voters of Virginia believes the following elements are essential to quality education in the public school system, K-12:
A challenging curriculum, high expectations of students and teachers in mastering that curriculum, and appropriate assessments of student achievement. The following elements of the curriculum are essential:

Four core disciplines: English, Mathematics, Science, History and Social Studies;
Art, Music, Physical Education, Health and Foreign Languages;
Analytical skills, application of knowledge and decision-making;
Technology integrated throughout the curriculum;
Strong remedial programs implemented at the earliest indication of a student's academic weakness;
Special offerings for at-risk and gifted students and educational programs for students with special needs, using specified minimum standards;
Education for students with limited English proficiency, in which emphasis is placed on teaching English, while other course content is presented in English;
Career education; and
Career & Technical Education (2007);
Professional education of principals and teachers and on-going staff development;
Class size appropriate to instructional goals; a safe environment for students and staff; and discipline, providing preventative programs and a well-defined system of rules, consistently enforced;
Guidance Counselors for academics and support services;
Parental and community support and involvement; and
Opportunities to select a specific program or school. These opportunities should be based on a system of equity so that all qualified students have equal access. (2003)

The LWV VA believes that the following are important elements of quality education in the public system, K-12:

School-based teamwork, goal-setting and decision-making;
Application of learning to life experiences in further education, work, and leisure activities;
Incentives, recognition, and awards for both students and teachers. (1999)

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