Krupicka Is Not Just Blowing Smoke

Delegate Rob Krupicka, who knows a bit about public education, having served on the Board of Education prior to his election to the Virginia House, has offered a bill which may help Virginia begin moving in the right direction on public education.

Why do I say right direction?   

·         Virginia has been heading in the wrong direction in its support for public schools since 2009.  In fact, inflation-adjusted state support on a per-pupil basis is 16% below what it was in 2009.

·         A recent report from MDC reveals that only 8 states have seen a larger disinvestment in public education than Virginia’s.

·         In 2000 Virginia ranked 37^th in “Per Pupil Elementary and Secondary School Revenue from State Sources.”  In 2012, we ranked 41^st.

·         In 1989, Virginia’s average teacher salary ranked 18^th in the nation at $429 below the national average.  Last year we ranked 37^th at $7,456 below the national average.

·         In the annual “Quality Counts” report from the Education Week Research Center, Virginia’s ranking in 2014 was 4^th.  Our 2015 ranking is 12^th.

Our legislators tell us that Virginia is cash-strapped and cannot afford to invest additional dollars in public education.  Let me remind you that Virginia is the 10^th wealthiest state, and that we rank 46^th in “State and Local Taxes as a Percent of Personal Income.”  We can do better!  Delegate Krupicka’s HB1590 may just be the first step in the right direction.

It is unlikely that this bill will pass in this session, but the good delegate is planting seeds and changing the conversation.

I urge you to read Delegate Krupicka’s op-ed piece fromtoday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Consider clicking here to sign his petition.