In its annual report to the governor and General Assembly on the condition and needs of Virginia’s public schools, the state Board of Education says that the challenges schools face because of COVID-19 will continue long after the pandemic ends.
“This has been an extraordinary year for public education in Virginia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed huge demands on our schools, students and parents,” Board of Education President Daniel A. Gecker said. “The pandemic has highlighted areas of need for Virginia’s public education system to ensure equity of opportunity for all students.”
The board’s annual report notes that as school divisions pivoted this year to support students through multiple instructional models — including hybrid and virtual formats — four factors complicated efforts to provide quality remote instruction:
Lack of broadband infrastructure and access for all students;
Lack of devices for each student to access virtual instruction;
Lack of capacity of school divisions and professional development for educators to support the shift to virtual teaching and learning; and
Inadequacy of virtual instruction to meet the needs of students with disabilities and young learners.
“We have learned a great deal at both the state and local levels since the initial closure of schools last spring; we know that Virginia’s public school system today is much better prepared to continue instruction through short-term and extended emergencies than we were pre-pandemic,” Board Vice President Jamelle S. Wilson said. “And while we are confident that most of the families that chose other options this year will return to public education, the Board of Education recognizes that many of our school divisions are facing the very real threat of shortfalls this fiscal year because of drops in enrollment, especially among early learners.”
Statewide, public school enrollment this year is down by more than 45,000 students compared with 2019-2020. In its report, the Board of Education notes that since school funding in the commonwealth is largely allocated on a per-pupil basis, enrollment declines caused by the coronavirus are expected to negatively impact local school division budgets when state funding is adjusted in the spring to reflect actual, rather than projected enrollment.
Given that federal emergency funding under the CARES Act has only partially offset pandemic-related expenses — including technology to support remote learning — the board recommends that the 2021 General Assembly hold divisions harmless for short-term enrollment losses.
“This will provide consistency for post-pandemic planning and recovery, and avoid potential staff layoffs due to budget shortfalls,” Gecker said.
While the report notes that Virginia’s public schools and students continue to outperform most other states on national assessments, persistent achievement gaps remain and schools are underfunded.
The annual report cites a 2020 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study that ranked the commonwealth 26th for state and local per-pupil funding, and 40th for state per-pupil funding.
The board notes that despite recent increases in state support, an external analysis this year found that state per-pupil spending for public schools remains below pre-Great Recession levels.
The annual report also warns that Virginia continues to face a shortage of quality educators entering and remaining in the classroom and predicts that the COVID-19 pandemic will exacerbate the shortage and increase teacher turnover. Virginia ranks 33rd nationally in average teacher salaries according to data for the 2018-2019 school year.
The annual report advocates for the adoption and funding of the Standards of Quality the Board of Education initially prescribed in 2019, and re–prescribed in September. The proposed standards include the creation of an “equity fund” to support schools and divisions with high levels of poverty.
“My fellow board members and I continue to believe that the 2019 Standards of Quality represent the minimum level of resources needed to provide the foundational instructional program and support services our students need to thrive in school and beyond,” Gecker said. “The prescribed standards emphasize the importance of teachers and critical support personnel, including counselors and mental health professionals. If we expect to see greater equity in student outcomes, we must change how we are using our resources.”
The annual report also reaffirms the priorities and goals outlined in the Board of Education’s 2017 comprehensive plan, including:
Providing high-quality, effective learning environments for all students;
Advancing policies that increase the number of candidates entering the teaching profession;
Encouraging and supporting the recruitment, development, and retention of well-prepared and skilled teachers and school leaders; and
Ensuring successful implementation of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and the accountability system for school quality as embodied in the 2017 Standards of Accreditation.
The Board of Education’s 2020 Annual Report on the Condition and Needs of Public Schools in Virginia is available on the Virginia Department of Education website.
