Virginia Republicans pitch private school scholarship program, Democrats say it would gut public education
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Governor Glenn Youngkin and Republican members of the Virginia General Assembly are hoping to create a scholarship program to help low-income students attend private schools. They’re calling it the “Virginia Opportunity Scholarship” program. The program would put $50 million toward providing $5,000 scholarships to up to 10,000 Virginia students who come from low-income households and earn less than two times the amount needed to qualify for free school lunch. “I have seen the difference in the life of a student when he or she is placed in the right learning environment and they begin to thrive. This scholarship is a chance for us to see that 10,000 times over,” said Delegate Mike Cherry (R-Colonial Heights), who used to run a private school in Chesterfield County. Cherry and his fellow Republicans say the scholarships don’t affect public school funding and will ensure all students’ specific needs are being met. “This does not take a dollar from K-12 education and the historic investment that this administration and this General Assembly has voted for in past years,” said Senator Emily Jordan (R-Isle of Wight). However, Democrats like Senate Health and Education Committee Chair Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) say Republicans aren’t telling the truth. “That’s absolutely incorrect,” Hashmi told 8News. “We calculate funding for our schools and our school districts based on attendance and when we are seeing an exodus of students into private schools, we know that that is going to affect the funding calculations and the basis of support that Virginia as a state provides to our localities." Plus, Hashmi says taxpayer money shouldn’t be going to schools that aren’t subject to state oversight. “This is a bill that would allow public dollars to go to our religious private schools. It would allow public dollars to go to institutions that don't serve the students that have special needs,” Hashmi said. Hashmi added that the scholarship program proposal has “no chance of passing in this session.”
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Governor Glenn Youngkin and Republican members of the Virginia General Assembly are hoping to create a scholarship program to help low-income students attend private schools.
They’re calling it the “Virginia Opportunity Scholarship” program. The program would put $50 million toward providing $5,000 scholarships to up to 10,000 Virginia students who come from low-income households and earn less than two times the amount needed to qualify for free school lunch.
“I have seen the difference in the life of a student when he or she is placed in the right learning environment and they begin to thrive. This scholarship is a chance for us to see that 10,000 times over,” said Delegate Mike Cherry (R-Colonial Heights), who used to run a private school in Chesterfield County.
Cherry and his fellow Republicans say the scholarships don’t affect public school funding and will ensure all students’ specific needs are being met.
“This does not take a dollar from K-12 education and the historic investment that this administration and this General Assembly has voted for in past years,” said Senator Emily Jordan (R-Isle of Wight).
However, Democrats like Senate Health and Education Committee Chair Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) say Republicans aren’t telling the truth.
“That’s absolutely incorrect,” Hashmi told 8News. “We calculate funding for our schools and our school districts based on attendance and when we are seeing an exodus of students into private schools, we know that that is going to affect the funding calculations and the basis of support that Virginia as a state provides to our localities."
Plus, Hashmi says taxpayer money shouldn’t be going to schools that aren’t subject to state oversight.
“This is a bill that would allow public dollars to go to our religious private schools. It would allow public dollars to go to institutions that don't serve the students that have special needs,” Hashmi said.
Hashmi added that the scholarship program proposal has “no chance of passing in this session.”
