Henrico School Board to provide update on success of 2024 legislative priorities
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The Henrico School Board will review the outcomes of its legislative agenda for the 2024 Virginia General Assembly session during a 4:30 p.m. meeting Thursday, March 28.
Board members approved their priorities this past October for the state legislative session, which began on Jan. 10 and concluded (at least tentatively) March 9. The board’s agenda stressed the need for more state funding to address critical teacher shortages, supported legislation promoting the safe storage of firearms, and advocated for revisions to Virginia’s K-12 funding formula.
Six bills relating to safe weapons shortage passed through the General Assembly, including a bill introduced by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and supported by the parents of slain Henrico teenager Lucia Bremer that would impose more penalties on adults who do not secure their firearms around children who pose a threat.
Bills that would increase Virginia teachers’ salaries to the national average by 2028 also passed through the General Assembly and are awaiting action by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
However, the school board stated that legislative efforts to make comprehensive changes to the state's school funding formula and eliminate the cap on support staff positions have been unsuccessful.
The board will again convene March 28 for a 6:30 p.m. monthly meeting at which board members will recognize this year’s Henrico Schools Spelling Bee winner Rohith Thomas and two high school teams that competed in Virginia’s “We the People” competition. The board will also vote on a $495,199 construction contract for an auditorium addition at Brookland Middle and two grant awards from the Virginia Department of Education.
Members of the public also will have the opportunity to speak at the monthly meeting’s public forum.
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Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.
