Stafford County School Board Advocates for Legislative Support on Key Education Issues

On Thursday, October 17, 2024, the Stafford County School Board convened with local lawmakers to present its 2024 legislative agenda for the upcoming Virginia General Assembly session. Focused on enhancing educational quality and addressing critical funding disparities, the School Board laid out priorities designed to improve resources, staff retention, and the educational environment for Stafford County Public Schools.

The School Board’s legislative agenda underscores several issues:

1. Cost-of-Competing Adjustment (COCA): Stafford County receives only 25% of the COCA funding that neighboring Northern Virginia districts enjoy, despite facing similar cost-of-living and market conditions. The Board urged lawmakers to support full COCA funding to help Stafford attract and retain educators, noting a $10,000 average salary gap between teachers in Stafford and nearby districts.

2. Eliminating the Support Position Cap: Instituted during the 2009 recession, the cap restricts state funding for non-instructional support staff. The School Board argued that lifting this cap would address staffing shortages in essential roles such as social work, custodial services, and administrative support, critical to maintaining high-quality education.

3. Additional Local Sales and Use Tax: Stafford’s enrollment is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, creating a need for expanded school facilities. The Board proposed a local tax increase, pending voter approval, to fund school construction and renovation, helping to address the division’s $1.5 billion in identified capital needs.

4. Standards of Quality (SOQ) Support: The Board called for increased funding for counselors, psychologists, and social workers, advocating that these positions are essential for student mental health and well-being. They also requested more assistant principals to enhance school safety and support instructional leadership.

5. Enhanced Technology Funding: The School Board requested an increase in the per-school allocation for the Standards of Learning (SOL) Technology Initiative from $26,000 to $50,000, with an annual inflation adjustment. This adjustment would provide much-needed resources for technology infrastructure, enabling more effective online testing and digital instruction.

6. Juvenile Court Services Coordination: Recognizing the need for informed intervention, the School Board urged changes to juvenile court reporting requirements, allowing superintendents access to more detailed case information. This, they argued, would improve support-based services and educational planning for students involved in the juvenile justice system.

Moving Forward

As the Virginia General Assembly prepares for the 2025 legislative session, Stafford’s School Board hopes for robust support for its agenda, stressing that these measures are critical for meeting the needs of Stafford’s growing student population. School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund emphasized, “Investing in recruitment, infrastructure, and student support is essential to creating a thriving educational ecosystem that serves not only our students but our entire community.”