Public Eduction

I am a parent of four MCPS students. Strong public schools are the foundation of a strong community. Preserving and promoting funding for our public schools will be among my top priorities as supervisor. Public schools are one of the greatest assets in any community. Not only should our facilities reflect the degree of pride and accomplishment our schools have achieved, but they should also have the funding needed to provide resources for our children to thrive inside and outside the classroom. Without high-performing schools, we risk losing an essential selling point for attracting businesses and talent to Montgomery County. The availability of educational opportunities play a significant role in the decision to move to a new community.

The burden for funding these investments shouldn’t fall squarely on the shoulders of the locality either. The Commonwealth of Virginia has an antiquated methodology for calculating and allocating state funds to public schools. This misalignment was highlighted in a recent report by Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC). Among the report’s findings was ~14% less funding for public schools in Virginia when compared to the national average. For MCPS, if funded at national, per student levels, would increase state investment by nearly $19 million dollars! As supervisor I am committed to advocating for increased state funding as an ongoing legislative priority.

I will not support or advocate for school vouchers. Public dollars belong in our public schools. While I understand and support families’ decisions to seek out private or homeschool options that align with their needs, it should not be subsidized by public tax dollars. Our public schools are already struggling, and vouchers or tax credits would only further diminish existing school funding.