Abigail Spanberger, Democratic governor hopeful, unveils education overhaul plan as election nears
In addition to addressing the teacher shortage through recruitment and support plans, Spanberger aims to ensure academic rigor while "modernizing crumbling schools." Additionally, she's looking to reject efforts to take funding from public schools and diverting it to voucher programs.
"Virginia's kids deserve strong schools that prepare them for success – regardless of their ZIP code," Spanberger is quoted as saying at the top of her plan.
The Education Recovery Scorecard found Virginia ranked 41st in reading recovery between 2019 and 2024, while it ranked 51st – behind all states and D.C. – in math recovery. Additionally, the state ranked 46th in math improvement over the same period.
"The federal pandemic relief dollars may be gone, but the pandemic's impact lingers in many Virginia schools. Even without federal relief dollars, states could be targeting continuing federal Title I dollars and state dollars to implement interventions which have been shown effective, such as tutoring and summer learning," the organization wrote in a press release announcing Virginia's rankings.
Spanberger isn't just aiming to bring more teachers into the classroom, she's also advocating for higher salaries for Virginia educators, which she believes will help "keep our best and brightest in the classroom."
Education was a hallmark issue of Virginia's last gubernatorial race with now-Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe debating parents' involvement in the classroom. This came as controversy erupted over heated school board meetings in Virgina's Loudoun County. Many cited McAuliffe's remark that parents should not tell schools what to teach as their reason for voting for Youngkin, who championed parents' rights.
In March, Spanberger slammed Youngkin and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for Virginia governor as a Republican, when they proposed public school funding cuts. She called the proposal "misguided" and expressed hope that "Democrats in our General Assembly will take the necessary steps to protect these important investments."
Spanberger also appeared to take a swipe at Youngkin in a June interview with Dogwood, seeming to accuse the governor of playing politics with education.
"We have to stop trying to pit parents against teachers or parents against educators for political reasons," Spanberger told Dogwood.
On her website and in her education plan, Spanberger emphasizes her personal interest in Virgina public education as her three daughters are all students in the system.
"As a mom, I'm so grateful for the hardworking, dedicated Virginians who make sure our children have a safe, positive, and productive school day. As Governor, I'll make sure our educators get the support they need to continue providing a world-class education for our Commonwealth's kids," Spanberger wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.
The Democratic gubernatorial hopeful's plan also includes efforts to strengthen child care and higher education in Virginia.
For higher education, Spanberger is looking to both make it more affordable for students while also investing in Virginia's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The state is home to several higher education institutions, including Virginia Tech, University of Virginia and George Mason University, among others. Its HBCUs include Hampton University, Virginia State University and several others.
In her plan, Spanberger also says she's looking to ensure that Virginia parents have access to "high-quality child care in their area." However, this push is about more than ensuring good child care, it's also about improving the state's worker retention by helping ease the burden on working parents.
Fox News Digital reached out to Sears' campaign but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
21 minutes ago
- The Hill
Tariff rebate checks in 2025? What we know about current legislation
(WJW) – It's not a pandemic stimulus check, but Congress is currently weighing the possibility of sending the American people more money. As part of the American Worker Rebate Act, introduced by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri in July, people would receive hundreds of dollars in tariff rebate checks, which work to counteract the financial burden imposed on families by the Trump administration's tariffs. As the bill stands now, a household would get $600 for every child and adult – meaning a family of four would receive $2,400. Check amounts go down for those U.S. residents who are making more than $150,000 as a family or $75,000 individually. The bill has not been passed by the Senate or the House, and it must overcome multiple obstacles before being brought to President Trump's desk to sign. However, last month, Trump did say he was 'thinking about' approving a rebate. If the revenue from the latest tariff rollout exceeds projections, the bill leaves room for a larger rebate to be sent out to the American people. So far, there has been no word from Congress or the IRS on the possibility of a fourth stimulus check, like those issued during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A rebate is a refund of something already paid for, while a stimulus is simply money given to pump up the economy. The U.S. Senate is currently on break for the summer and will be back in action on Sept. 2.
Los Angeles Times
21 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
D.C. Mayor Bowser walks delicate line with Trump, reflecting the city's precarious position
NEW YORK — As National Guard troops deploy across her city as part of President Trump's efforts to clamp down on crime, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is responding with relative restraint. She's called Trump's takeover of the city's police department and his decision to activate 800 members of the guard 'unsettling and unprecedented' and gone as far as to cast his efforts as part of an 'authoritarian push.' But Bowser has so far avoided the kind of biting rhetoric and personal attacks typical of other high-profile Democratic leaders, despite the unprecedented incursion into her city. 'While this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I can't say that, given some of the rhetoric of the past, that we're totally surprised,' Bowser told reporters at a news conference responding to the efforts. She even suggested the surge in resources might benefit the city and noted that limited home rule allows the federal government 'to intrude on our autonomy in many ways.' 'My tenor will be appropriate for what I think is important for the District,' said Bowser, who is in her third term as mayor. 'And what's important for the District is that we can take care of our citizens.' The approach underscores the reality of Washington's precarious position under the thumb of the federal government. Trump has repeatedly threatened an outright takeover of the overwhelmingly Democratic city, which is granted autonomy through a limited home rule agreement passed in 1973 that could be repealed by Congress. Republicans, who control both chambers, have already frozen more than $1 billion in local spending, slashing the city's budget. That puts her in a very different position from figures such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Democrats whose states depend on the federal government for disaster relief and other funding, but who have nonetheless relentlessly attacked the current administration as they lay the groundwork for potential 2028 presidential runs. Those efforts come amid deep frustrations from Democratic voters that their party has not been nearly aggressive enough in its efforts to counter Trump's actions. 'Unfortunately she is in a very vulnerable position,' said Democratic strategist Nina Smith. 'This is the sort of thing that can happen when you don't have the powers that come with being a state. So that's what we're seeing right now, the mayor trying to navigate a very tough administration. Because this administration has shown no restraint when it comes to any kind of constitutional barriers or norms.' Bowser's approach marks a departure from Trump's first term, when she was far more antagonistic toward the president. Then she routinely clashed with the administration, including having city workers paint giant yellow letters spelling out 'Black Lives Matter' on a street near the White House during the George Floyd protests in 2020. This time around, Bowser took a different tact from the start. She flew to Florida to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after he won the election and has worked to avoid conflict and downplay points of contention, including tearing up the 'Black Lives Matter' letters after he returned to Washington in response to pressure from Republicans in Congress. The change reflects the new political dynamics at play, with Republicans in control of Congress and an emboldened Trump who has made clear he is willing to exert maximum power and push boundaries in unprecedented ways. D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson said she understands Bowser's position, and largely agrees with her conclusion that a legal challenge to Trump's moves would be a long shot. Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act in his executive order, declaring a 'crime emergency' so his administration could take over the city's police force. The statute limits that control to 30 days unless he gets approval from Congress. 'The challenge would be on the question of 'Is this actually an emergency?'' said Henderson, a former congressional staffer. 'That's really the only part you could challenge.' Henderson believes the city would face dim prospects in a court fight, but thinks the D.C. government should challenge anyway, 'just on the basis of precedent.' Trump told reporters Wednesday that he believes he can extend the 30-day deadline by declaring a national emergency, but said 'we expect to be before Congress very quickly.' 'We're gonna be asking for extensions on that, long-term extensions, because you can't have 30 days,' he said. 'We're gonna do this very quickly. But we're gonna want extensions. I don't want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will.' Bowser's response is a reflection of the reality of the situation, according to a person familiar with her thinking. As mayor of the District of Columbia, Bowser has a very different relationship with the president and federal government than other mayors or governors. The city is home to thousands of federal workers, and the mass layoffs under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have already had a major impact on the city's economy. Her strategy has been to focus on finding areas where she and the new administration can work together on shared priorities. For now, Bowser appears set to stick with her approach, saying Wednesday that she is focused on 'making sure the federal surge is useful to us.' During a morning interview with Fox 5, she and the city's police chief argued an influx of federal agents linked to Trump's takeover would improve public safety, with more officers on patrol. Police Chief Pamela Smith said the city's police department is short almost 800 officers, so the extra police presence 'is clearly going to impact us in a positive way.' But Nina Smith, the Democratic strategist, said she believes Bowser needs a course correction. 'How many times is it going to take before she realizes this is not someone who has got the best interests of the city at heart?' she asked. 'I think there may need to be time for her to get tough and push back.' Despite Trump's rhetoric, statistics published by Washington's Metropolitan Police show violent crime has dropped in Washington since a post-pandemic peak in 2023. A recent Department of Justice report shows that violent crime is down 35% since 2023, reaching its lowest rate in 30 years. Colvin writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Ashraf Khalil and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Newsom to unveil redistricting plan for California in response to Texas
The Brief Newsom and other Democratic leaders plan to announce an effort to quickly redraw the state's congressional districts. This move comes after Texas announced plans to add five more Republican districts. The California legislature will take up the issue next week to call a Nov. 4 special election. LOS ANGELES - California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to formally unveil his plan on Thursday to redistrict California's congressional districts in response to Trump's plan to redraw Texas. Newom said if Texas redistricts its congressional districts to add five more Republican districts, then California will change its maps to add five more Democratic districts. Newsom, along with other Democratic leaders, will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m. in Los Angeles. Fight fire with fire' Taking a note from Trump himself, Newsom took to X to announce his news conference in all caps: "HUGE "HISTORIC" EVENT — THURSDAY 11:30AM PACIFIC IN LOS ANGELES!!! A "BEAUTIFUL RALLY" / PRESS CONFERENCE WITH GAVIN CHRISTOPHER NEWSOM & STRONG DEMS. DEMOCRATS WILL DESTROY GREG ABBOTT'S "TOTALLY RIGGED MAPS." TREMENDOUS WORK IS BEING DONE. DONALD TRUMP (THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT) GET READY FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAYBACK YOU'VE EVER SEEN!!! COULD BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE AS YOUR PRESIDENCY ENDS (DEMS RETAKE CONGRESS!). AMERICA WILL BE LIBERATED — "LIBERATION DAY" MANY ARE CALLING IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! — GCN." Newsom's social media team also mocked Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump by saying in a separate post on X that California will "fire him with new, more beautiful maps." Redrawing Texas Newsom has repeatedly criticized efforts that are continuing in Texas to redraw that state's congressional districts ahead of next year's mid-term elections, with the new maps potentially adding between three and five Republican seats in Congress, bolstering the GOP's slim majority in the House of Representatives. That redistricting effort has been on hold due to Texas state Democrats leaving the state, blocking the legislature's ability to achieve a quorum and vote on the issue. But Newsom acknowledged in an interview this week that the move in Texas is likely to ultimately succeed. "We're going to fight fire with fire," Newsom said. Redistricting plan could be left to voters He said the California legislature will take up the issue next week to call a Nov. 4 special election to put new maps before voters to increase Democratic representation in Congress -- offsetting the actions of Texas. The move would set aside the current California district maps that were drawn by an independent commission. Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Incorporated, a bipartisan voter data firm, said the idea of doing a mid-decade redistricting is pretty unheard of, especially in a compressed timeline. He said this would also be the first time voters would get to vote on the maps. "This is crazy," Mitchell said. "It is unprecedented. It shouldn't be happening. But since it is happening, I think California voters are ready. We'll fight fire with fire if we have to." Newsom recently sent a letter to Trump saying California would halt its redistricting effort if Texas agreed to do the same, but Trump did not respond to the request. Corrin Rankin, chair of the California Republican Party, issued a statement this week saying the party would go to court to fight Newsom's plans to redistrict the state. "The California Republican Party will fight it in the courts, at the ballot box and in every community," Rankin said. Abbott told Fox News that if California does move to redraw its district, Texas will simply counter by amending its lines again to add even more Republican seats in Washington. "If California thinks they're going to move their needle to the extreme and eliminate five Republican numbers of the United States Congress there, Texas is not going to do five: We will add 10 more Republican seats using the same procedure they are using in California," Abbott said. The Source Information for this story came from a series of posts on X made by Gov. Newsom's press office. City News Service and KTVU's James Torres contributed to this report.
