Harrisonburg, Rockingham County leaders urge governor, lawmakers to put education first

Local leaders came together in Harrisonburg this morning to call on Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and legislative budget negotiators to prioritize Virginia children and their education.

Harrisonburg Major Deanna Reed and Harrisonburg Education Association President Andy Thompson urged legislators to put children over corporations and the wealthiest Virginians.

“I strongly support the Senate budget because funding our schools should be a greater priority than tax giveaways for corporations and the wealthiest among us,” said Reed. “In these final weeks of budget negotiations, I’m calling on our representatives in both chambers to listen to what hardworking Virginians really want and invest in our schools. That’s what we need here in Harrisonburg.”

The Senate budget includes more than $10 million for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County schools, according to Freedom Virginia, a nonpartisan 501(c)4 organization committed to building a Commonwealth where all Virginia families have the freedom to thrive.

Speakers highlighted a new report by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis that showed the impact of budget decisions on local school systems.

• The Senate budget would mean $4.3 million for Harrisonburg City public schools, or $689 more per student. The increased funding under the Senate Plan would add 51 staffers to Harrisonburg City schools, including school staff like counselors, social workers and nurses.
• Rockingham County schools would receive an additional $5.8 million which breaks down to $524 per student. The funds would allow an additional 78 staff positions.

Together, the leaders asked for passage of the Virginia Senate’s proposed budget, which makes a historic investment in schools and communities.

“As a teacher, all I want is for my students to reach their full potential,” said Jonathan Nateghi-Asli, a retired educator. “The Senate budget proposal gives our communities a historic boost in state funding, along with additional strong investments in health care, higher education and more.”

The House budget, Freedom Virginia said, gives tax handouts to big corporations and the wealthiest Virginians that would cost billions of dollars in the coming years, taking money from other priorities, like schools.

“That billion dollars needs to come to your community, to our community,” said  Thompson. “Harrisonburg faces so many challenges, above and beyond just education. We have language learners and refugees we need to integrate into our community, and we can’t do that without the necessary resources.”